Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-09
CHANGE UNDESIRABLE
Proposed Transfer of the City
Post Office.
VIEW OF A BUSINESS MAN
Suggestion Was a Great Surprise to
the Citizens.
NO WORD OF APPROVAL
Convenience OF Patrons Ignored In
Proposition to Move to the
Union Station.

change the position OF the Washington city
post ONCE. as has been suggested by sew
eral Of the officials Of the Post once De-
partment, should be discouraged" said a
member Of the firm Of one OF the large re-
| tail stores OF this city to a Star reporter,
land should 1t be further urged before Con-
gress. as was suggested some time ago,
the business men and citizens should see
to 1t that they are properly heard before
the House committee having to do with
such matters.
There are several viewpoints from
which this important subject may be sur
veyed. ana although the department Of
ficials are undoubtedly sincere In their
conclusions in this instance. an analysis of
their position will show that they substan-
TALLY take but one.
"It seems to me that more liberal and
comprehensive grasp of the local situation
might be taken. The question Of the site
of the post Office In large city like Wash
ington Is of too great importance to be
given over to the simple one Of expedi-
ency. --.-..-
Came as a Surprise.
''The proposition to change the situation
Of our city post office came as q great sur
prise to our citizens anyway. Usually In
such cases a suggestion Of this nature is
prompted by dissatisfaction on the part of
| the patrons of the Office, change in the
| trend Of the business development Of a
| city, a transfer of property interests
| which renders the selection of a new site
necessary, or some one cause or another
| which makes change Of location impera-
tive.
''In the instance Of the Washington city
post Office there Is no dissatisfaction on
| the part Of its patrons on the score Of its
location, as Is at present agitating the
people Of Pittsburg in their troubles over
| the location Of the general post oface in
that city, but on the contrary the people OF
| the capital are in accord and well agreed
that the present location is a convenient
one to all Of our diversified interests.
1.-THE present site Is directly in line with
| the trend of the business development OF
the capital. 1t may be said to be prac-
tically in the heart of the business section
| in that 1t can be reached from all quar-
tiers of the city on foot or by direct street
car service.
In the Center Of the City.
Indeed. going still further and consid-
ering the entire four sections OF the city
at large, the present situation is an adj
citizens from all quarters, though, of course,
it receives most of its direct patronage
from the business section of town.
Then there are no transfers of property
interests, as Is also the case In P1ttsburg,
as our city post Office happens to be stu
ment In short. speaking from the stand
point of business man, cannot view the
suggested change with anything but dis
favor and ! am more than s satisnea tna a
as a great body. and most certainly by the
citizens and the patrons of the office as
whole.
of expediency, and I think this Is an in
stance which fits such a case.
"It Is my understanding that the reason
given for the proposed change Is the fachi,
the transfer Of the malls to and from the
city post office and the mail trains at the
union station.
The Departmental Argument.
"1t cannot be doubted that were the
union station situated in the center Of the
business interests of the city and the gen.
eral post office situated in one of the re-
mote sections Of town such a change as is
proposed would be acceptable to all con-
cerned, but since it happens that just the
reverse Of this proposition Is true 1t may
be unequivocally affirmed that reversal
of locations would cause general dissatis-
faction and widespread inconvenience.
"Scrutinized closely. the argument of the
department Is confined almost exclusively
to the one proposition have mentioned
the transfer of the malls. The convenience
Of citizens at large and the patrons of the
office seems to be entirely overlooked.
the citizens, aside from the many other
potential reasons which may be raised in
this matter, the mere transfer of the mails.
the actual saving of few minutes In their
transit to and from the trains, should not
for a moment to be considered. If the argu-
ment of the department Is sound upon this
score as regards Washington 1t would hold
with equal force did it happen that the
union station were situated at the end of
New York avenue, on the location of the
old Baltimore and Ohio depot at this point.
Public Convenience First.
"There is no getting away from this fact.
IT, from the standpoint of the department,
a post Office for a city is to be located next
to q railway station, 1t would seem to me
from my viewpoint as business man that
a post office would then become more of an
adjunct of the railway mail service than
what such an institution is commonly sup
posed to be and actually is to city.
"But post Office is much more than that
and one of its objects and purposes is to
subserve the public convenience. While 1t
is my recollection that this highly impor-
tant phase of this delicate matter was
passed over rather lightly by the depart
ment officials. to the effect that the transfer
of the malls from train to post Office was it's
primary and most essential feature, I am
constrained to take exception to this official
view and to reassert that 1t is not one
which will be sustained by public sentiment
And in this connection 1t may be worth
while to remember that it is the patrons of
post offices and not the officials who sus-
tain the postal service.
"And although. as stated none questions
the sincerity Of the departmental argument,
vet It should be asserted most emphatical1y
that its scope Is not sufficiently broad.
Opposition Would Be Widespread.
"And now that Congress is in session and
the question is likely to be brought
up. it may be declared with posi-
tiveness that any movement to transfer the
city post office to q section Of the residential
portion OF the city to a point considerably
over q mile from the business section OF
town would meet with widespread opposi-
ton from our business men, as well as
from the patrons Of the Office in general
"The public Inconvenience resulting from
such a change would be apparent to all.
and the various forms this Inconvenience
would take would be so many that 1t is un-
necessary for me to 60 Into a detailed
enumeration. I can see q score Of ways In
which the business Of my own establish
ment would be affected. and the same is
true with all Of the large business concerns
In Washington, especially those which have
a heavy mail order business.
"But the fact that the big merchants
would be affected makes no difference with