The Washington times., 1907-10-23

in question. The strings tying the pack
age Will be cut, the letters run through
a canceling machine. and then taken
10 The distributing case for separation
by carrier routes OF by stations.
This letter Will. when II is reached. be
placed by the clerk IN the box for ST.
ton + (ths official name of the 81
Pleasant statiOnj. II VIII be rcmor.c
later, with its fellows. tied up, puf n
pouch, and by means Of truck, -
FatOrs and wagon, taken To the Car
track I'm front Of the p0stOffice build
Ing. and there thrown On the front OF a
car, from which IL VIII be removed AT
the corner OF Fourteenth ana PARK
streets, and taken 10 the station Here
the pouch will be opened and the pack
age of letters viii be distributed By
carrier routes
A uttlC later carrier viii go from
the station 10 the route upon which
the addressee Of the letter lives. and. I'm
he course of his trip, viii deliver the
letter. The letter has thus travelled By
various means, and with much handling
first one and eight-tenths miles 10 the
west. next about three miles to the
northwest and north, next One-halr mile
TO the south.
From Proposed Location.
Now, suppose the postoffice located
near the onion Station. with tramway
conneouc. with the mail tracks. The
sack containing the letter viii, in that
case, be thrown from the postal car
to a hand truck, which can be run on
TO a large truck operated By electricity
ana conveyed TO the opening table on
the floor Of the postoffice, without re
handling. From this table It viii so
10 the canceling machine and the dis
tTibuting case, where, Instead of being
distributed simply for Station F. It viii
be distributed direct to the carrier who
Is 10 deliver g.
When the time arrives for him to start
on his trip he will go by the shortest
feasible way direct TO his route. and
there begin his deliveries. He viii travel
about three miles in a northwesterly
direction TO do this.
Similar saving will be made IN the
collection and dispatch of outgoing mail
I realize that some Of the concern
which has been expressed by business
men on the subject Of the change in
location Of the pOstoffice is based on
the supposed removal from the present
location Of a large force OF employees.
1t should be considered. however, that,
upon the removal Of the postofice. the
PostOffice Department would promptly
MI the space vacated by bringing into
the main building branch offices now
located at other points about the city
and the total number of employees in the
building would undoubtedly remain
about the same.
Consider Convenience First.
The convenience Of the public is. Of
course. TO have the first consideration
at all times in postal matters. postal
station would be maintained in the build
ing at Eleventh street and Pennsylvania
avenue with ample facilities for money
order. registry. and stamp business. and
with box department, as at present
Except for the general delivery. there
Is little personal visiting Of other parts
Of the office than those named, and the
great majority OF callers at the general
delivery window are transient residents,
many Of them sightseeTs. who woulo
find the general delivery just as conven-
lent in one spot as in another.
The official establishment in Wash
ington is also entitled to much con-
sideratiOn in the matter of its mail
service, for recent statistics show it
to be Just about four times as large
q patron Of the Washington Postoffice
as is the Washington public.
II the PoStOffice could be located close
TO the Union Station, rheumatic tube
service established between It and the
Senate and House posterfices and pos
sibly the largest of the Other Govern
ment establishments here, mush great
er convenience WOULD result In the
handling OF the official mail
Pneumatic tube service from the
Union Station TO the present location
of the pOstoflce, and thence 10 the
Capitol and other large Government
establishments, would. of course, be
a step in the same direction, and
highly desirable substitute IN case the
office Is not moved; but I hope the mat
ter may be decided. and that before
long, in favor of removing the Office
to the vicinity Of the Union Station, as
1 believe, looking not only TO the i'm
mediate, but to a more remote future
that this would put the local postal
service on the most economical basis
consistent with thorough efficiency,
would give both the ofdcial and IN
official patrons Of the Office the best
possible results, and. with the aid of
the Department and of Congress. make
the Washington POstoffice in fact what
1t has heretofore been only in name-d
model Office.