The New York herald., 1921-08-02
WILL ADVISE ON SITES
Postmaster General Dis
cusses Proposed Improve
ments to Service.
CITY HALL THE PUZZLE
Considers Plans 10 Care for
Needs for the Next Ten
Years.


announced last night the appointment
of an advisory committee o. dve New
York business men to assist him in
planning for the quickening of the
mail service in New York. He will
consult them especially as to fair
prices to be paid for real estate re-
quired for the Governments pro-
gramme.
The members of the committee are,
as listed by Mr.. Hays: Michael Fried
sam, head of B. Altman & Co.; Clar-
ence II. Kelsey, president Of the Title
Guarantee and Trust Company; OAR
win p. Kingsley, president Of the New
York State Chamber OF Commerce and
of the New York Life Insurance Com
pany; William Fellowes Morgan,
president Of the New York Merchants
Association. and ex-Gov. Alfred Il.
Smith. now in the distributing busi-
ness as chairman of the board of the
United States Trucking Company
Foreign Mail Distributfon.
the start OF the new harbor service-the
distribution of mail by boat at different
points along the waterfront No longer
the ocean liners keep the mail aboard
until they dock; the Governments small
boats. beginning yesterday. take it off
at Quarantine, as they did before the
war, and beat the liners to the city by
many hours.
At the Waldorf last evening Mr..
Hays explained that In March when
he took Office, he found that a contract
had been negotiated for one small boat
to take mail from the liners. working
only ten hours a day and costing S1lo,-
600 year. He cancelled that arrange
ment and contracted for two twenty-four
hour boats at $4,000 In addition the
War Department let the Post Office
Department have a boat for 81 year
and the New York Central agreed TO
operate 1t at cost. twerty-four hours
day. Sixty per cent. Of the mail handled
In this harbor is destined for points
outside New York city, but heretofore
it has been brought to the city to be
sorted. Hereafter mail destined for the
West and for points on the Pacific
VIII be taken direct to piers Of the
Pennsylvania, Jersey Central or New
York Central railroads on the New Jer-
sey shore and put aboard trains there
Mr. Hays expects eventually TO put
mail clerks aboard vessels SO that the
mail will be sorted at sea- Tha. was
done on certain lines before the war.
Discusses City Service.
Persons who talked with Mr.. Hays
last night got the impression that the
recommendations A.
joint commission of Congress. which
made study of the mail situation In
New York city. will be carried out. but
that details are vet TO be worked out by
the Post Office Department. The COM
mission contemplated the future exist
ence OF three great postal centres In
the city as near the railroads as possi-
BILE. The first Of these would be OBJ
tanned by enlarging the present General
Post Office by an addition built over the
Pennsylvania Railroad tracks between
Thirty-first and Thirty-second streets
Just east OF Ninth avenue. The railroad
wants $2.250.0o0 for the site. The COM
mission OF Congress recommended that
the building be erected by private cap
ftal and leased by the Government for a
term Of years. with the privilege OF buy
Ing II at any time.
The second site approved by the com
mission of Congress was a plot of 100
by 500 feet along Thirtieth street. be-
twesn Ninth and Ttenth avenues. owned
by ghe New York Central. which would
put UP building and lease IL to the
Government at S1.70 a square foot OF
flook space. The site is near the New
York Centrars West Side tracks and
only 400 feet from the present main
Post Office.
''It Is estimated that tubes would
rave 100000 year. now spent on motor
vehicles he said. 'and that they would
take care of 5000 900 letters day and
save from two TO five hours. 1t must
be understood, however, that they are
an auxiliary service and are worth just
what they are worth. no more. They
ought to be used. of course. II they can
be had at a price when measures ex-
actly what they're worth in savings and
In facilitating the delivery of mail.
do not doubt II will be possible 10 use
them on that basis"
Mr. HAYS then told OF the appointment
OF the advisory committee, saying: II
am asking these men TO advise with me
IN improving the mall facilities OF New
York. In negotiating contracts and get
ting the most suitable buildings at the
right prices
1T Is our purpose he added, ito
adopt Immediately a plan to take care
OF the city's needs for the next ten
years. The problem OF New York is not
New york's alone but the nations. Our
department desires 10 have the meal
culable benefit OF public cooperation"
Regarding that ancient puzzle, the
old Federal Building In City Hall Park
containing the City Hall Station Of tho
Post Office. the commission recon-
mended that II be replaced by new
building for use solely rs post office.
There's the big problem--that old
building" said Mr.. Hays. 1T does moro
postal business than the city OF ST.
Louis. which itself is fifth IN the coun-
try. II IS badly ventilated. overcrowdcd,
outgrown. IL fs the Federal Building.
We. Federal agencies spend 1900. 900
year for quarters outside. The engineers
of the Congressional commission sug-
gested that temporary relief be obtained
by extending the mezzanine gallery. Civ
Ing us additional floor space at a cost
Of $4,000. As q permanent building we
ought 10 have pretty high one but I
am told the city would object. I confess
don't know what we are going TO do
with this problem"