The Washington times., 1911-07-31
NEW POSTOFF|CE
WILL Be MODEL
FOR THE NATION
Hitchcock Approves Plans
for Interior Arrangement
of Proposed Structure.

Washington's new city postoffice will
be the model office of the United
States, If not Of the world. Postmaster
General Hitchcock today approved the
plans for the interior arrangement of
the building and the placing of Offices
and permanent furniture and fixtures.
In giving his approval the Postmaster
General said that he felt he had accom-
plished his desire to insure for this city
the best equipped office in the United
States.
The Washington office will be well
equipped with time and labor saving
devices. All city postmasters who come
to Washington on business with the
department will be assigned by the
Postmaster General to visit and inspect
the local office.
According to the approved plans. mail
will be transferred direct from the
trains III the Union Station to the local
office by electric trucks. These trucks
will operate on a concrete bridge, which
will connect the new postoffice and the
station.
No Changes In Exterior.
No changes were made in the uew
plans of the exterior and architectural
features of the building, which will ad-
Join the Union Station on the west 1t
will be of granite and will match the
station in architecture.
The scheme for the first floor pro-
vides for the placing OF the reglsss[y s
division in the east corridor, the de-
livery division on the west, with the
mailing division in the center.
Elevators and belt conveyors VIII
distribute the mail in the building,
as IT arrives on trucks from the train
sheds in the station. One of the con
. veyors will run from the separation
cases in the mailing division TO the
separating cases in the delivery div
ision, affording a constant service be-
tween the two. Consequently local
mail will be received at the Postofhce,
Will pass to the delivery division In
less than a minute after It's ARRIVAL.
The conveYors will carry a single
letter, as well as bulk packages. An
other conveyor combines an automat-
&c sweep-off basket, which makes
circuit Of the collecting tables. taking
the pieces to the delivery division
letter-drops. The registry conveyor Is
equipped with a rotary lock, which
insures safety of the mail
Bids Soon to Be Asked.
One great conveyor will be provided
for taking up the mail bags from the
wagon platform to the main floor.
ing a wagon load of mail at time.
The style Of desks and other furniture
has not yet been determined, as it will
not be selected until the building is
nearing completion. The plans for the
building are now in the offices Of the
Burnham Company. in Chicago, where
the specifications for bidders are be-
ing prepared
Bids will be advertised as soon as
these specifications are received, and
# is expected that work will commence
IN the fall. -,
The offices of Postmaster Merritt will
be on the second floor, as will also the
department offices to be accommodated
in the new building. The local division
of the postoftice inspectors, the ThTrd
division of the railway mail service. the
supply and repair divisions. and the
dead letter office, all will be moved to
the new building.
The commission which had charge OF
the plans was composed of c. P. Grand
SeId' First Assistant Postmaster Gen
eral: Norman A Merritt. postmaster:
John Washington, superintendent 9t
delivery. New York city postothce; Ed
win Sands. assistant superintendeilt'
Division of Foreign Mails. and F. H.
Galbraith. superintendent of mails. Chi
cago postofftCe.