Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-09-20
TO MOVE POST OFFICE
Mr.. Meyer Favors Change in
the Location.
WILL URGE 1T ON CONGRESS
Would Have q New Building Adjoin-
ing Union Railway Station.
REGARDED AS A TIME-SAVER
One Hauling Of the Local Mails Elimi-
nated-Business Interests, He Says,
Will in No Way Suffer.
REGARDED AS A TIME-SAVER

| Postmaster General Meyer will recon-
mend to Congress next winter the removal
| OF the Washington post Office to the
vicinity Of the union railway station from
| its present home in the Post Office Depart
| ment building at Pennsylvania avenue and
| 18th street northwest. Mr. Meyer gave this
| information to a Star reporter in an inter-
| view today.
| The Postmaster General is now working
| on his annual report and has decided to
! embody in II request for the appropria-
| ton OF an adequate sum of money to erect
new city post Office building alongside the
| railway tracks. He believes that with an
office there much quicker service can be
furnished by the local mail authorities. The
plan is part Of the now policy Of the de-
| partment to locate post Offices as near
union railway terminals as possible In all
large cities.
Although the idea 10 not altogether new,
Mr.. Meyers statement that ne has def
nftely decided to include II in his report and
| session puts more interesting light upon
it.
Benefit to Business Interests.
There are many pros and cons on this
question" admitted the Postmaster General
fully and believe the business interests of
the city would be greatly benefited by such
change. There would be a saving In time
that would be by no means small, for the
double hauling Of the mails-first TO the
central Office from the railroads and then
to the stations-would be avoided as the
central office could receive them directly
from the trains on trucks. I am planning
to have city mail distributed as far as pos
nfI H.
time may be lost in delivering it. It 10 easy
to see that there would be saving in
money also.
with the department IT is merely ques-
ton of time. money and convenience. and I
believe the people OF Washington will ap-
preciate this fact"
Some of the objections to the plan that
have been expressed in several quarters
since tho matter was preached last year
were mentioned to Mr.. Meyer.
Objections Answered.
Business men need not fear that they
will not have ample postal facilities" he
said. for q station will be maintained
where the central ONCE now is, and this
will be commensurate with the needs Of the
business section and capable Of transacting
all necessary business.
Nor will there be any waste Of space:
for although the department Is not advo-
eating the plan in order to secure more
room. we can easily make good use Of the
space occupied by the city ONCE.
THE sentimental reasOn-that q post
Office building should occupy the most i'm
portant site In the city next to the city
have Post Office Department and so
many other public buildings.
Immense Business of Post Office.
1.-THE several departments and bureaus Of
the United States government furnish about
II per cent Of the business of the Wash
ington post Office, and the approximate
weight Of mail by each department, based
on the actual weights taken from July to
December 81. 1905. was 2S.s79,53i pounds
annually, the greater part Of which Is haul
ed to the post office by teams connected
with or in the employ of the individual
departments.
THE weight OF the second-cass mall
matter passing out Of the Washington Of
flee annually is 4.26S7SS pounds. part OF
which is now delivered at the two railroad
stations
of mail annually delivered at the post Of
by mail messenger service from the post
office to the railroad station.
The Washington post ONCE also receives
and dispatches annually 168s0o registered
mail and 1,36036 sacks of paper mail.
The wagons between the post office and
trains are given approximately forty-h
minutes time to make the trip and to load
and unload. This could be reduced thirty
minutes by the change OF location and
would represent the saving OF time on all
incoming mail.
The outgoing letter and paper mail
would gain at least thirty minutes time.
that is, the dispatch could be made thirty
minutes later than at present. The i'm
portance of this Is that clerk Will dis |
tribute from 900 to 1900 letters in thirty
minutes time, and with force OF twenty |
five men at work approximately 2o,OO0
letters could be expedited to each principal
train.
This gain may mean an entire day at
the point Of destination. For Instance, all
letters for Boston. Mass. dispatched via
Pennsylvania train No. "a. leaving wash
ington at $50 pm. reach New York. N. T..
lowing day. Should 1000 letters fall
of dispatch by the $50 pm train. and go
by the next train. the arrival time at Bos-
ton would be 1890 pm. and for many
points east Of Boston the arrival time
would be too late for delivery until the
where the saving OF few minutes time
at the point of dispatch means SO much at
the destination.
THE collection of mall within the city,
and the delivery Of same at the ne W site.
and the delivery of mail by carriers from
the new site. would be as easily accom- |
plished as under the present arrangement.
Mr. Meyer also said that he would like |
to see pneumatic tubes for the shooting of |
mail from the railway to the carrier sta |
lions installed in this city. |
Another plan. with which the depart |
ment Is going to experiment in this city |
next month"; said the Postmaster General. |
lis the selling of stamps by means of slot
over the city. II this Is believed to be |
fea sible after a fair trial, the machines are |