Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1915-12-22
CENTRAL POSTAL
STATION WILL Be
NOW ESTABLISHED
Postmaster Young Announces
Plans for Using Present
Federal Property
IRWIN SITE CHOICE TO
GIVE MORE EFFICIENCY
Boxes and Carriers From the
Bethel Street Bulldog to
Serve Big Section

Honolulu Is going to have two down
town postoffices instead of one.
Though the main administration Of
fiees OF the postal department will go
TO the new federal building on the IT.
win site. the present postoffice on
Bethel and Merchant streets will not
be abandoned but will be Transformed
into central station and will serve
-the congested business district of Ho-
nolulu with q special system of boxes,
clerks and carriers.
Postmaster William F. Young made
this definite announcement today, con-
firming a plan which was known to a
few people at the time Assistant Sec
retary Of the Treasury Byron r. New
ton came to Honolulu to investigate
the federal sites offered Uncle Sam.
At that time Mr.. Newton, Mr.. Young,
Collector Franklin and others talked
over the plan for retaining the present
postoffice but the matter was kept in
confidence until the new federal site
should be selected.
Will Serve Business Section.
The businessmen of Honolulu and
the people in the district west of
Bethel and Nuuanu streets need not
worry about being inconvenienced by
the construction of the federal build
ing on the Irwin site, said Postmaster
Young this morning. "The govern
ment is going to keep this building
right here. The property is Uncle
Sans and there VIII be developed
handling of mail In this part of the
city and to the west.
People who wish to keep their
boxes here may do so. Carriers will
fadiate from this central station with
mail. It will give the postoffice de-
psrtment an opportunity to add great
er efficiency to the service. and mo-
body who wishes to be served from
here will have to 60 to the federal
building for mail
Postmaster Young and Postoffice IN
spector Thomas J. Flavin, who also
discussed the situation, are both con-
vinced that the central station plan
will fully answer whatever criticism
there is of moving the main postoffice
to the federal building. They point
out mainland cities where the plan is
working WE'LL
Postmaster Young and Inspector
Flavin both we're strongly in favor OF
the Irwin site and the arguments used
by the postmaster when his advice
was asked undoubtedly we're a strong
factor In settling the treasury depart
ment firmly In favor OF the Irwin site.
Former Governor Frear is given
much credit for bringing to success
full consummation the negotiations be-
tween the federal government and the
owners of the Irwin site.
The division Of ownership in the
Irwin site made the negotiations diff
cult and involved. OF the total area
of about $4,000 square feet in the
Irwin site, the ownership is as fol.
lows:
william G.lIrwin estate. about no..
900 square feet
Rawlins estate. about 5000 square
feet.
Opera House property, about $500
square feet, divided as follows:
One-quarter owned by Irwin estate.
Remaining three quarters originally in
estate Of Claus Spreckels, bequeathed
10 his children as follows: To John
ID. Spreckels, one-half. To Rudolph,
Claus A. and Emma Spreckels Fer
ris, the remaining quarter.
The land to be transferred to the
government is the entire block on
which the opera house stands, bound
ed by Union Square (more generally
known as Palace Square or Capitol
Square), Richards street. Queen street
and Militant street Militant street
runs between the Opera House and the
Judiciary building.
It Is believed that the federal gov.
ernment will agree to an improvement
plan along the lines of the Mulford
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