The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-06
QUICK DELIVERY OF LETTERS.
Postmaster Grimes, of Anderson,
Proud-Sftes for Federal Buildings.

I'VE hold the record in Indiana for the
quick delivery of special delivery letters"
remarked Postmaster Grimes, of Anderson,
at the Denison hotel last night. 81 think
1 can say that within two minutes after a
special delivery letter has been received at
our Office it is on it's way to its address,"
Postmaster Grimes and Col. w. w. Huff
man came here yesterday with John W.
Parsons. of Washington, who is chief of the
division of accounts in the office of the SUI
pervising architect MIR Parsons has come
to Indiana to locate sites for eight federal
buildings that are to be erected under the
public building act. Anderson, Mum
Gle. Richmond. Logansport, Charlottesville,
Hammond. Vincennes and Elkhart are to
have new buildings under this act Mr..
Parsons has practically completed his work
at Anderson, Muncie and Richmond, but is
not prepared to announce what sites will
be chosen. He will lay the situation before
the department at Washington with recon-
mendatiOns. In these three cities there is
considerable difference of opinion as to the
site that should be selected. One reason
Mr.. Parsons had for coming here yesterday
was to talk with Governor Durbin in
gard to the location for the new building.
The Governor is interested in the matter
naturally, as Anderson is his home. At the
Denison last night Mr.. Parsons was talking
of the difficulties OF selecting a site in these
Indiana cities. lone of the chief Difficult
ties he said. 'is that the squares In these
towns are small. Half a block would be
too small for federal building and whole
block would be too large. The buildings
are to be about S0x125 feet in dimensions.
with room TO put on an addition of thirty
feet whenever ii is required. The govern
ment wants sites that 160x170 feet APP
proximately. Now, when one considers
that forty feet is necessary in the way of
fire limit and the building is to be S0x125
feet, with an allowance for an addition of
thirty feet as future growth of business
demands. il may readily be seen what
problem confronts US"
1t is understood that Indiana Is the BAN
ner State in the way of receiving favors
under this new public building act, as there
are to be two public buildings in one dis
trict This is the Eighth district, repre-
scented by George w. Cromer, and Ander-
son and Muncie are the cities that will get
the buildings. The one at Anderson is TO
cost $50, 0O0 and in fact all of the new build
ings in Indiana will cost in the neighbor-
hood of this amount. The Anderson post
office since the LIST of July has been a first
class Office. Postmaster Grimes Is quite
proud of this fact since the honor has come
to the office under his administration. The
receipts of his office last year were some
thing over $4,000 He attributes the in
crease in business largely to the advertis-
ing being done by Anderson manufa cturers,
which necessitates their using the mails
1t is the custom of Mr.. Parsons to spend
some time in each city looking at the differ
ent sites suggested and getting the views
of representative citizens.