Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-09-29
POSTMASTER'SIRE
OVER RENTS IND. c.
CAUSES AN INQUIRY
Situation "IntoIerabIe," Says
Chance, Who Seeks Facts
to Aid Congress.

City Postmaster Merritt O. Chance
today began assembling data regard
ing rent increases demanded of letter
carriers and clerks of the Washing
ton city post office. with a view to
turning the evidence over to Congress
in case of an Investigation of the rent
situation in this city at the coming
session.
Rent increases ranging from % to
Is per cent. reported by clerks and
carriers, which these postal employees
will be forced to pay October i or
get out" stirred Postmaster Chance
to drastic action. resulting in the ac-
cumulation of seventeen letters from
employees. with prospects of hearing
from many more before the day is
over.
Il am assembling this information
to turn over to Congress in case OF
an investigation of the rent situation
here" declared Mr.. Chance. Il feel
confident that Congress will not per
init this intolerable situation to exist
in the National Capital much longer"
Making Fight for His Clerks.
Increases in salary granted the car
riers and clerks under the postal re-
CldSSiuCdlfOH dcI VIII ne virtually
taken away from these employees on
account of the large rent increases
asked this fall. together with the quota
which all are paying into the civil
service retirement fund, the city post
master pointed out.
Postmaster Chance himself has been
notified that his rent for the apart
ment which he is occupying will be
| raised from s65 to 500, and refusing
! this he win be required TO move
out"
II heard that there were many cases
of large increases in rentals asked of
the employees of this office. and / de-
! termined to find out the facts in the
case" said Mr.. Chance. II must say
| that I am astounded at the facts re-
| vealed in the seventeen replies from
employees of this office which / re-
| ceived today. Unquestionabiy will
receive many more"
Rent. Up 132 Per Cent.
The answers received so far indicate.
according to Assistant Postmaster
William II. Haycock. that carriers and
clerks of the Office in some instances
| have been forced to pay increased
rates of rental ranging from 25 to 1872
per cent since the United States enter
| ed the war against Germany.
Postmaster Chance stated that the
employees of his Office cannot AFFORD, in
the great majority of cases, to carry
their cases through PdTlOuS pTo-
ceedingS, as now necessitated by the
appeals being taken against decisions
Of the District rent commission.
Postmaster Chance stated that he
would be glad to tell the names of
the employees concerned, but l am
afraid If 1 did SO the landlords would
shove them out tonight
Price Raised All Over City.
Some of the cases of rental increases
asked Of letter carriers and clerks this
fall follow, the cases ranging through
out the various sections of Washing
ton:
increase of IS asked September 1. 1920
Case 2. Letter carrier, thirty-one
years a tenant of the property in
volved; IS increase. October l.
Case 3. Rent of apartment incre s.
ed from $55 to $50. October l. EN-
ploye states that similar apart
nents on the first floor are renting
for $780,
Case 4. Clerk, $50 increase asked.
October 1.
Case 8. Letter carrier, three 10 per
cert increases since October, 1913
VIII now be paying $3.50.
| Case s. Increase, october 1. from
$3.50 to $3.50.
| Case Z April 1. 1919, advanced
from $3.50 to $3.50. June Is, 1920,
advanced to $3.50.
o.
$3.50, September Is.
Case 8. Increased rental from $3.50
to $50 asked for October /. This
notice, received July %. was followed
by Zee to tenant that the owner
of the apartment had changed ms
plans and that possession of the
apartment was desired OCTOBER j.
This is the case Of an on1cial in ad-
ministrative position.
Case 10. Rent increased August 10
from $3.50 to 5000.
Other Typical Cases.
Case II. Rent increased from $1sS0
to s35, October 16.
Case L. Rent increased from <55
to SIS. October 1; tenant states rent
was $3.50 three years ago
Case H. Rent increased from $zz.5O
to SGT so. October 1.
Case IA. Increase from 17-50 to
5000, October Is
Case Is. Rent Increased from $3.50
to $3.50, October /, following an In
crease from $50. July 1.
Case 16. Present rent, $25-SS: An
increase Of IS asked for October !.
Case II. Rent just increased to 50.
and tenant pays for own heat and light
OBLIGED to Redeem Stamps.
officials of the city post office de-
clared today that scarcely a day
masses without some one calling at
the office to get war savings stamps
redeemed in order to make nrst pay
ment on a home which he has been
forced to purchase on account of in
creased rentals asked.