New-York tribune., 1911-11-19
Decrease of Street Letter Boxes Causes Complaint

"Well, ! am glad to have a chance to
defend myself L have noticed that some
OF the public, as well as the postoffice peo-
pie. blame me for the disappearing letter
box in this borough Not guilty have
/ no authority except over gas posts. I nave
given every one ! have left. about sixteen
/ thousand. to the postoffce people 10 hang
! letter boxes on"
George McAneny president of the bor-
ough Of Manhattan also welcomed "a chance
to plead not guilty lie said.
The case IS simple, so FAR as am con-
cerned. Postmaster Morgan's people wrote
10 Commissioner Thompson requesting
among other things a permit to attach let
ter boxes to street sign posts. lie referred
that letter 10 me. as they come under my
department ! have referred the matter TO
Commissioner of Public Works. a. it comes
in class Of questions that he must make
ruling on before | can decide lie has
not reached a conclusion yet and is uude-
cided. our street sign posts are Of de-
sign approved by the Municipal Art Com
mission. Nothing can be attached to them
except design i'm harmony. passed by that
commission, and there YOU are See them"
Mr.. j. -. Adams, secretary Of the Mu-
nicipal Art Commission. also said the mat
ter was simple. lie affirmed:
The law is that nothing can be erected
I'm our streets without first having been ap-
proved by this commission Manhattan
Island is undergoing an ere Of almost COM
plete reconstruction In order to prevent
further chaos and more unsighty construc-
ton the law was enacted creating this
commission. to make the now New York
beautiful The commission is cxcr,ng its
best talent, endeavoring to carry out the
law. IT may be unfortunate that the law
acts TO prevent the postofIlcc people from
placing promscuougly any more of its old
fashioned and incongruous lettor-loycs. But
why should not the city have lctter-boxcs
harmonizing with our now types Of electric
light poles gas and street sign posts? At
any sate, under the law. the Postonlcc De-
partmcut must furnish lctter-boxcs accept
able TO the Art Commission. Each type Of
post must have a ,letter-boX harmonizing
with It. The government objects. ! under
stand, on the ground of expense of casting
more than one type Of letter-box.'
John W. Licb jr third vcc-prCsldent Of
the Ncw York Edison company. IN charge
OF ,he lctter-boX matter, called in &. a. Lit
, tlcheld having the details In hand. to cx-
plain Mr.. LittleGrld said:
Postmaster Morcan over a year ago re-
questcd permit to hang lcttcr-boxcs on
tho poles Of this company, and it was *
planned 10 him that design for a box
must first Dee approved by the Municipal
Art Commission This having been report
ed 20 the Fifth Avenue Association. Robert
Grier Cooke. president. who has been work
ing for l'tter boxes f.I his let highway.
took tn" matter up Tie dclav has been
caused In working out design which
would not only harmonic, with the Filth
avenue electric light poles. bat appear to
form part of them. In brief. % has taken
ovcE year 10 produce % design acceptable
90 the Fifth Avenue Association, the Mu-
C.pal Art Commission and the New York
'son Company. whose men did the actual
lri. All concerned have cheerfuily given
...elr services. ass all want to sce Fifth ave-
nuc beautihcd. We have notified the gov
eminent to-day. and il is now up To 1t 70
produce ihe boxes for which permit is
ready. Many boxes viii probably be re
quired for the avenue. Although all the
! buildings have their own chute boxes, the
side streets and approaches To the avenue
are more or less congested with people
clamorins FOR Increased mail facilities.
There are three light poles TO each block
two on one side and one on the other. al
tcrnatoly-giving ample facilities FOR all the
boxes necessary. The new box conforms 10
the lines and curves of the poles. The box
nts ON tn" bulge of the role by means of a
cohcaNc back. The front curves 9ghtly
and the top curls over forming an un-
usually attractive design
But just the same NO money Is now avail
able for new letter-boAes ot any kind, and
how long viii il take Congress to make a
new appIupriltiony