Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-04

Postmaster Merritt Talks Of Electric
Railway Route.

Considerable classification with the Sc
lection Of the site for the new station OF
the Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon railway and for the terminal facili-
ties and tracks Of that road is expressed by
the officials Of the city post Office. This is
occasioned by the fact that the contem-
plated change will bring the tracks down ID
street to 18th and thence alongside the post
office building to c street. It il pointed out
by the post office authorities that this Sc
lection OF route will interfere very ma
terially with the handling OF the mails and
other traffic Of the post ofiice. and it Is ex-
pected that the District Commissioners will
be petitioned to alter their plans and have
the tracks of the road laid at some point
where they will not interfere with the busi-
ness Of tho government.
Postmaster Merritt said to a reporter for
The Star that all of the coal for the Post
ONCE Department building Is delivered at
the 18th street side. because the architects
had so planned the building that there was
no other entrance for it. In addition to
the coal many other supplies come in that
way, and all Of the departmental mail. out
going and incoming, Is cared for on that
side of the building.
IF the tracks are run down 18th street"
said Mr.. Merritt, 'it will have the effect OF
crowding the work of handling the immense
quantity of material which comes in and
goes out OF the 18th street entrance. All
of the out-of-town mails are brought to the
rear of the building, but all the depart
mental mail comes in and goes out Of the
west doors. At times there are as many
as twenty wagons standing there, and to
run the tracks Of the railroad down that
street would result in confusion and delay
to both the traffic Of the government and
of the electric road.
ut appears to me, though do not say 1t
at all in the nature of a suggestion, that II
the railroad company retained its present
site for it's depot, it could run tracks down
1871 street to Ohio avenue, where a could
be made and trains run out to c and thence
to 18th and southwark from that junction.
'In adopting the course outlined the
tracks will interfere with the mail and
other traffic Of the post office; they will pass
directly in front of hook and ladder and
fire engine house, and in many other
ways Inconvenience present traffic. 1t
seems to me 1t would be dangerous to have
truck houses when other routes could be
found which quite as good. II not bet
ter adapted to their purpose. In addition
to the fire department houses there are the
police station and the Emergency Hospital,
both of which use ambulances, and 1t would
seem that there are many elements detract-
ing from any possible advantages to be
gained from changing the present location
of the station. l earnestly hope they will
reconsider this matter before the railroad
company begins work on the new station.
Another thing is that 18th street is the
only thoroughfare north and south through
the city west of 18th street. and to have the
tracks of the Mount Vernon line laid there,
in addition to the present work put upon
the street with the mails, garbage. coal,
supplies and the patrol wagon and ambu-
lence of the police station Is taking a great
deal from the privileges of the people OF
the city. AS a public inconvenience 1t IS
not too much to say that located on Eth
street the tracks would be nuisance. and
it would not be long before the people of
the city would realize their mistake in al
lowing the tracks to be put there"