Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-08-31
BUSINESS MEN
ASKED TO HELP
POSTAL PLANS
Union Station Project Men
aced by Express Com
pany Effort.

A call 70 business men Of Indianapolis
to acquaint themselves with facts sur
rounding the proposed establishment Of
a terminal postofice station at the new
Onion station and then take immediate
action to help him prevent the Amer
lean Railway Express Company from
taking over all OF the space In which
the proposed Improvement was to be
made was issued by Robert E. Spring
steen. postmaster, yesterday.
For more than a year Mr.. Springsteen
has been working through every possible
channel to bring absut the establishment
Of the terminal postal station, which
would save hundreds OF thousands Of
dollars annually for indianapolis ship
pers. only to learn. through advice from
John Clark. Of Cincinnati. superintendent
OF the Fifth division OF the railway mail
service. that the express company is
about to close a deal with the Indianap-
oils Union railway by which 1t would OBJ
tain permanent possession OF all Of the
space desired for the postonice enter
prise.
The matter will be taken up with the
postoffice committee and officials Of the
Chamber Of Commerce at Mr.. Spring
stems office at O'Clock Wednesday
afternoon. the postmaster said. but mean
while he desires that business men have
full information Of the situation In order
that they may put their shoulders to the
wheel and help.
WOULD CATCH
EARLIER TRAINS.
The terminal postal station. which
would be situated In the space beneath
the elevated tracks between Illinois street
and Capitol avnue and the space now oc-
cupied by the railway mail service and
the express company. would eliminate the
handling and haulage necessary in taking
parcel post and registered matter from
the central postoffice TO the union station
Thousands OF dollars In wear and tear
on equipment and In delays In the mails
could be saved by business men, IL IT
were not necessary to transport parcel
post matter to the central postotfice In
stead Of directly to the station. the post
master points out.
Under the system which the terminal
station would make possible. shippers
using the parcel post, about g. per cent
Of whom have places Of business south
Of the elevated tracks, would take their
parcels directly to the Union station.
Here the parcels would be received,
properly weighed and stamped and
rushed on to trains.
Under the present system the south
side shippers must haul their parcels to
the central Office, which necessitates the
crossing of Maryland, Washington and
Ohio streets, all of which are congested
Many times, the postmaster said, par
cells which must 90 through this round
about handling could catch trains by
going directly to the Union station from
ten to gffteen hours earlier.
The amount Of wear on tires and en-
gines Of motor trucks In private service
which would be saved by the lessening
of the haul more than half a mile each
way, would be tremendous, he added.
Almost eighteen months ago NJ.
Springsteen first took the matter Of es-
tablishing the station up with the post
Office department at Washington.
Postoffice inspectors who investigated
reported it inadvisable because Of the
high rental on the space.
This did not satisfy Mr.. Springsteer
so he kept after Washington authorities
until a committee composed OF John
Clark, S. A. Cissler, superintendent Of
the Tenth division Of the railway mail
and r. S. Brauer, superintendent Of the
Sixth district, with offices in Chicago
were appointed.
This committee favors the improve.
ment and is taking steps to gain the
favor Of Washington authorities for it.
MIR. Springsteen was much surprised
today. therefore, to receive notice from
Mr.. Clark that express officials in Gin
i snf hax
to take over all of the space between
Illinois street and Capitol avenue, with
the exception of that now held by the
railway mail service.
P. J. Landers, superintendent Of the
indianapolis Union Railway Company
informed Mr. Springsteen that the ex-
press company spoke for the space al
most three years ago.
This, Mr.. Springsteen said, has not
been known before.
81 believe 1t win be necessary for us
both to get busy. to block the consum-
nation of the contract with the ex-
press company" said Mr.. Clark. in q
letter to Mr.. Springsteen.
II would suggest that at your meeting
with the postoffice committee of the
Chamber of Commerce, you point out the
benefits by establishment of receiving
station and terminal at the station in
the way of avoidance of extra handling
Of parcel post; this in itself being q
great benefit to avoid breakage. =
II would also bring TO their attention
the greater safety in handling of i'm
portant registered mails between Indi-
annapolis and other points by the esta5-
lishment of register terminal at the
station, providing this important mat,
ter is taken care of in the custody OF
postal employees.
1.-The public has always recognized the
postsl service as having precedence in
the traffic handled over express, but II
this case conditions are reversed and the
nAess OF our department disregarded IN
favor Of the express company