New-York tribune., 1903-06-01
F4N COTT ON HIGH RENTS.
He attributes Those of Postofce to
Increase IN Realty VaIues.
EXTRAVAGANT RENTALS PAID

Postmaster Van Cott yesterday expressed in
terest in reports from Washington that an in
Vestigation of postoffice leases had been deter
mined and that particular inquiry would be
made TO ascertain if there has been favortism
or collusion in arranging for leases where there
has been much increase in the rentals 1t has
been reported that the increase in rentals for
postoffices in New-York State since 1891
amounts TO S5O0.Ooo and that in New-York
County the increase is over $4,000.
1t has been asserted that in some cities and
towns in the State the rentals paid for post
office purposes are 75 per cent higher than the
rentals paid for private business purposes in the
same buildings. In some cases the percentage is
much grealer II is alleged that leases at
travagant figures have been made in many
cases because owners of buildings have politi-
cal influence. and in some cases, it is declared,
leases have been made for rooms in buildings not
yet constructed.
There has been considerable increase in real
estate values since 1897 in this city" Mr.. Van
Cott said yesterday. "and rents have increased
in proportion. Personally 1 am not responsible
for leases of buildings used as stations and sub
stations hare. The department sends inspectors
investigate every case and makes the leases
but I know that there has been considerable
Increase in the rentals for places used post
office stations An assistant postmaster gen
eral was in the city recently trying to find an
other building in Grand-st. for a station. and
there the greatest difficulty in finding
new place as good the old one for double the
rent. The business of the Postoff1ce Depart
ment in this city has been increasing greatly
and IT has been necessary to provide more room
at several stations. Years ago, when we had a
three-cent letter postage, the income from this
city was between 100000 and $4.o00o00 a
year. Now. with two-cent postage. the income
is SIS. 600 600 a year. That shows how the busi-
ness has been increasing.
Since 1897 have opened several new
stations adding considerably to the postofice
rentals in the city. There Station B, at
Broadway and Howard-st.: Station Z. Third
ave. and One -hundred-and- -fifth-st.; Station n.
BroadWav and Sixty -fifth-St.; Station T, Third
ave and One hundred sixty eighth st; sta
ton N. Tenth-ave. and One-hundred- -and-seV-
enty- y-sixth-st. and the new foreign branch sta
ton. Morton and West SITS, all opened because
more facilities were needed in the business in
the city. Then the Ma olson Square station has
been increased with twice as much room as 1t
formerly had, because of the increase III the
mail tube service. think ii is pity the gov
ernnent could not own all the buildings used
for postoffice purposes in the city. and let out
portfons of the buildings for business purposes.
in that way saving the enormous yearly rentals
when [ became Postmaster under MI Wana-
ma ker we opened twenty Sub-Stations IN drug
stores in the city to facilitate the postof1ce
business here Now we have 100 such sub-sta-
tions and the people md them SO coIVemeIl
that thev want more of them. AS the city keeps
growing and the business of the Postof1ce De-
partnent in the city keeps increasing, the rent
ais for postoffice purposes will have TO grow.
too unless the government can go INTO the real
estate business on larger scale.
A tribune reporter called at Mr.. BeaveTs's
bouse in Brooklyn last evening. to ask him re-
garding these leases but he refused to De Seen