The Hastings Postoffice
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DIETRICH
POSES.
BUILDING AT HASTINGS
ASTINGS, Nob., Jan 15. (Special
H
Correspondence.) In his report of
the postoffice investigation Fourth
Assistant Postmaster General
ISrlstow had tlic following to say
relative to the removal of the postotllee
In this city:
At Hastings. Neb., on May 1, 1SS7, a lease
Was made for postoffice premises for a
period of five years, Including light, beat,
vault and equipment, at an annual rental
of $700 per annum. In Marrh, IHul, the
lessor was notified that the lease would be
caneeled on June almost u year beforn
lis expiration. Shortly after this a prop s il
was accepted for another building no more
desirable, at a rental of H.mhj per aunimi.
A most vigorous protest was tiled against
this action of the department by those in
terested in the canceled lease, ami the
nvitter was referred to an inspector for
Investigation, who, on April 17, 1101, reported
as follows:
"Viewed from tho standpoint usually
assumed by the Postotlice department in
the treatment of lease cases, and elimina
ting all questions of personal interest, 1 am
unable to conceive what possible repre
sentations could have been made to the
department of this case to result In the
entertainments utid acceptance of tho
proposition of Mr. Dietrich at the price
named ($1.K) per annum). The proposition
Is exorbitant, and the location one that 'f
In competition with other propositions offer
ing central locations at two-thirds tho
juice asked could not conscientiously bo
considered.
As a result of this report the price for
the new site was reduced to $1,3" 0 per
annum, with the proviso that the department
should pay for moving ami" Installing tho
quipment and provide heat and light.
The otllce was moved at an expense to tho
department of $716.
The foregoing report of the fourth
assistant postmaster general turn been
widely printed and commented upon. That
the report Is entirely misleading and un
fair, and that it has created a false Im
pression of tho transaction, is thown by
the following newspaper paragraph, which
la a simple of many of the same kind that
have been printed by newspapers through
out the state and country:
The grand Jury Is investigating the cir
cumstances attending the removal of the
Hastings postoffice to the Dietrich building,
the cost of which was J74U. The amount
Is thought exorbitant by the department
at Washington, and it is said there Is
evidence before the grand jury to show that
the vouchers was padded to the extent of
$5o0 or $&. it is also claimed that much
of the expense involved was put Into
permanent Improvements on the Dietrich
building.
The contract for the removal of the post
office was awarded by the postoffice de
partment to O. N. Staley of Hastings
through competitive bidding. The bills
were presented while Mr. Leopold Halm
was postmaster. Mr. Huhn, It should be
understood was the unsuccessful candidate
for reappointment at the time of the ap
pointment of Jacob Fisher, and was the
principal witness called by the prosecuting
attorney for the grand Jury investigation.
On May 7, 1901, Mr. Hahn sent the bids to
the department at Washington with the
following letter:
HASTINGS POSTOFFICE. OFFICE OF
TUB POSTMASTER. HASTINGS Adams
County, Neb., May 7. 19ol. Hon. First As
sistant Postmaster General, Washington,
I. C: Dear Sir In accordance with your
Instructions contained in your communica
tion "A. N." of dale of April 24. I have
the honor to transmit to you two bids with
plan and specillcatinns in regard to the re
moval of the present equipment to the
Dietrich building. I have seen all of the
contractors and these are the only two bids
received. Should any be presented to nu
later on, I then shall submit same likewise
to you. Very respectfully,
LEOPOLD HAHN, P. M.
C. E. N. HAM EN. Asst. P. M.
Under date of June 6, 1U.1, the first assist
ant postmaster general wrote to the post
master at Hastings as follows:
Postmaster, Hastings, Neb.: Sir Referr
ing to the bids submitted with your letter
of the 1st Inst., for moving, repairing and
Installing equipment in the Diettich build
ing, you are informed that the hid of O. N.
Staley Is accepted, with certain qualifica
tions, viz: the items of a vault and parti
tion from vault to west wall, etc., have
been stricken out, as the department will
adjust this feature of the case by tnipplving
a suitable safe instead of going to the' ex
pense of $015 to have Vtiult built.
The item relative , 'curtains Is also
stricken out and will t taken up for con
sideration later on.
You are therefor instructed, to confer
NOW USED FOR POSTOFFICE PUK-
with Mr. Staley nt nnce and Inform him
that, with tho elimination of the items
above Indicated, his bid Is accepted, and the
department will expect him to proceed with
the contemplated work as soon as practi
cable, so that the postotllee shall be in
possession of the Dietiich room and every
thing satisfactorily arranged by the end
of the present month.
After conferring with Mr. Staley on the.
subject you will advise this office further.
From the report of Mr. ltrlstow it would
appear that the charge of $7H was merely
for removing fixtures from one 1 iiilding to '
the other, or, In other wolds, that It cost
tin government $7I! to have a few desks,
tables, (hairs, counters, etc., moved into
the new building. In addition to removing
the fixtures from the old building Mr.
