New-York tribune., 1896-01-24
NOVELTY IN MAIL CARRYING.
TROLLEY-CARs IN TUBES ON THE BRIDGE
EXPECTED IN THE EARLY SPRING.

BETTER FACILITIES To BE ESTABLISHED BE-
TWEEN BROOKLYN AND NEW -YoRK-THE OBJ
sTAcLEs TO THE sCHEME AS FIRST PRO-
POSED HAVE BEEN OVERCOME.
There are good reasons for believing that in tho
early spring OF the present year the United states
mails between New-York City and Brooklyn will be
carried in small trolley-cars running In tube
about ten inches in diameter. There Will be two
tubes 80 that cars can be in opposite directions
at the same time. The tubes will be laid on the
Bridge superstructure.
The possibilities OF the tube in facilitating the
mail service were strenuously advocated by Cor
nelius Van Cot Postmaster of New-York In the iast
Republican Administration Since that time Post
master Dayton and Postmaster Sullivan have been
working to secure the adoption Of a tube service.
A QUESTION OF DOLLARS.
Postmaster Sullivan said to a Tribune reporter
last evening: Everything Is ready for the COM
pany which has offered to do this work as soon as
they can agree upon the compensation to be paid
by the Government. When the proposition was first
made by the New-York Mail and Newspaper Carry
ing Company which has a charter from the Legis-
laure for the right of carrying mail matter or news
papers in tubes along highways throughout the
State the authorities at Washington agreed that
the plan was feasible and would be great improve
ment over the present system of transfer by
wagons.
THE POstofioe Department. after considering the
matter, decided that $4,000 year was the highest
price the Department could pay for the service
The managers of the carrying company said that
they could not undertake to do the work OF building
the plant for so small return on their investment.
They said ii would cost between $4,000 and slOo,U0
to build the tube. secure the right of way and con-
struct the necessary machinery to supply the power
on the New-York side they estimated that the cost
of building the tube would be $4,000 They would
have go down to a considerable depth to avoid
the cable. sewer. gas water and other subway sys-
TENS in Park Row.
OBSTACLES OVERCOME.
AT that time the plan contemplated single
tube about three feet in diameter The Bridge au-
thori,ies however. would not permit the laying OF
a pipe on this side Of the Bridge structure as they
said IL would involve the cutting away Of a space
at the side OF the arches, and this they would not
permit. Since then. however. the carrying company
has made a change ir it's plans. and II favorable
arrangement be made with the Postofice Depart
ment. Will build two tubes about ten inches In diam
eter, ore OF which will be used In dspatching mails
from Brooklyn to New-York while the other will
be used for the forwarding OF mails from New
York.
with this modified plan It may not be necessary
for the company to sink their pipes In Park Row 10
as great a depth as would be required with larger
tube The chief advantage with the larger tube was
that regular mail pouch could be carried through
H. With the smaller tube 1t will be necessary TO
have special pouches. about half the size OF the
regular ones used | do not know, however. that
this xlll cause any delay; in fact with the double
tube this system Of transfer may be quicke:
MINIATURE TROLLEY-CARs.
Another change proposed Is to substitute small
electric cars running trucks fitted in these small
tubes These cars would be kept running continu-
ously Oh an endless circuit. mail box made UP IN
,as city for the North. East. South West. or for
New York city, will be placed one Of these cars
and IN less than five minutes would be In the New
York Office .
There are engineering difficulties In the way
on iris side of the river The pipes be placed
underground along Washington-st- to the Postorce
Bulling, or. II arrangements can be made Win
the Bridge authorities. taey may be carried on ths
structure through the Bridge yard and crossing
Washington-st. overhead and brough. directly into
the P)stofice Building Postmaster Dayton and
myself hope TO the scheme carried through be-
fore the summer is ended
Mr. sullivan repeated that he had received no on.
fetal Information OF any intention on the part OF
the postoiice authorities TO make Brooklyn a sub
station OF New-York. and convinced that the
story originated from an Informal discussion OF the
possible, ties OF the plan II the two cities were con-
sDlidated.