The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1896-07-22

years and no less than four hundred ap-
plicaItions for pneumatic tube patents
are now on file In the patent office in
Washington. 1t Is the possibility OF
tremendous expansion which makes the
question so alluring from the point OF
view OF the promoter. The theory Is
that with proper facilities New York,
Boston. Chicago. Washington, or in fact
any of the larger cities in the United
States could be as easily placed in COM
municatien with one another by menas
OF pneumatic tubes as could THE local
0iStitcts of any one OF these centres.
The telegraph companies realize this
very thoroughly, for the expansion OF
the system would seriously affect their
business, and already one company has
a tube in operation between two of It's
offices in New York city. This last
tube. however. Is of small diameter and
deserves to rank only beside THE dimn-
utive systems which are now used for
carrying messages and small change in
department. stores.
IT'S GENERAL ADOPTION WILL
PROVE EPOCH MAKING.
The general adoption of pneumatic
tubes in the United States will mean q
greater revolution in business and gov
missed at first glance. 1t will be as epoch
making in It's way as was the invention
Of the telegraph OF telephone. With the
telegraph companies particularly 1t is
likely to play great havoc. Under the
new arrangement no one would be will
ing to trust to the inaccuracies of a tele-
graph clerk when 1t would be as easy
and easier in fact, to send q long letter
to the point Of destination. No news
paper fer instance would be content to
pay telegraph tolls when original ac-
counts of news in the handwriting of the
correspondent could be had for the ask
Ing, not to mention that very important
element Of secrecy which would pervade
n1 nm 10 fp,h frn Cft
law which puts a seal on the public tele-
Crapher's lips would become Obsolete
there would be no longer use for It..
Government secrets also would run little
risk OF leaking out in transit. Business
would be better arranged everywhere
because more minute instructions could
be instantly transmitted to distant
agents. Think of carrying on a lengthy
correspondence with man two or three
hundred hundred miles away. sending
and receiving several long letters in the
course OF q day! It would in fact revive
the almost lost art OF long letter writ
ing. It IS probable that letter writing
booths would be established at all the
terminal points OF the tube lines and
one could go to these places, send a let
ter,receive an answer. or even a picture
of an event. in a short time. Herein
slow going telegraph boys would be-
would have to be quite as quickly trans
mitted as letters. The express compa-
nies 30 far as small parcels are con-
cerned would be forced to patronize the
system or else set up tubing system Of
their own. 1t would become n common
event for New Yorkers end Philadel-
3 phIans to exchange tokens on the same
day. The ardent lover in New York
could send fresh flowers to his sweet
heart in Boston. Miss Knickerbocker
+ could very easily borrow the latest novel
by tube from her Washington friend.
The faded business man could have his
{ wife put him up a fresh lunch at home
and send 1t by tube to mis- office, where
he could eat IL before 1t became cold
be legion.
TN USE OF THE SYSTEM IN EU-
ROPE.
But while the tubes will be new IN the
& United States. they are an old story In
Z Europe, for just ouch systems az that 20