Evening star., 1920-03-04
EAGLE HUT PARLEY
! WITH D. c. CHIEFS
ENDS IN HARMONY
Business Men Told P. o. Can
Remain in Location
Until April |.

delegation from the Chamber of Com
merce and Board of Trade at the
District building yesterday afternoon
that they already had Informed Post
master Chance and the Y. NJ. c. A.
Hut remain on the District property
at 9th street and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. until April l to give the post
master more time to find other quar-
ters for the post office station there:
Commissioner Brownlow made the
statement after speakers had told of
the urgent need for a postal station
I'm that vicinity and of the fruitless
efforts which had been made to find
another location for the station IN
that neighborhood
Although the visit of the delegation
had been referred to in published re-
ports as demonstration of protest
against an alleged tendency of the
Commissioners to diregard the wish
es of the business interests. Isaac
Cans of the chamber and Odell Smith
of the Board of Trade said they al
ways had found the present board OF
Commissioners willing to give con-
sideration to the desires of the citl-
zens. Mr.. Smith added that he pe-
lieved the Commissioners had granted
the requests of the business men
whenever they saw their way clear 10
do so.
Chaplin Brown. spokesman for the
Chamber of Commerce. asked the
Commissioners not to fix limit on
the time for the hut to remain. but to
leave it standing until other quarters
can be found for a substation by the
postmaster.
Commissioner Rrownlow replied lat
er that members of the Board OF
Trade and Chamber of Commerce re-
peatedly had told him that they dis
approved of the use of public space
for temporary buildings during the
war. and even mush less now. and
that it was for the purpose of putting
the park at 9th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue back into normal condi-
ton before spring that the CommIS-
sioners wanted the hut removed.
The Commissioner recited the his.
tory of the hut and the controversy
which has arisen over its continuance
He told the business uen that 1t was
a direct violation of the la VITO put
the hut there in the first place. but
that they did not hesitate to do it
during the war because of the good
work the Y. NJ. c. A. was doing.
He told of how since December the
Commissioners have twice extended
the time of the hut to give Postmas-
ter Chance opportunity To f1nd an
other place for his post Office. Mr..
Brownlow stated that on Tuesday he
again told DIR. ID. +. Yarnell of the
y. NJ G. A. that the hut could remain
until April accommodation to
the postmaster. but was unable to get
81 promise from the Y. NJ G. A. that
they would move the structure at
that time.
The Commissioner said he was
greatly surprised swhen he learned
that the postmaster was paying the
Y. NJ C. A. s2,100 year rent for the
part of the hut used as a post Office
and that a five-year agreement had
been entered into.
- As to Lease Agreement.
William Knowles Cooper of the Y. i
NJ. c. A.. interjected with the state |
ment that so far he knew no five |
year agreement was made with the !
postmaster, whereupon the Commits |
sioner said he was glad to know that. |
The Commissioner said he understood !,
the postmaster referred to such an
agreement when he asked the rent
commission to restrain the District
from removing the hut at this time.
Mr.. Cooper stated that the war work
council of his organization had spent
between $4,000 and $4,000 in putting
up the addition to the hut for the use
of the post office and was now fur
nishiEg light. heat and other accom-
modations for it. He said he wanted
this made clear to show that the Y
NJ. c. a. was not profiteering on the
post office. He said the organization
was accepting rent from the post |
office only to reimburse itself for the
money spent in fitting it up and fur
nishing service.
Engineer Commissioner Kutz ven-
tured the prediction that if the post
master would insert three-lfne ad
in the newspapers that he was willing
to pay s2,100 a year for post office
space in the downtown section he
would find place without much :
trouble especially if he offered a five J
year agreement.
Commissioner Kutz said he felt the
postmaster had not been fair to the
Commissioners in the controversy.
Chaplin Brown. who made the OPEN !
ing argument for the Chamber of
Commerce. said the delegation was
there by right of petition guaranteed
in the first amendment to the Con-
stitution. He told the Commission
ers that. since the petition Is the
only right the people of the District
have the Commissioners should give
greater weight to petitions. The Com
missioners should bear in mind. he
said. that the people CT the District
cannot back up their petitions at the
ballot box.
lie said he did not believe the
hut should he left the District ,
property permanently. but should not !
he disturbed until the business men
are assured of another postal sta
tion in the vicinity. He asserted
that the Eagle Hut post office is one
of the three largest postal stations
In the city.
Mr.. BrOwnIOw's Reply.
In reply. Mr.. Brownlow told the
delegation that since he has been in
office he has sought at all times to
do the will of the community. He
has never been too busy. he said, to
any resident. regardless of race, |
color or sex. on public question.
He suggested that it would be help |
full to all concerned if the trade bodies
would inquire at the District build |
ing for the viewDoint of the Com
fore taking action on them.
When the conference came to a
close it was apparent that there was
much better understanding between
the members of the two organiZa-
tions and the city heads.
The rent commission expects to
consider Mr.. Chances plea to remain
in the hut about the middle of the
month. and it is not expected the
Commissioners will take any steps
TO remove the building before that
S.,,