San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-10-28
OPENING OF THE PNEUMATIC
POSTAL TUBE SERVICE IN
NEW YORK CITY.

NEW 4ORh I'll l..
Shortly after noon on the 18th instant
the first section of the pneumatic pos
tai tube service, which is now being
installed in this city, was opened for
regular service in the presence of the
invited guests of the Tubular Dispatch
Company, who are putting in the
plant. The completed section runs
from the general postoffice through
Beekman, William and Stone Streets
to the station at the Produce Exchange
a distance of $3.50 feet. There are two
tubes, each lis inches in diameter,
the bends being made of brass and
the staight sections of cast iron. The
interior surface is smoothly finished
off to assist the passage of the carriers.
At each station there is a transmitter
and receiver of an improved design,
specially constructed for this plant.
The air COMPRISING plant is located
at the general postoffice, and pres
sure of pounds to the square inch is
employed for the present, though the
pressure, and consequently the speed,
may be increased if desired. The car
riers consist of sheet steel Cylinders,
"a inches long and weighing about IL
pounds. Each of these can hold about
800 letters, and it is estimated that
about 100000 letters per hour can be
carried in each direction when the OPP
orators are fully accustomed to the
work. When a carrier has been load
ed, it is placed in charging tray and
pushed into a section of tube, a little
longer than itself, which is then swung
over into the line of the main tubing.
The air carries it to it's destination,
where it automatically operates a
cushioning device, which reduces its
ceiving. tray.
The service of inaugurating the SER
vice was performed by DR.. Chauncey
NJ. Depew, who, acting under the d.
rection of Mr.. John Z. Millholland, the
president of the Tubular Dispatch
company, placed in the carrier bible
wrapped in the stars and stripes, a
copy of the presidents inaugural ad-
dress and other documents. The lever
was pulled at 12:16:20 p. m, and at 49,
1850 p. M, it reached the Produce Ex-
change, $3.50 feet distant. Here it was
opened and Enclosures were made, the
carrier finally arriving at the postoffice
at 1921 p. m, or minutes and and 40
seconds from time it was sent away.
to determine the time taken to send a
| tubes, by various systems of commune
| message over practically the same
| route as that covered by the postal
| tubes, by various systems of COM
munication. The test showed that the
| round trip occupied thirty-three minu-
ties by messenger boy, thirty three
| minutes by wagon, fifty-six minutes
| by telegram, and three hours and ten
minutes by mail one way.
DR.. Depew in a characteristic speech,
insited upon the fact that every de.
vice that assisted in the development
of speed was a direct contribution to
| the advancement and prosperity of the
world. He stated that though the
pneumatic delivery system had re-
ceived it's first application on a large
scale in London and Paris. it would
probably be the New World that would
extend the system and show the wide
range of its possibilities. He is salts
fed that the installation of a complete
network of tubes, answering in its
scope to the telephone of today, would
effect revolution in the business
methods of the retrail tradesmen,
pidClIS them III nOuTly TOUCH WIN the
wholesale houses, in some cases practi-
cally increasing their capital 300 per
cent. Second Assistant Postmaster
General Shallenberger designated the
postal tube system as the most impor-
tant commercial enterprise of the past
twenty-five years. He stated that,
when the system has been completely
extended in the metropolis, it will be
possible for the Post Office to deliver
messages to the limits of Greater New
York in less time than by telegram.
Moreover the system makes it posi-
BILE to expedite the transmission of
letters from the outskirts of New York
to the outskirts of Chicago, st. Louis
or other large cities by from twenty
four to twenty-six hours. The bust
ness men of New York and Philadel-
phia will be able to send a letter and
receive an answer between these two
cities within the limits of the business
hours of one day.-Scientific Ameri-
can.