The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1906-01-12
SAYS THOMAS
WAS HUNDRED
Supervising Architect Taylor Replies
to Structures on New Fed
eral Building.
MADE CHANGES DEMANDED
CITES INSTANCES WHERE RE
QUESTS WERE GRANTED.
Especial to The HeraId)


Washington, Jan. Thames Knox Tay-
Tor, supervising architect Of the treasury
department, after reading in The Herald
a recent statement by Postmaster Arthur
l. Thomas concerning the arrangement Of
letter boxes and other fixtures and furni-
ture in the Salt Lake City pOstoffice, was
not convinced that he and his subordl-
mates were entirely responsible for the
trouble. Mr.. Taylor, in response to re-
quest from The Herald's washington
representative. gives the following YER
sion of the matter:
The arrangement Of the pOstoffiCe
quarters for the federal building at Salt
Lake City has been made after consider
able correspondence with the local Off
elaAs. In accordance with the usual Trac-
tice or this office in designing buildings
OF the size Of the one in question, a sketch
or the proposed arrangement Of the post
office quarters was forwarded to the
postmaster for his consideration. This
sketch was retained by him for several
weeks and finally returned with his letter
OF Feb 3, 1902. stating that the plan as
shown was not satisfactory and suggest
ing thirteen changes.
IN preparing the working drawings the
pcstmasters suggestions were carefully
CONSIDERED and, while some of them were
not in accordance with what the expert
ence OF this office has found to be adj
Nantageous, and were therefore omitted,
II may be fairly stated that the majority
OF them have at his subsequent earnest
solicitation. been incorporated in the
work, modified as found necessary to ac-
core with the existing conditions in other
parts or the general plan and without
sacrificing the utility Of the plan.
What the Changes Were.
The changes finally made include the
Encouragement Of the money order and
registry division and the assistant post
masters room. the addition of two BAYS
20 the postoffice screen. additional car
lleIs windows, about 900 additional boxes,
5eiocdtloh or forwarding, stamp, general
oellNery ana carriers windows and fitting
up Tor the custodian the space originally
intended for the telegraph room
The matter of increase in the number
OF Inc pcstotfice boxes from LOSE, as orig
1naily intended, to the present number
1'45A was given careful consideration IN
connection with the superintendent let
ter or Dec. Is 1904, in which he presented
scneme for re-arranginS the DOStOfficc
screen, which he stated was prepared in
ccrSultatiOH with the postmaster.
His suggested arrangement contem-
Plated I422 boxes, and as the boxes in
stalled are 1,434 in number it will be seen
that his suggestion was amply met with
twelve boxes furnished in addition to
those asked for. Certain features of tn,
scheme outlined by the superintendent
were not followed. as they involved an
arrangement Of boxes which could NJ
properly carry out the best practice -
such work.
"out of All Proportion"
The fact was not lost sight of that
the postmaster had originally asked for
250c boxes. but as this is considered out
OF All proportion to the number installed
under similar conditions in other build
lngS, and furthermore, as with a given
length of screen this number OF boxes
Wculd nave necessarily decreased the
number Of carriers and other windows
requested, Il q box diagram providing for
] 49, boxes, as above stated was sent 10
the superintendent and returned by MIN
With the signed approval of the post
master. dated April a. 1905.
While this approval of the pOstmas-
Ter is rot taken by the department neces-
sarily TO mean that the arrangement
spect to the boxes. it is taken to signify
his recognition that the arrangement is
acceptable under the governing condi-
J.CnS.
Increased Carrier Windows.
Regarding the additional windows de-
sired, on July Is. 1905, the postmaster gen
eral forwarded to this office a commune
Cauon from the postmaster at Salt Lake
IN which he called attention again to the
auVlSabinty Of having more carriers win
dOWS. and in order 10 meet this condition
drawing No $50 was prepared, by which
Tour additional carriers windows were
added without sacrificing the number Of
boxes. Before making this change the
drawing showing the same (NO. 800 was
forwarded to the postmaster and re-
turned by him with his signed approval
1Sired. it is believed that the present ar
Management viii permit Of further eXpan-
SNon apd an effort will be made TO ar
T4nge additional drops to the number
NOW furnished.
'NIn connection with the ARRANGEMENT of
postofftces generally it may be stated
that the department, while desiring IN
each case to make the arrangement of the
postOffice quarters suit the views of the
postmaster in charge of the office. re-
aliZes at the same time that subsequent
1ncumbents Of that office may desire a
different arrangement. and therefore,
while giving due regard to the local con-
u1uons in each case, avoids making any
rSdical departures from the general fea-
lures of the pOstOffice plans which have
been found by experience to facilitate the
proper transaction of the public business.
Can Make More Changes.
TN this particular case there were sew
Rral requests Of the postmaster in regard
u dividing up the WOTkrOOm, which it is
mot the custom 10 treat as structural diVi-
slOnS, and which IL is not the custom to
show on general working drawings, such
divisions being 9fteTWard made by more
or less movable screen work installed
er, and easily changed If changes are sub
sequently found advisable.
1T is believed that after the postoffice
staff has adjusted itself to the conditions
OF the new building it will be found that
the arrangement is well adapted to the
proper transaction Of the governments
business"
NTunFHTn IN ~ Az tfasaN--..