The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1922-05-06
HOUSE POST OFFICES
IN OWN BUILDINGS
Present Leasing Plan Is Economically
Wrong and Expensive Says
eartlett.


Washington, May 5.-Every most.
Cttice building in the country should
be owned by the government and the
old system OF leasing buildings should
be "scrapped," declared First Assist.
ant Postmaster General Bartlett yes
terday in voicing disapproval of a sys.
tenn which made It necessary for the
postoftice department recently TO lease
at an annual rental of more than a
million dollars a large structure for
mail purposes In New York city. Mr..
Bartlett said that the government
could save millions II a common sense
business program could be laid out
before Congress with a fair chance
OF inducing that body to appropriate a
sufficient sum each year for purcha Sc
instead Of leasing buildings.
The postofilce department has suf.
ficient funds to lease any building to
be necessary to the proper conduct Of
the postal system, It was explained,
but no appropriation is available for
the purchase OF structure. Plans
recently were completed that the de-
partment should leave a building in
New York city for twenty years at a
rental of S25,0OO,0O0 Had the de.
partment been permitted by Congress
to purchase land and erect its own
building, the whole transaction could
have been handled for about IS 000.-
600, Mr. Bartlett explained. adding
that at the end OF the twenty year pc.
rIod the government would have pos.
sessed the building, whereas under the
lease the government will be out $25..
100000 and have nothing to show for
IL at the eXpirat on of the lease.
THE whole system is radically
wrong and should be changed at once,
the Assistant Postmaster General
said. Each year Congress should sci
aside a certain sum to be used in the
construction OF buildings and gradua'
ly as leases expire all over the coun
try the department would find itself
the possessor OF system Of splendid
structures. This method would result
in the saving of millions of dollars to
the public. In many instances the
government Is made to pay exorbtant
rent. For instance. the department
will lease building In a small com
munty for ten years and because o
the posoffice site property in its yicin
ity WI increase In value, the popula
tion of the town may increase ten fold
and when the leace expires the owner
of the property very frequently de
mands about three or four times the
original rental and we are obliged tC
pay 1t or look for some othei
property"
Mr.. Bartlett said he opposed the
action of the Joint Postal Commission
in recommending the lease of the New
York building The commission felt
however, II was said, that Congress
would likely oppooe such a move a
this time and suggested that In viey
OF congested conditions in the metror
oils a lease be negotiated
I'm this instance Mr.. Bartlett sale
"thc owners of the land and thos
who will erect the new building whicI
is to be used as an annex to the pre-.
ent postotIice building, will be oblige
to pay taxes, borrow money at the rat
possibly Of per cent and meet othe
conditions which OF course would nc
have to be observed by the govern
ment The same condition prevail
throughout the United States and tn
sooner Congress and the people rea
ize what It is costing IN dollars an
cents the sooner corrective measure
will be taken"