The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-24
Topeka Must Wait to Get Into
RemOdeled PostOf6ce.
Changes in Plans Caused Sixty
Days Delay.
but RESULTS WILL Be 6000
Postal Savings Bank To Be LO-
Gated on the Street Floor.
Business Men Write Approval
of New Box Service.

Topeka's postof1ice will probably be
moved back into it's proper surround
ings in the federal building on Febru-
airy l. Altera tions in the plans for re-
modelling involved extensions amount
ing to sixty days in the time originally
granted to the contractors who at first
expected to be through their work by
December l. The loss of time will be
more than compensated for by the i'm
provements resulting in the plans. says
Will o. Rigby, the postmaster, whose
efforts are responsible for the changes
made.
I'VE are now expecting to be able to
move on February H. said he this
morning. Its quite a while, but the
office ought to be in apple-pie order
when we do get in The changes In the
plans will be worth waiting for as they
will add to the convenience of both
public and the employees of the govern
ment. One change affects my own con-
venience and comfort particularly, but
the other two are of more consequence.
We but recently obtained approval for
the last alteration of plans and now
have everything we asked for"
So far as the public's interest goes.
probably the most important of the
three changes in the alteration pro-
gram, is that affecting the cashiers
staff and the postal savings bank.
When the work of Overhauling the
building commenced it was designed to
leave the. postal savings bank in the
second floor. When Mr.. Rigby got on
the job he pointed out the fact that
this department should be connected
with the cashiers office and that both
should be where the public could find
them without a search. The savings
bank was to be buried as it is now
in the second floor of the building. But
it won't remain there.
The handling of the mails in the
vestibule provided for in the new plans
would have been even more difficult
than before remodeling because the
vestibule where mails are received from
wagons and dispatched to them was
to be even smaller than it had been
before. This was pointed out to the
department and approval given for the
building of an extra room at the rear
OF the postoffice building where there
is, to be plenty of space for stacking
and arranging the bags of mail matter
handled.
Mr.. Rigby's quarters will be larger
and more commodious under the
change which he obtained in the al
| teration program. 1t will have a re-
ception room and a private office in
stead of being a single small room
1t will be located downstairs where the
postmaster can easily be found by any
one having business with him.
/ box Service Works Finely.
| Numerous letters of approval for the
changes in the box service at the post
office inaugurated Il few weeks age
have been sent by Topeka business mer
to Mr.. Rigby. The changes referred tt
include an early morning distribution
to boxes of mail received during the
night. Later mails are distributed
more frequently so that box owner.
can get their mail even more quickly
than by waiting for city deliveries.
! This change. according to letters from
local houses doing business on mail or.
ders, has already resulted in the estab
lishment of numerous accounts in near
! by towns which can be served by train.
which leave in the early forenoon. Or.
ders mailed to Topeka in the evening
| can be filled on the earliest trains
Communications from business men say
| the new service is putting bushes!
4 into their hands which previously wa.
inaccessible.