The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-03-26
CATCHING A NAIL TRAIN.

tricity. with preference for naptna' ana
The wagons themselves Will bee the same
long. narrow mail vehicles which are
used now as postal cars ON the street
railways of many cities
Tba project Of the horseless vehicle for
mail matter has been ON foot Tor SIX
months Gen. Nelson. of Washington,
has been working at DO and interesting
CAPITALISTS 70 is not q capiiallsilc enter
prise los any means. IL is means 10
assist the Government but the United
states does not appropriate any money
"for experimental purposes and when
now things are % he adopted they must
D.. tried first before the Government viii
take them up. 10 is The arduous task OF
Indiue moneyed people TO build the
horssless mail wagons and experiment
with them that has $50 Ions delayed the
horsfless p0stal-car project.
WORKING QUIETLY ON TT.
"D1 not say too much about it yet
urged cen. Nelson a few day ago.
"Cauital is "a shy bird IL YOU biazon the
llea forth people who have money are
apt to drop b. They do not want 10 be-
identified with a failure, and they get
thc idea also that the project has gone
out of their hands But there are good
people back OF this.
DO is with such perseverance as TINS that
INN very fIfI|ANfIN 4Ar~lrNtillN or "iiiftT tfA
General has secured such great ud-
vance in mail service during his term
of office.
The plan Of the new motorcycle is
complex and remarkable one. So strange
does it read that be sounds more like
chapter from an advanced Looking
Backward" or q paragraph from Won
deflanl." than the dOings Of the year
ai DO AN works well this machine will
mark "a greater epoch in progressive his
tory than The telephone did. and will be
second only 90 the telegraph and steam
boat
The plan Of the motorcycle begins with
q postal car. This. for Washington. Will
Doe "a long one. for New York a smaller
one. and for different cities. according 10
Their situation and size. A hiiiy city.
WITH Irregular streets. can use smaller
car Co better advantage than long one
Level cities with broad streets can handle
q long car easily.
The Washington car will be - feet
long. about feet wide and feet high.
Ilis VIII make very good dimensions.
The color will probably not Doe white: II
do not want 10 say what the color will
Ie' said am official of the New York
I'sst-Olicc. speaking Of the new motor
cycle. but ! should say 10 Will De- some
distinctive shade that viii be handsome.
get tell the story OF The United States
mail service.
The inside of the ear will be arranged
like the inside of any mail car. There
N.il Doe a counter for sorting the mail.
q seat for the man who sorts. pigeon
holes overhead ana certain strongholds
for containing registered and other val
liable mail matter 10 VIII be complete
PERPETUAL MOTION.
The work OF the hOrselcss mail car
VIII begin az the time or starting out
The motoman viii turn the lever thar
gets the car going. viii place his feet
tron the steering gear and viii head for
the nearest letter box Tapping the LETT
Ger box Us thc term applied TO gathering
np The mail from box
10 is probable that The driver will "tap"
tho box. Through a window DE will
throw the mail inside TO the sortor who
VII receive &c ON The nv and 20 10 work
Upon it. Meanwhile the car has started
on p keen run towards The next letter
hoN Here 20 gathers up more mail and
tos1es 30 inside 90 the sortcr. aud so 10
an the boxes on the route. The sorter
meanwhile Is working as fast az he can.
and 20 much must be said for his agility
IN handling mail matter that. by the
time the next box is reached. ne has sort
Cd the mail from the last box. Tie works
Ike lightning and his eyes require only
n fash upon the letter 10 determine SIS
destination Just as quickly HIS trained
fingers place Il IN the right pigeon-holc
When these hOrselcss wagons return
20 their headquarters. which IN large
cities Is a sub-station or sub post-ofiice.
tie mail IS taken out and placed in the
different po,'~h-- a. - e-"-i-~ 80 sta