By MIKE CORN

mcorn@dailynews.net

ALEXANDER -- Residents here understand the U.S. Postal Service needs to stanch the flow of red ink, even if it means closing the community post office.

They just don't like it.

After all, they figure the loss of the post office -- one of only two businesses still operating in this southwest Rush County community of 65 residents -- could be its death knell.

"I think if we lose the post office, this town probably will die," said Rhoda Sherman as she took a break from mowing her lawn.

Alexander is among 11 Kansas post offices being considered for closure, a small part of the U.S. Postal Service's attempt to cut costs.

Already, a single community meeting was quietly conducted and comments taken.

Alexander is being considered for closure because of its proximity to another post office, in this case Bazine. The postmaster's position is open as well, making it a convenient time to consider the closing.

And the post office is small -- conducting nine or fewer daily transactions -- someone buying stamps or mailing a package.

"No final decision has been made to close an office," USPS spokesman Brian Sperry said.

Alexander resident Keith Schwindt is confident the closing will take place.

"It's going to happen," he said. "I hope it don't."

It's all a matter of simply doing the paperwork, he said.

Alton and Lavern Huddleston won't disagree that it's almost a certainty the post office will close.

"There weren't too many from Alexander," Alton Huddleston said of the people who attended the town meeting on the closing. "Most of them were gone. The only ones here were the older ones."

"We're the older ones," Lavern Huddleston said.

Alton Huddleston understands the difficulties faced by the post office and the postal service.

"They've got to cut some corners," he said. "I hate to see the post office close."

"The bad part is getting stamps, mailing packages," Lavern Huddleston said. "That's very inconvenient."

Alexander's post office once thrived, but business quickly slowed when Granny's Juntiques -- an antique shop that did much of its business by way of mail-order -- moved to Wilson and set up shop there.

Alexander is slowly dwindling away, all but losing its businesses and much of its population.

"There used to be two grocery stores, two motels," Schwindt said.

Alexander had its own bank until Nov. 19, 1987, the fifth of five Rush County banks to close in slightly less than two years.

Today, the bank building serves as the senior citizens center. A fourth of Alexander's residents are senior citizens -- 65 years or older. Nine are 75 or older.

"I'm just a kid," Schwindt said, revealing his age as 77. The Huddlestons are both 86 years old.

"The only thing we've got left is the co-op," Schwindt said.

He is a longtime resident of Alexander, although he said his wife, Judy, is a lifetime resident.

"I'm from Bazine," he said of the small, Ness County community about 8 miles to the west.

If the Alexander Post Office is closed, mail would be handled through the Bazine facility, with delivery to Alexander.

The Huddlestons said they were told the postal service doesn't plan to install the grey boxes as has been done in other communities losing their post office. Instead, the rural mail carrier plans to drop off mail at individual boxes, almost all of which are located on two streets.

"Well, sure it's going to hurt the town," Schwindt said. "Anytime you lose a business, it hurts."

That shows at the church as well.

"We're down to seven to 10 people going to church," he said. "It's going to lock up everything if we run out of money."

For Alton Huddleston, Alexander might be living on borrowed time.

"I would say another 25 years probably," he said of how long the community might be able to hang on. "Then it will be like most other places."