El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1913-09-06
SELECTING SITE
FOR POsTOFFICE
j. J. Mundy Recites Some
Facts and Asks Some
Questions.
Editor FL Paso Herald

Editor FL Paso Herald:
For several weeks il has been re-
ported that the new postoffice site
corner of Mills and Stanton street
would not be delivered. Two years ago
inspector Norris, representing the post
office department virtually selected
site at the corner of San Francisco and
Chihuahua streets. East side interests
then made a last effort and agreed to
furnish the Mills street site. The FL
PaSO street. oregon street and other
west side interests agreed to make no
opposition if this property were fur
nished. They have kept hands off as
agreed and the government has wait
ed almost two years for ne Mills street
site to be provided.
Today il is announced that instead
OF the Mills street site the government
is to be offered remote site on Texas
street, fronting on a 4O-fOOt street.
1t was this failure to furnish the
Mills street site as promised that led
the government to seek again the San
Francisco street location.
Summed up briefly this is the stu
alton:
4 demand was made by the govern
ment for the delivery of the Mills street
site and this demand has not been COM
piled with.
The government has been ready for
the last year to take over and pay for
the Mills street site at the agreed price
Is it not true that representatives OF
the government have been notified in
writing that the Mills street site viii
not be or cannot be delivered?
Isn't il true that the Texas street
site offered is two blocks instead of
one block from the Mills street site and
that ii Will be necessary to face the
building on a 4O-fOot street and turn
the back toward the business section
of the city?
Isn't it true that the Texas street site
now being offered by Messrs. Cooley,
Burgess ct al, includes property that
they do not control and cannot de-
liver2
Isn't it true that the Texas street
site offered is actually smaller than
the badly crowded lot occupied by the
old postOffice?
1t is significant that postmaster gen
eral Hitchcock came to FL PasO at the
time the site for the new postoffice
was being agitated and after looking
over the city, selected the corner of
San Francisco and Chihuahua streets
as the most logical and desirable cor
ner OF any that could be furnished for
the money available He pointed out
that the close proximity of this site to
the union station would enable the
postotfice department to handle the
mail more eXpediuOusly and enable the
postofflce department TO distribute the
mail 10 the citizens more quickly than
II the postoffice was more remote from
the union station and business center.
He saw that it would be much more
economical for the government to have
the poStO1flce located convenient 10
the union station, as in the city Of St
Louis and many other cities where the
postoffice has been removed from the
main business part of the town and
built directly opposite the union sta
ton for convenience of handling the
mails and giving quicker and better
service to the people at large Sub
sequently, and after Mr.. Hitchcock
ceased to be postmaster general, upon
one OF his visits to FL Paso he made
further inquiries as to whether or not
the San Francisco site had been Sc
lected by the treasury department for
the new postoffice. His experience in
the handling OF mails and in protect.
ing the interests of the people who are
the users of the mail, showed him that
this site was the very best one to be
selected under all the circumstances
seek to be fair and disinterested in
this matter. AS a matter of fact if
the government should take the San
Francisco street site. 1 would have no
business property west of Ell Paso
street to be benefited by the selection
trust that the facts set forth above
will be of value in reaching a just con-
clusion. J. J. Mundy.