The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-04-15
ATLANTA PLANS ID CLOSE POSTOFF|CE Carriers Should Be Given Liberty on Sundays ARE PROBING PRISON Government Has Spy System Busy to See if Federal Prison at At
 lanta Is Coming Up to
 Requirements
ARE PROBING PRISON

Atlanta April pecial.)-Agitation for the Sunday closing of the Atlanta postoffice has reached stage where ac- tion may be taken in the very near future.
 The chamber of commerce has taken hold of the matter and has a special com mittee engaged in making full investi- gation From time to time reports of the committees investigations have been published in the local papers and so lar no word of objection to closing on Sun day has been forthcoming.
 It is proposed to put up all the box mail as usual, so that anyone having a box will still be able to get his mail Sundays: also to keep the general denv- cry window open for one hour for the de- livery of important letters that may be called for.
 But Sunday closing would relieve more than 100 carriers from half a days duty Sunday morning for which they get no extra pay. and which now compels them to lose practically the entire day so far as any benefit from it is concerned.
 Reports on the matter are being pre- pared to send to the Postmaster General at Washington, and indications are that a few weeks more will see the last of Sun- day mail delivery in Atlanta.
 The government has got it's spy system busy on the Atlanta federal prison. TWO special agents have been coming into At lanta from time to time, having made a couple of visits recently, with a view 10 getting some side lights on the sirua- ton at that institution.
 There was a recent investigation ol the federal prison at Leavenworrh, Kan, based primarily upon the charge that liquors and narcotic drugs were being smuggled into the institution, and It IS said similar charges have been made with reference to the Atlanta prison.
 An employe of the Atlanta prison wno recently left it after a service of two years, and whose departure was not airo- gether a pleasant one, made absolute de- nial of the charges as to the smuggling of liquors and opium into the Institution.
 He was glad, he said, to be able to deny these charges, although he criticised the institution in ether respects and made the statement that during his two years connection with it, only two convicts were discharged who had a good word to say for the prison.
 The two special agents, it is said have made arrangements to question a number of former prisoners who have been re- gently discharged from the prison. That, of course, is sort of ex parte testimony, as discharged prisoners are not generally inclined to be lenient with an institution where they were forcibly held.
 There is no doubt about the fact thar strict discipline is maintained at the Att lanta institution, and though favorit- ism has been charged by former pris- oners, indications point to the fact that under Warden Mover everyone comes pretty nearly being treated just alike
 Atlanta will probably have a new police station in the near future; in fact, sev- eral of them, if plans which are now be- ing seriously discussed blythe police com mission and council committee can pe put through.
 It Is planned to do away with the pres- ent police station on Decatur street alto gether, to sell the property. which will bring from sl00,000 to $125,000 and with the proceeds to make an addition to the new city hall building, now being evoived from the old postoffice building, which will answer for a central police station and a recorders court.
 The carrying out of this plan will add greatly to the convenience of the citi- zens who have to deal with police court, by bringing 1t immediately into the busi- ness center of the city
 Then It is proposed to build in various sections of the city at points where the best service can be rendered three or four police sub-stations, thus scattering the present force more effectively over the city. The belief is expressed tIat a maximum of efficiency and protection can thus be secured from the present force equivalent practically to double the pres ent number of men concentrated at a cen tral station
 This Is more on the metropolitan Idea of police distribution, though many cities of Atlanta's size or whereabouts nave a similar arrangement