The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-07-08
Commissioners to Stand
Pat Unless Route IS
lmpracticable.
MERRITT MUCH OPPOSED
Decision Will Wait on Com
missioner Vests Re-
turn to City.

Unless the Commissioners become
convinced that the route selected is i'm
practicable, they will adhere to their
former decision that the tracks Of the
Washington. Alexandria and Mount Yer
non Railroad should be laid along
Twelfth Street, with the new station
located at the corner of Twelfth and d
Streets northwest"
While I have no doubt that the post
Office VIII be able to exist and manage
its affairs, even If the railroad tracks
are laid along Twelfth Street, Il Will
still be q great inconvenience to US"
These assertions, made by District
Commissioner MaCfarland and City
Postmaster Merritt, respectively, at the
hearing granted TO Mr.. Merritt by tho
Commissioners today so that he might
present his reasons for Objecting to cars
being operated along Twelfth Street. are
taken as a sign that. in spite Of the pro-
test of the Postmaster General against
the arrangement, the Washington and
Alexandra Commuters Association viii
ultimately win its point of contention
and have the new station located at
Twelfth and D Streets. No decision has
yet been made.
Postmaster Fears Congestion.
At the hearing, which was attended
by Col. Allison Nailor. Mr. Crawford,
general agent of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. and Leo. p Harlow. attorney for
the Commuters Association. the city
Postmaster made but a brief speech,
basing his objections TO the proposed
route chiefly on the ground that all
mounted mail-collectOrs and mail
wagons OF the city use the twelfth
Street entrance in taking their col
lectiOns into the building.
Another argument advanced by Mr..
Merritt was that all the coal used In
the POstofice is delivered on the
addition OF street car traffic 10 the mail
collections and the coal cars would con-
gest the travel TO such an extent as TO
make it inconvenient TO all parties con-
ceTned.
Gould not Eleventh Street be utilized
for the postal wagons that now stop on
Twelfth Street2" asked Commissioner
Macfarland at this point
only by rearranglng the interior con-
structiOn Of the first floor Of the build
ing" replied Mr. Merritt.
1T could be done. however" com
mented the Commissioner 1t is a mat
ter Of possibility
Hundred Wagons, Besides Coal Carts.
The Engineer Commissioner then
asked how many wagons went TO the
Twelfth Street side during the day. Mr..
Merritt estimated that, in twenty-four
hours. 100 wagons stopped at that side
OF the building.
In addition, however" said the city
postmaster. there is the great feature
of the coal carts. That building uses
1890 tons OF coal every year. We have
storage for only about go tons. The
Consequence IS that coal carts are com
ing 10 the postOfhce all the time"
After declaration by Colonel NailOT
that mis- objection to the Twelfth Street
route was It's expense. and a request
from Attorney Harlow that his assOcia-
tiOn be given another hearing If the
Commissioners decided 10 change the
IoItC of the tracks as now selected, the
Tearing ended
The official decision on the matter
VIII be given out by the Board Of Com
Ilissioners when Commissioner West
VINO is at present out OF the city, re-
turns 20 his desk