The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-10-28
CHICAGO MAIL AT
NEW POSTOFFICE
New $4,000, 900 Building Occupied
and Most Modern Facili-
ties Utilized.

Chicago, Oct. 28.-The gigantic tho
delicate task Of moving the Chicago
postoffce into the new quarters in the
recently completed $6,doo,ooo federal
ing the handling of approximately
the office handles daily, began today.
Without hitch the removal of some
divisions, such as the stamp depart
ment, the registry and inquiry divisions,
was accomplished by the simple expe--
dent Of dividing the office forces of
these divisions, the force in the new
building taking up the work promptly
ceased.
When the carriers left the old build
ing, the delivery clerks Immediately
moved to the federal building, and two
hours later the carriers reported back,
not to the long, low, red brick shed that
has been their headquarters for dec
ade, but to the new building. This
change of base, altho only eight blocks
distance, necessitated change not only
in the nice calculations governing the
routes and amount Of mail to be car
ried by half the carriers in Chicago,
| but in the work Of railway mail clerks
whose runs center in Chicago.
By Sunday all mail, including the
outgoing, but with the exception OF
certain kinds Of second-class matter
which will be handled from the tempo
| rary structure for some weeks yet, will
| be cared for in the new structure.
No Ceremony in Moving.
| The moving began without ceremony,
altho United States Senator Hopkins
and the majority Of the Chicago con-
gressmen, together with representatives
from the postmaster generals depart
ment, were present.
/ There was only one, bit Of sentiment
connected with it. Fernando Jones, one
Of the wealthiest citizens Of Chicago,
was the hero Of it. Mr.. Jones not only
has the distinction Of being one of the
when the Chicago postoffice force con-
sisted of one man-there are 5000 now
but he owned the first private box
in that postoffce, having himself con.
structed the box out of a bootleg and
numbered it &c., that he might i'm
press his eastern friends with the idea
that the hamlet was progressive. When
congress supplied the lonely. postmas
ter with a clerk, Mr.. Jones, in elatlon
entertained the entire force at dinner.
| For these reasons Mr.. Jones was sin
gled out by Mr.. Ceyne for the only
, formal invitation issued in connection
!. with the occupying of the new quarters
# Work Done by Machinery.
! "Our installation here today" sait
! Mr.. Coyne, "marks a distinct chang'
:. in methods of handling mail in Chica
CO. Work that has been done by han'
i ever since there was a postoffce her
.. will be done by machinery. I believ
: we now have the best-equipped offc
mechanically in the world. Not onl,
+ have we the latest machinery on. tn
q market, but we have some that wa
!. specially devised for this building b.
:. experts. hired for the purpose. Wit
= pneumatic tubes running from the post
e office to all the principal railroad sta
: tions, and with the prospect that witt
. in a few weeks all heavy matter wi
e ( be carried by electric cars to the de
u pots thru the tunnels of the, lll1no1
Q { Tunnel company, L believe that the pe
: ginning of the new year will find ma
O handled faster in Chicago than any otl
g er place in the world.''r Z
t. Tunnels to Garry Mail.
s. A further time-saving scheme whic
. Mr.. Coyne says is receiving encourag
q. ment from the postoffce department
nj Washington, is contemplated. 1t is
;e do away with mailboxes in the centr;
ID district covered by the tunnels, repl
= cling the boxes by chutes which WI
carry mail matter direct to the tunnel
T. where the matter will be collected /
l. electric cars.
A. During the day visitors to the pos
y office were shown thru the miles {
~ tunnels which are forty feet beneat
d. the city streets and are being utilize
! by the postoffce. ...-.