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There is a good sized enclosed rear platform where mail may be transferred to and from trucks. A large area in the rear has been paved with concrete and runways lead to the street. |
The working quarters in the rear of the wall just described are remarkable for their excellent ventilation and natural lighting. the entire room is finished in white and numerous windows and skylights provide sufficient light by which to work. Rural and city carriers will have their working space along the south wall of the workroom while the mailing division will be along the north wall with parcel post and other sections between. In addition to the natural lighting, there is a direct light over each working space. There also are lamps over each box section so that little difficulty will be encountered to determine whether there is mail in the box.
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Broad stone steps, which were flanked by bronze lamp posts, lead to the lobby of the valley's newest federal building. Front doors lead into a vestibule with swinging doors so that the lobby will be protected from cold winds in the winter. As visitors enter the lobby from the vestibule one is struck with the same simplicity observed in the exterior architecture of the building which is constructed of red brick with stone trim and tall white columns in front.
At the extreme left, the south side of the building, one can see into the postmaster's office. Just at the door begins a flight of stone steps leading to the second floor. Simple ironwork adds to the beauty of the steps. There are several sections of boxes. The row is unbroken until the eye reaches the center where there is an alcove. Two sides of the alcove are composed of sections of mail boxes. The center panel has two windows. The small window to the left is the stamp window. The large windows in the center is for parcel post and to the right are drop boxes, balances the stamp window on the other side of the larger opening.
As one goes from the alcove to the right one finds more mail boxes and more windows. These two windows are for general delivery Reminder of this section is filled with mail boxes and then one comes to north wall. There are three windows looking into the finance room. One is for money orders, a second for the box rent and a third for postal savings. Floor of the lobby is beautifully tiled and simple but effective electric fixtures stud the ceiling. Boxes are opened with keys and lock when the key is withdrawn.
The finance room is an example of double
precaution. It has a large vault inside in which will be
placed a strong safe. Windows and other open portions of the
room are heavily barred. This room is in the northeast
corner of the first floor and from it the money order
registry, postal savings and box rent windows look into the
lobby. There is another vault in the postmaster's room.
A stairway on the leads from the workroom to the second floor. There one finds a large comfortable room known as the ''swing'' room because there employees will rest between ''swings''. Comfortable furniture and lockers will be proved so that employees not on duty at certain times will not talk with and interfere with those who are working.
The staircase in the lobby gives aces to a different part of the second floor. It leads to a large rectangular room which will be occupied by the International Boundary Commission. It is large enough to accommodate drawing tables and other engineering equipment. there also will be a small office in this area.
The basement also will provide space for several offices. Department of Agriculture inspectors and Immigration officers will east side near the steps. All basement windows are barred and there are a sufficient number to provide good illumination. There is considerable storage space in the basement where the boiler for the heating system is located and where pumps will be operated to carry sewage water to the level of city connections.
The building, constructed by Meriweather and Sauer, is a stately one and has a fine setting in the boulevard park. Immediate grounds are to be landscaped and when this done, beauty of the local federal building is expected to be unexcelled in South Texas. Postmaster Floyd S. Worth also is custodian of the building and will look after landscaping the site.
