Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-23
FOR BETTER SERVICE
SUBURBAN cIT1zFFs WANT Pos-
tai DELIVERY STATION.
Petition Presented to, Postmaster Mer-
rift by Residents Of Brightwood,
Petworthfand Terra Gotta

Postmaster Joha A. Merritt of the city
post ONCE was handed "a petition at noon
today signed by $50 heads of families in
Brightwood Park9 forty heads OF families
in Terra Gotta aid forty heads of families
in Petworth. all in the District OF Columbia,
and Endorsed by the Brighrwood Park and
Petworth Citizens Association and by prom
tnent business houses In each place. request
ing that post office station SO. located at the
corner of Brightwoed avenue and F'rint
street, Brightwood Park, be made a deliv-
cry station, with two carriers attached, as
means OF more adequately providing the
vicinity with postal facilities.
In support Of the petition 1t was stated
that letter deposited in the mail boxes in
the localities named above. after $3.50
o'clock In the afternoon. does not reach the
main office until O'Clock Of the following
day. and delivery does not follow in
some cases, until the ming of the follow
ing day; that local drop letter has to
make the trip to town and back again so
that one day elapses before 1t Is delivered !;
that collection is now made by the car
rter at $50 o'clock in the morning. but as
he holds his collections until his delivery Is
completed. the result is that the letters
are not delivered until the following day.
and that special delivery letter goes over
the same route as ordinary mail matter. no
messenger being attached to the station,
and there being no means Of reaching one
from the city; so that special delivery
means nothing to residents in these places.
Postmaster's Response.
The postmaster stated to the committee
of citizens. who presented the petition that
1t was his business as well as his desire to
improve the service In every way in his
power. and that If all or part of the request
could be granted with the present resources
Of the department. he was sure such would
be DONE
Il realize the inconvenience that you are
put to in sending local mail matter" he
said. You have no station from which
the letters can be sent to their local desti-
nation Immediately upon their receipt and
such letters must go through the regular
channels. passing through the substation
at Mt. Pleasant and thence to the main
office in the heart of the city before they
can be sent back to the addresses who
may be only mile Or two from the spot
where the letters were mailed. This mat
ter has come UP in regard to other local Of
fees. and we have always attended to It ss
soon as possible
Mr.. Merritt thanked the committee for
bringing the matter to his attention in this
way.
Members of the committee said to a Star
reporter after their call upon the postmas-
ter that they felt sure all would be done
that coulG be done for the relief of the post
offGe patrons. They emphasized the fact
that they considered their rights to a local
delivery office greater than those Of Ia
koma Park. which is bnly partly in the
District, but which,, nevertheless, has such
an office as they are seeking. In connec-
ton with the delivering of mail, which was
dwelt upon in the petition. the citizens OF
Petworth urged upon the postmaster the
establishing Of at10:15 O'clock collection In
the evening, SO az to destroy the possibility
of mail lying in the boxes over night and
until o'clock each morning. This Is in
dorsed by members Of the committee from
the other localities
The committee who called upon the post
master consisted OF D. J. Particle, secretary
of the Petworth Citizens Association;
Frank Hamilton Of Terra Gotta, VIM. NICK.
Clayton, William Thomas H NJ Condra
and w. r. Van Horn Of Brightwood