New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-02-06
POST0FFICE ON Stills.
Plan or ". Y. CENTRAL.
Woald Lease Building OCer Its
Tracks 10 Government.

" y Newman. president az the Ncw-York
C,,-,~,l ard Hudson River Railroad. yesterday
wrote 10 Postmaster General Payne regarding
tle fuace tire company has 10 offer 20 the gov
eminent for a new posto1lce building over its
tracks within the tract bounded b. Lexington
aye. MaG.son-ave.. FOrJy-1fth-st and Forty
s,n1h-st. as ccscribed in detail In an attached
communication from ". J. NilsEs the chief
engineer and 9Th vice-president Of me com
pany.
Mr.. Newman wrote that the plans OF the com
pany contemplated providing the government
working floor over the tracks Of about 't,oVo
square feet. with an additional area for ONCE
,7urnoses Of about 70 600 square feet. with the
building so arranged that mail could be nan
died 10 and from trains without the delay ana
expense OF moving by wagons. The company
is prepared TO offer for rental 10 the govern
ment this space Tor long period or years Tor
the sum OF $4,000 year. Any desired IN
crease OF space can be provided a similar
basis.
Mr. wileus said the company was depressing
and eniarg,ng the Grand Central yard from
F7orty-second-st to Fifty-sixth-st-. and in con-
junction Herewith Was to restore the cross
streets north of Forty-fourth-st.. which nave
heretofore been severed by the old yard carry
ing these streets over the company's depreSseU
tracks Therefore. these new cross streets re-
moved the present obstacle Ia the easy now CT
travel east and west. and made the general 10
cality easily accessible from all directions
In addition to the work already covered 10y
contract. the company IS considering the o"i'--
ing OF a viaduct in Parls-ave. from Fortieth-s1.
over Forty-second-st to connect with elevated
terraces on the company's property along van
derbilt-Rve. and Depew Place. and thence con-
tnuing north over the new cross streets TO a
Junction with Park-aye ~ Forty-eighth-st- me
elevated space bounded BY the two terraces ana
over the new cross streets makes possible the
construction OF a beautiful court or park
nanked by monumental buildings, which VIII be
one OF the attractions Of the city and viii add
much to the character OF the general locality.
As to the desirability OF placing the postofiice
near the Grand Central Station. it is urged that
az present over % per cent Of the mails to
and from NeN-Yorl State and Canada and TO
the West and Northwest is over the lines center
Ing IN ;he Grand Central Station, and all the
MAI to and from New England centres at tnat
point This large amount Of mail. which aggre-
gates a daily weight Of over four hundred thou
sand pounds is handled by wagon at large ex-
pense and with much delay. The plans indicate
| the convenience Of having the working noor
directly over the cars on the tracks below, with
| electric belts or equally convenient mechanical
devices FOR carrying the mail from the working
floor TO the cars without trucking and without
Interference with the general public. Considera-
ton should be given to the accessibility Of this
! proposed postoffice to the General Postofhce by
I means OF the pneumatic tube now in use, which
| REQUIRES only three minutes for first class mat
! ter and by subway cars. which can pass to and
from the General Postofice directly under the
| tracks at the Grand Central Station.
| As t. the financial advantages Of the new
| postoflce location, Mr.. wilgus says:
| At present the government handles mails from
| Station a. near the Grand Central Station. IL
occupies about thirty-fye thousand square feet.
] for which IL pays for rental about SJ1.oco per
! annum. To this may be added an additional
/ sum for trucking between Station II and the
| Grand Central Station, which. I'm the absence Of
! per arnum. making the total cost to the gov
/ ernrnent for the restricted space above named,
] say. $4,000 per annuU.
! We anticipate that the proposed postofIlce
/ building can be constructed and ready for use
4 within three years. and IL a space OF approx
/ mately one hundred thousand square feet is
/ furnished to the government at p rental Of say,
| $4,000 per anrun. n VIII afford about three
| times the area now used AZ Station II. and. &C
| cording 10 the above estimate, add AT additional
! cost to the government OF nut approximately.
/ $4,000 per annum.
Washington. Feb. 5-Postmaster General
! Payne IS having the draft OF an amendment 10
! the Postofice Appropriation bill prepared 20 pro-
] vide for the proposed lease from the New-Yorl
/ Central and il viii he submitted to Congress
/ ~ once. Mr. Payne wiz recommend that the
| law be changed 20 permit the government 10
enter into City year lease Of the building. Ten
/ years is the maximum lease limit authorized
/ under existing laws