Staley supplied new locks for the private
boxes, rfleltered nil boxes, stained and var
nished nil new work, supplied new keys
for each box, put in a new money order
desk, another desk with drawers, n long
tabl", a wire railing, a wire partition, a
bag rack, a mailing table, one m illing case,
a lavatory and sink with sewer connec
tions, and combination gas and electric
fixtures. All this work was done in ac
cordance with the specifications named in
Mr. Staley's bid, which were approved by
the department. In a letter to the post
master, under date of October 1, 1301, tho
Pnstofllee department listed the work as
follows:
Moving and placing oifico fixtures, new
locks, with three keys to each lock, re
lettering all boxes, stain all new
work, varnish all $3Z
One money order desk 20
One desk with drawers 15
Ono long table 11
Wire railing, money order counter t:
Wire partition enclosure, money order
bureau S5
Hag rack itnlarged) 11
Mailing table, 4x5 feet 8
Oiii' mailing case 1H
Two coats of paint on above ii
Repairs to p::pr rack (iis case) 4
Water closet and sink, (sewer connec
tions) 65
Eh-veil combination gas and electric fix
tures 03
It will be noted that Mr. lirlstow In his
report says that the proposal for tho re
moval of the postoffice, "was accepted for
another building no more desirable." It
was meant by this statement that the new
building, where the postoffice Is now lo
cated, is nj more desirable than the old
one. The old postoffice room was long and
narrow, the only windows being In front.
The room Is 19 feet wide and 121 feet long,
but In the front of it there Is a stairway
leading upstairs, which cuts off the light
from the rear of the room. The room
Into which the postoffice was moved meas
ures 44 fvt across the front and Is 125
feet long. It facis both on Second street
and St. Joe aveuuu and has doors and
windows on both. The old room has 2,2!i9
square feet of Moor space, while the one
Into which the postoffice was moved meas
ured 5,C00. or over twice as much. Thus It
will be seen that the room Into which the
postoffice was moved was not only twice
as largo as the old one, but hud the ad
vantage of fronting on two streets, and
was better lighted and better ventilated.
The following paragraph is another sum
plo of some of the tilings that have been
aid by newspapers in regard to the re
moval of the postoffice:
It appears from the report of Mr. Hrls
tow to President Hoosevelt, that there are
really two postotlice scandals at Hastings,
both involving Mr. Dietrich. The grand
Jury indictment for bribery and conspiracy
Is the one that has excited the state dur
ing the last two weeks. The one just
published at Washington Is connected with
tho removal of the postotlice from the
Grand Army of the Republic building to,
Mr. Dietrich's own property. The removal
ut an advanced rent to a less convenient
location Is handled without gloves bv Mr.
Hi ist, in,-. It is claimed nt Hastings that it
could never have been accomplished by n
man with anything short of a senatorial
pull. The Grand Army people were natur
ally very much worked up over tho can
cellation of tho lease when It had u year
yet to run.
As to the statement In the foregoing para
graph that the postoffice was moved to a
it ss convenient location, It Is well to say
that the new room is just forty fiet from
the old one. facing on the same street, with
an additional entrance on St. Joo avenue.
Official Record of the Bargain
Made by the Government
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GRAND ARMY
FORMERLY
WILDING
LOCATED.
In regard to the statement that the Grand
Army ptople were agitated over the can
cellation of the lease on the old building,
which is owned by the Grand Army pi st,
the following telegram now on Hie In tho
Postoffice department at Washington is
HUttlch nt explanation :
Westi rn I'nlon Teh graph Company,
Hastings, Neb., Apt II It, iWl. To the 1', m
masler lleni r-'.l, Washington. D. C: t om
niander and members ol our Gland Aimy
post unanimously have no objection to re
moval of postotlice to Senator Dietiich S
building. ALMEliT F. PIERCE.
Post Commander, late Kington General of
National Grand Army of the Rcpub lc.
Senator Dietrich und Jarob Fisher, tho
present postmaster, were among those who
contributed largely to the Grand Army
post of Hastings, for the construe. Ion of
the Grand Army of the Ri public building.
After the postoffice had bien In the Grand
Army of the Republic building several
years the department at Washington in
sisted that the room was inadequate and
In order to keep the postotlice as a truant
It was necessary to build an addition in
the rear. Again Mr. Dietrich and Mr.
Fisher made Fiihstnntiai contributions to
assist in building this addition, which was
necessary in order to prevent the postoffica
from being movid.
As shown by the report of Mr. Brlstow,
tho rent paid by the government to tho
Grand Army of the Republic post was 570)
per year, but by tho terms of the contract
the post had to supply the light and heat.
