The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1916-01-27
SHOWS NEEDS OF THE CITY
Postma ster Shows Great Increase in the
Business of Kenosha Office and Asks
Government to Spend Just One
Years Profit to Give More Room.

Postmaster James German has for
Warded to the department. at Washing
ton a formal request for an addition to
the Kenosha post office. He asks that
the office be practically doubled in size
in order to meet the demands Of Ke-
nosha today and Of the immediate fu-
ture. The plan suggested is the build
ing of wing to the west of the pres
ent building. The wing would be sixty
by fifty feet and it would cost
in the neighborhood of fifty thousand
dollars. The plan suggested is exactly
the same as the plan which has been fol
lowed by the department. in providing
room for the Evanston office.
In order to make the Improvements
it will be necessary to get an appropri-
alton from Congress for fifty thousand
dollars. Seeking this appropriation the
postmaster has sent letter to the con-
gresham of the district and Senator
Paul Husting. The demands of the
Kenosha office are fully outlined in
the letter. It is in part as follows:
Kenosha, Wis, 1-19-16.
The Hon. Paul Q. Husting,
United States Senator,
Washington, d. G.
Dear SIR
The rapidly and ever increasing bust
ness Of this post office has outgrown
our present building, and it becomes
necessary for me to take action for Sc
curing additional quarters in order to
grant us relief from the present con-
gested conditions, and to provide means
for the prompt, expeditions and effic-
lent handling of the mails.
AS is nearly always the case with
public buildings, this Post Office was
not built large enough at the outset,
with the result that the working force
was handicapped on account of the
crowded and cramped quarters at the
time possession was taken in May, 1910.
By making use of the vestfbule for
the dispatch of mails-a purpose for
which it was never intended-the work
was bdhCu CdlC OL LII 6ONCl dl yCdl d
but always under adverse conditions,
and conditions which steadily grew
worse with the ever growing business Of
the office, until in 1913, with the advent
of the parcel post business, the building
proved entirely inadequate and immedi-
ate and temporary relief became ex-
tremely urgent. Plans were then sub
mitted by the Treasury Department for
the erection of mezzanine floor to ac-
commodate the carrier force and there
by creating more floor room for the
handling of the mails by the clerical
force. This plan was promptly approved
and the mezzanine floor installed at
once, resulting in the required temper
airy relief, but not affording the means
or the facilities really required for the
up-to date and expeditive handling of
mail matter. Especially was this so in
the case of the carriers work, who lose
count Of having to carry their mails up
and down stairs, and because several
such trips are necessary on most of
their tours of duty to secure all of the
mail matter taken out on their delivery
trips. This mezzanine floor, while af-
fording temporary relief, is objection
able from several viewpoints, mainly
because it is not at all in accord with
modern methods of doing business, and
especially with the post office depart
ment's present policy and methods of
handling of mail matter in the city de-
livery service, and also because it natu-
rally shuts off lot of daylight for
other sections of the work-room It is
also unsightly and at best is only to be
considered temporary makeshift.
Kenosha is prosperous and thriv-
ing ma featuring city, and I need only
to quote the official census figures to
show the great growth in the expanse of
territory and the population Of the city.
In 1890 Kenosha IS population was 6,532;
in 1900 it was IL ,606; in 1910 it had
grown to 21,371, and the census depart
ment IS estimate of the population on
January, 1916, was 3o,31s, showing that
our population has almost doubled in
every decade since 1890, a record al
most unparalleled in the history of any
city of anywhere near its size in the
United States. These figures speak for
themselves, and should make further
argument unnecessary as to why it be-
comes imperative to take action at this
time towards securing additional build
ing facilities to take care Of not only
the present business of the office, but
the constantly growing business which
the future of the city's great growth
will demand.
I can add to the above and highly
gratifying figures the account of the
! actual receipts Of postal revenues for