The Washington herald., 1911-12-02
NEW POST-OFPICE
NATIONS MODEL
Great Conyeyor System to
Be Installed.
WILL EMBoDY LATEST IDEAS
New Mail handling Equipment,
Ventilation, and Lighting sys-
tens, with CommodiOus Quarters
for Clerks and Carriers, to Con-
stItute Features of New Edihce.

Matchmaking systems OF the ultra
modern type, together with new ideas in
ventilation and transmission of incoming
and outgoing mail matter, lighting
schemes, and sanitary accommodations
conceded to be the best will all make
the new Washington city post-office, to
be erected at North Capitol street and
Massachusetts, avenue, IN close proximity
to the Union Station, and to cost several
million dollars, one Of the finest build
ings of its kind in America.
To secure the installation of the most
approved apparatus, Postmaster General
Hitchcock has appointed committee Of
practical post-ofice experts, composed of
c. p. Grandheld, Firt Assistant Post
master General; Postmaster n. A. Mer-
rift. OF Washington, and Messrs. Gal
braith, Washington, and Sands, who will
exercise a general supervision over the
choice of equipment and its proper in
stallation.
Great COnyeyor System.
The enormous floor space of the new
post-ofice will necessltate a great car
rier system, to transport the mail matter
from one part of the floor to another.
The Importance of the carrier system
can be realized when II is known that
one carrier route evil be go feet long.
The conveyor system will consist Of
closed basket conveyor line 150 feet long,
for registered city mail to carriers;
overhead belt conveyor for the transpor-
tation of miscellaneous matter, about 200
feet long; another of the same type for
direct packages of letters and parcels;
belt conveyor between the rows Of
distributing cases, and another conveyor
line 2J6 feet long to receive Cancelled mail
and transport TO a receiving station.
A sweep-off basket conveyor. provided
with fourteen sending and three receiving
stations, will follow a circuit from the
collection tables in the mailing division
to the cutting table in the delivery diyi-
sion, past the city separation cases, the
special delivery section, to letter drops
on the screen line, and thence back to
the starting point. Four minutes is re-
quired for a circuit OF this conveyor, and
letters on the dispatching shelves will
be automatically gathered and delivered
at the receiving stations.
VIII ObvIate Delay.
The conveyor system will obviate much
OF the work formerly done by trucks.
Two separate basket-conveyor systems
will be installed above the carriers desk
to sweep of at two points in the city
delivery division. It frequently occurs
that a carrier will lay aside a piece Of
misdlstributed mail matter until he can
find time to visit the distributing cases.
In the meantime the matter may have
missed a delivery. The basket-conveyor
system will run constantly and will be at
each clerks elbow, avoiding delay.
Heavy mail matter and collectors sacks
from the rear OF the basement unloading
platform will be carried by a conveyor
up an incline of thirty degrees to the
main workroom floor, and thence along
the ceiling about 100 feet, discharging to
a crossline conveyor which will carry
the heavy matter to its proper destina-
ton. This system is designed for
handling the great mass Of free matter
and public documents handled by the
Washington Office.
Another heavy belt conveyor, thirty
inches wide. will run from the clearing
house in the mailing division to the
bridge connecting the post-office with
the Union Station. This bridge will IA
cilitate the direct transmission Of mail
matter from the post-office to the trains
in a few minutes. 1t is estimated that
175 trucks will pass this line OF travel
daily
Accommodations for Carriers.
Two spiral chutes will be installed for
the delivery to the leading platform of
heavy sacks and matter intended for
city delivery from the mailing room.
In planning the construction of the new
building, the architects have considered
the comfort and convenience OF employees.
In the present post-office it is often nee
essary to place canvas coverings over the
skylight to protect the clerks from the
rays of the sun. A saw-tooth style of
roof will be installed in the new post
office, designed to break the light rays
and reflect them at an angle into the
mailing room, avoiding a great degree Of
heat and light.
Retiring rooms have been provided for
the carriers and clerks, to contain indi-
viduaI steel lockers, both sanitary and
commodious. These rooms will be equip
ped with tables and heating appliances
where employees may warm lunches and
heat coffee. Spaces have also been as
signed foT the storage OF bicycles.