Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-10-28
WONDERFUL INVENTION.
How Messages and Packages VIII
Shoot Through Tubes Buried
in the Ground.


The City Councils on July sth passed m
ordinance permitting the Electric Pneu-
matte Company to lay tubes in certain
streets Of this city, allowing thereby the
introduction Of new system OF tran mis-
SIGN Of packages and messages calculated
10 rcyOlutioniZe the present messenger AND
local telegraph service. \ short de'crip-
ton OF the invention was published next
DAY in the Press. Since that time the en-.
ire efforts Of the company have been d.
rCcted toward perfection Of the details.
This work Is row practically completed,
aud in about ten days the cOmpny will
begin to lay It's pipes in the designated
streets.
The system differs from that OF the ordl-
nary pECuGatic-tuGe system practically in
only one particular. Instead OF single
tube stretching from given point to \ cer-
tain destination, 4 main tube is laid along
certain streets. from which ans number Of
connecting tubes branch of. By On nge-
nous method OF switches. operated by
electricity from the main Office, a conicll
carrier containing message or parcel, ira.
yCrsing the main tube, will find ITS way
suddenly blocked, and will be turned into
a side tube by means Of switch, much u
O strCet.car is turned from one street into
another by means Of m IrtcTcep'ing bar.
In this side tube switches will also be
thrown up, guiding the carrier INTO any
designated house or store.
The system consists OF two tubes, one 4
Vacuum and the other . pre,surc-tube, each
carrying messages or parcels in opposite
directions. The company intend to cstlb-
llSh offices three or four blocks apart along
the various streets where toe tubes pass.
From each Of these mainline stations 4
"household" service Is established, en-
tirely distinct from the tubes that run
through the streets. The carriers de-
>inCd FOR a certain district are sent
along the street tubes TO the nclr-
est district Office. The operator tlert
oIcns the cone, looks at the adj
dies, touches an elcctTi: button, which
closes all The switches except those leading
to certain store or house, and in an instant
SENDS the package 10 it, destination. In
ending a message or package from al of %
IL i, simply dropped into the YacuIm-tuOc.
ard Is taken 10 the nearest district station,
- here the operator sWitchc, il into one OF
DE m1in.linc tubes, calling the attention a.
the same time OK iellOW-0p6rItOr. in dis
trict perhaps several miles away, that 4 car
iior i rushing 10 his district TO BE- guided
20 IFS destination.
The details # the plan are so perfected
that a carrier passing into the main tube
can in no way collide with another passing
through, o. cause a block in any way. The
speed Will not be less than mile I'm thirty
seconds. and the elcCtric-wires which ope-
rate The switches and signals are placed In
tie woke which connects the vacuum aud
prc-, urc-tubts.
The company intend placing the tubes
or " terminals n they call them-in such
.ioIcs and bouses a. will bring them trade,
st each main station messengers will be
kept TO deliver messages TO houses and
stores where there is no connection. The
stations are to be so placed about town thl.
in no case will q boy be compelled to go
u ore than tdrcc blocks from his Office to
deliver mtsSage. There i to be no charge
Ter rent, a. in The case OF the telephone,
hut stamps will be used 10 be cancelled IN
tie district station Us each package come,
IN, so that only each service need be paid
for.
In addition to The system Of messenger.
tubes another known as package-tuJeS
VIII be put in operation after a while. The
messenger have diameter Of two
and one half inches. The diameter OF the
Vachace-tubes will be from eighteen 10
tWenty-fOur i1ches. Tie latter system will
not he extended TO the household service,
However, and the packages will be de-
liNcrtd from the district stations by mes
sopgCr. There VIII be no charge except
tGr actual Use, and the tubes will be
placed in every house and store
where there il likely to be any Use
for them. No schedule Of prices has as yet
nCcn made. bu, the general rule has been
laid down that il viii Ire uniform for all
districts outside the one where the sender
+ situated. IL about bali the rates now
charged. The system Of waiting for mes
.tngCr-tOy will be entirely obYiltcd, for
Zach person can drop his parcel in the
'uhc, which viii take the place Of The cali
lcll and before boy could star. 10 an
.aCr summons the package will not only
have reached the station but be on its way
way along 2 street tube.
IN Ingenious arrangement has dl'o been
couniyed by which carrier may be sent
inlO ratrCLboX, and by means OF the es-
coping air made to blow whistle, and thus
call a pairOlman in case OF ire or need OF
police assistance. A red carrier Will tell
that q certain house in the district is on
Gie and n blue carrier will call for police
assistance. AlIthc householder need do is
drop one or the other carrier into the tube,
and forthwith the whistle will call the pa
HOlman To the box.
A special service o. pos,-office tubes will
De arranged whereby an operator In the
posi-cfice, by touching an electric button,
can cause The bottoms OF all the boxes In
certain district to dIop out aud their con-
tents Immediately dumped on his table,
saving thereby great amount OF time and
personal labor. In this way also a man
may finish letter In hts Office one minute
before the mail closes, and, by means OF
the tube at his side, have it in The post
Olllce Ia time for the mail. There are IN
Vulnerable other ways and uses to which
the invention may be put. one great adj
vantage Is that It Is perfectly secret. A
message may be sealed in an envelope and
its eouicnts Withheld from those engaged
In its transmission.