The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-03-17
NEEDED VERY BADLY.
A GOOD PosToFFICE BUILDING
OUR GREATEST NEED.
Large Quantities of Mail is Distribu-

Large Quantities OF Mail is DlStr1Du-
ted From This City and Better
Handling Facilities Required.
Orangeburg's greatest need at this
time is an up-to-date and commodious
postoffice building in which to ham
die the large amount of mail that
is distributed from it each day with
facility and dispatch, and we are
glad to know that there is good
prospect of Congress making an ap-
preparation Tor the erection of such
building a this city. There is no
place in the State where sucha build
ing is worse needed than right here.
We do not ask for public building
just to have it said that Orangeburg
has one, but we ask for it because
it is almost absolutely needed to
properly handle the mail at this
place. We feel assured that our
courteous and most competent Post
master will bear out this statement,
although we have not consulted him
about it.
An Assistant Districe Attorney and
a United States Commissioner reside
here, and it would be more in keep
ing with the dignity and Importance
OF these two officials if each Of them
had a public Office in government
building, in which to keep. the records
and transact the business connected
with their respective offices. 1t would
not only facilitate their work, but
would give them a suitable place in
which to hear all cases that may
come before them and file away their
official papers. Such Offices here are
almost as badly needed as better
postoffice facilities. We are sure that
if all the needs of public building
here can be made clear to the con-
gressiona1 committee there will be
no trouble about getting the appro-
priation for it.
Orangeburg is an important COM
mercial centre, and is located in one
oS the largest and best counties in
the United States. This should en-
title her to some consideration at the
hands of Congress, to say nothing OF
the facts above enumerated. Our
population is now between six and
seven thousand, and is increasing at
the rate of fifty per cent. every de-
cade. It will not be long before our
population will be double what it is
now. Orangeburg is the largest and
most important city in the State be-
tween Charleston and Columbia and
West Of the Santee River, and we
know no place where the United
States could erect handsome pub
lie building where it is more urgent
ly needed or where it would be more
appreciated by all the people than
right here.
Our population and postal busl-
ness have won for US free delivery
system, but there is hardly room in
the present postoffice building to
prcperly handle this branch of the
nostal business While the work is
done every day, it would be much
easier for the carriers and better for
the public if the carriers had more
room. Then we have five rural mall
routes and one star route that goes
out from this Office. All these things
takes room, and it is a mystery to
us how Postmaster Webster handles
the mail as we'll as he does in his
present inadequate quarters. While
he goes along and tends to his bus
mess to the satisfaction Of all with
out a murmur, we feel sure that 1t
would lift great burden from his
shoulders, as we'll as the shoulders
CT his courteous and obliging clerks,
if they had more room.
In addition to all that is said above
it would be good object lesson to
all our people if the Government
would erect handsome public build
ing at this place. Our people all
love their country and government,
but they know very little about eth
er, but handsome public building
here would be perpetual reminder
that we have great and grand coun-
try and Government. We do not
need such an expensive building. We
need one that will serve Orangeburg
for the next thirty years as postofhce
and for such other purposes as the
Government may need at this place
during that time.
We have some handsome buildings
in the way of churches, school, bank
buildings, stores, and residences, but
we would like to see the handsomest
building in the city owned and used
by the National Government, and we
feel sure that such will be the case
as soon as the need of such a build
ing here is presented to the Con-
gressional Committee. We are not
asking for building to ornament
our little city, but we are asking for
a building because it is badly needed
for the proper handling Of the pos
tai and other business that the Gov
ernment has to transact from year
to wear. The Government could make
no better investment than to erect
public building here that would
meet the needs of its large and rapid
ly increasing postal business.
Used Cancelled Stamps.
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