The records of the Grand Army pt st at
Hastings disclose tho fact that after pay- .
lng the coul and light bills It enjoyid a net
average revenue of less than $23 a month.
The same room, which, when occupied by
the postoffice, netted the post less than $21
a month, is now and has been since the
removal of the postoffice occupied by mu
nicipal officials, and the city pays for It a
rental of $30 a. month and furnishes its
own heat and light. From these facts It Is
apparent that tho Grund Army post now
has a more profitable tenant than when
the room was used by the government.
It was Mr. Hahn, the disappointed can
didate fcr reappointment, who first pro
posed tlu removal. This fact, and the his
tory of the events leading up to the re
moval of the office to the Dietrich build
ing, is shown by tho following tecent corre
spondence between Senator Dietrich and
former Postmaster Gencrul Charles Emory
Smith, who was In charge of the der.art
ment at the time the office waa movej:
HASTINGS, Neb., Dec. 2, VMO. Hon.
Charles Emory Smith. Philadelphia,, Pa.:
Dear Kir I beg to Invite your attention to
the enclost d newspaper (lipping. Vou will
note that in it the statement is made that
"Hie old postotlice room was in every
respect as commodious us the new one"
You will recall that I called upon you In
Washington while governor of Nebraska,
ami there uttendlng the second inaugura
tion of President McKlnley, Hiid you will
doubtless remember the conversation which
took place regarding the postoffice here. I
told you that I understood that on your
recent visit to Hastings Mr. Leopold Hahn,
who was then postmaster, went with you
to the postotlice, und while there recom
mended to you that n better room
be secured. I had heard that he had called
your attention to the fact thut the room
was not only eutircly too small, but was
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AT HASTINGS IN WHICH THE POSTOFFICE WAS
poorly lighted, and generally unfit for use
iu a postoffice In a town the size of Hast
ings. You said that be had done this and
that you ugreed with him that n better
room for tho posioillce should be pro
vided. After learning of this, nnd In the samn
conversation, 1 told you that I was hnvln.ir
completed the construction of n new build
ing within forty feet of the room then oc
cupied by the posioillce, and I offered lo
lent the first floor of It to the govern
ment, provided a satisfactory rental would
be paid. Tho new building, 1 explained,
was on the corner, facing both on Hecoint
street and St. Joe avenue, with windows
and entrance from both, and the first Moor,
which 1 offered, over twice as large ns the
old one, then being used. You were favor
able to the proposition of renting In tho
new building, ami before I left your office)
a contract or agreement was entered Into
for the execution of n lease providing for
an annual rental of Sl.MH).
In view of the fact that tho transaction
has been greatly misrepresented by tha
newspapers, In tho publication of such
statements as the enclosed, I would ap
preciate the favor If you would advlsa
me If what I have stated Is not true, or,
better still, give me your own description
of tho transaction and the conversation
which led up to It. I am very anxious to
get this matter straight before the peo
ple, and I sincerely hope you will favor
me with an early reply. Thanking you In
ndvnnce for the courtesy, I nm. very truly
yours. C. H. DIETRICH.
THE PHILADELPHIA PRESS. Office of
the Editor. December '.9, 1:3. Hon. Charles
H. Dietrich: Dear Kir Your letter Hint
here while I was confined to my bed with
illness und an earlier reply has been Im
possible. My genernl recollection of the 'circum
stances connected with your visit to the
Postoffice department while you we: e gov
ernor of Nebraska, relating to the postoffice
at Hastings and its proposed change, cor
responds with your statement of your un
derstanding. I had visited Hastings during
the fall of IfKO and had seen the postoffica
which whs represented to me to be Inade
quate. When you came to the department
some months later the subject was cm
vnssed and I roncurred In the expediency
of a change which would give better fad I
tles. I have no special recollection hs to
the arrangement of the details, though I
believe the re.ital first proposed contem
plated your providing the complete outfit
of fixtures, and that upon a subsequent
arrangement to use those In the old o t
nftlce a reduction was made. The rrcord,
however, will give the exact facts. Yours
verv truly,
(Signed) CHARLES EMORY SMITH.
The foregoing Is a true and full Ftate
ment of the now notorious Hastings pest
otllce "deal," and shows how much of mis
representation has been Indulged in by
biased newspapers. S. G. II.
Arbor Day Advocates
While Mrs. eGroge 13. McClellun was
lunching with some women friends one
day recently the oldest of the party began
to entertain the others with an account of
her only matrimonial quarrel. She sill
that after making It up with one another.
Iter husband bad planted a tree In reinein
branco of It.
'What a splendid Idea," laughed Mrs.
McClellan, "I must make a note of It for
the benefit of a few couples of my ao-
W'hlle Mrs. George 11. McClellan waa
qualntancea who are always quar
reling. If they adopt a similar plan
they wll have a magnificent avenue la D
time!"-Philadelphia IUer.