Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-15

white oak, occupies almost all OF the
north and west fronts of the building.
The floor of the lobby is terrazzil,
mixture of marble chips and cement,
put down, allowed to dry and rubbed
and polished smooth. The floor has
a border of red Jasper marble. me
wainscoating is of verde-antlque mar
bic, and above it rises the partition
which separates the lobby from the
general work room, the registry ana
money order department, and the post
masters private office. The ceiling is
of three hemispherical vaults, whose
diagonal ribs are joined near the CEN
ter by. decorative wreaths. Columns
which spring from the walnscoat1ng'
support these arches. Facing the north
entrance are the carriers windows tor
the distribution of mail, and farther TO
the east are the stamp and general de-
livery windows and the mail slots Tor
deposting letters.
AT the south end of the lobby, on the
west side. is the registry and money
order department, which opens from
the general work room, and has no en-
trance into the lobby. 1t is supplied
with n vault for storing supplies and
records.
The Private Offices.
The east end of the lobby opens into
the private office of the postmaster,
which is finished in oak. The floor,
like those of the building except that
of the lobby, is of maple. The gas ana
electric fixtures are of heavy antique
copper design. The building is piped
for gas and lighted with electricity.
Adjoining the postmaster's office, Is
another of about the same size for the
deputy postmaster. A hallway con-
meets the two and is the means of pas
sage from the lobby into the main
work room. The deputy's office is pro-
vided with a stock and storage vault.
Main Work Room.
The main work room, which occu-
pies all of the south central part of the
building, is 30x4O feet, and has an al
cove on the east for the use OF the
rural carriers The main room Will be
used by the force including the city
carriers, and it is there that the
mail will be distributed, sacked, sent
out and received. Racks and cases are
conveniently located to simplify the
work and make it as speedy as possible
From the southwest corner OF THIS
room a door leads to the registry and
money order department, and announcer
in the same corner leads to laVatory.
There are two other lavatories, one IN
the postmaster's private office and the
other in the basement. In all or them
the wainscoating is Of Vermont white
marble, with porcelain and nickled
steel fixtures. The one in the basement
is equipped with a shower bath for
the use of the carriers.
Leading from the east side OF the
main work room is a flight of iron
stairs which ascend to the attic. one
room Of which has been finished.
but what it will be used for has not
yet been determined. Directly below
this flight of stairs another flight de-
scends into the basement, the east end
of which is partitioned off into large
room to be used by the carriers as
"swing" room, for rest and recreation
between trips.
The Inspectors Lookouts.
This building, like all others of its
kind is supplied with the regulation
government inspection peep holes, thru
which the postoffice inspector can see,
yet himself un.iiscerned, almost all Of
the rooms of the building. UP the
space between the inside and outside
wall of the building. just south of the
west entrance, there leads a steep
flight of circular iron stairs These
ascend to the attic. across which, and
over the ceiling of the main work
room, is built sidewalk. From
each side of the main work room, high
up near the ceiling, the inspector can
look down thru openings closed with
shutters upon those who are working
below. Similar openings look down
upon the other rooms of the building.
The key to the door leading to
the stairs in the west end of the build