New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-02-21
TWO NEW POSTOFFICES.
Likely To Be at Pennsylvania Ter
minai and Grand Central Station.

Washington Feb. 20.-The commission ap-
pointed by the President to select site for the
proposed uptown postoff1ce in New-York CITY
has practically accepted the proposition of the
Pennsylvania Railroad to sell the site on Eighth
ave. running from Thirty-first to Thirty-third
st directly west of the site Of the proposed
terminal station of the Pennsylvania Railroad
The commission will meet in a few days TO take
final action. In addition, it will probably rec
ommend the erection of similar postofflce
building on site directly over the underground
system of tracks of the NewYork Central Rail-
road, to take the place of Postoftice Station h.
which is adjacent to the Grand Central Station.
The New-York Central people have not yet
submitted a definite proposition. but it is ex-
pected that they will make one later on which
will be acceptable to the government. The site
of the building contemplated near the Grand
Central Station is part of the New-York Cen
trails right of way, and the Pennsylvania Rail
roads site is part of the right of way OF that
road The latter site occupies 100 feet front on
Eighth-ave. running back 500 feet on Thirty
frst-st. and Thirty-third-st, and faces the pro-
posed Pennsylvania station 1t is calculated
by the commission. which consists of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, the Postmaster General
and the Attorney General that if these plans
are carried out half to three-quarters of an hour
will be saved in the transmission of all the in
coming and outgoing mail on Manhattan Island.
The price of the Pennsylvania Railroad site
has not been finally agreed on, but it is said
that II will be at least one-half less than the
amount the government would have to pay for
the property across the street from the site
selected The Pennsylvania Railroad will make
the necessary excavations on the property, its
proposition being for the sale of the land already
prepared for the building itself Work the
building is not likely to begin before the next
session of Congress, as the present Congress has
failed to pass d bill making the necessary ap-
preparation, and it Is not regarded as likely that
this will be done in the few remaining days Of
the session.
It was reported in The Tribune days ago
that the commission the new postoffce site was
in favor of building two new postof1ces. one over
the terminal station tracks of the Pennsylvania
Railroad the proposed main station building
Thirtythird-st. and seventh-ave.. and the other
adjoining Grand Central Station Such build
ings it was said. would greatly facilitate the
handling of mails. Mail trains could be loaded
and unloaded from trucks and this would do away
with the wagon service. This change alone would
result. it thought, in great saving of time
and expense.
If the original plans a postoffce the
Pennsylvania tunnel terminal carried out the
site to be occupied by the postoftice building will
be the same the main building of the terminal
station. namely, two whole city blocks. The ten
tative plans of the tunnel station, as an
nounced in The Tribune of December 13 1892,
showed that the Pennsylvania Railroad had
bought as a terminal station site the blocks
bounded by Thirty-irst to Thirty-thrd sts.. Sew
enth and Eighth aves.. and those bounded by
Thirty-frst and Thirty-second SITS. Eighth and
Tenth aves or four full blocks. 1t had also
bought for the purpose of perfecting its tunnel
projects the greater part of the block front on
the north side of Thirty-second-st, between Eighth
and Ninth aves The main station was to occupy
the block bounded by Thirty-frst and Thirty-third
SITS, Seventh and Eighth aves.
1t is proposed to have the postoff1ce
building on the blocks bounded by Thrty-frst
and Thirty-third SITS. Eighth and Ninth aves.. or
adjoining the main station building. The Pennsyl-
vania trains to enter the part of the station
that will stand on the block bounded by Thirty
first and Thirty-second sts. Seventh and Eighth
aves., and the Long Island trains the block
bounded by Thirty-second and Thirty-thrd SITS,
Seventh and Eighth At Thirty-thtrd-st. and
Fourth-ave. the tracks of the Pennsylvania tunnel
route will pass under the tracks of the rapid
transit subway. There is talk of building station
at this junction to connect the two systems. If
such a station were built mails from the Pennsyl-
vania line for the New-York Central road and
for various sections OF the city would Ii is
thought be transferred st this point.
The New-York Central has much land adjoining
building replace Postotice Station H. could be
quickly built. To carry out its plans for sinking
the traffic faciites the station, 1t bought
months ago the blocks bounded by Forty-hfth and
a strip seventy-fve feet wide on the west side of
Park-ave.. running from Fifty-sixth-st. to Forty
with 81 the m & dr b on en
block alone which It is said would be suitable for
the proposed postoffice. 1t paid about si50.O00.