Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-04

the various companies which make a busi-
ness oil supplying it. A New York COM
pahy, Tor example, sends out Ia 400 horse
power from its main station in the lower
part OF the city. This is distributed through
IRON condults, copper jacketed at all Joints
with very Ittle loss in power or efficiency.
II is recognized that compressed air is
TO-DAY the great rival of electricity ard IL
is peculiarly adapted to transmission from
a central power station, since it can be
stored without loss and supplied 10 any
point in variable quantities as desired
more easily than electricity The COM
pressed air plant which operates the en-
glne recently put into service the Nam
hattan elevated road gets the steam TO OPP
crate Its compressors from one OF the big
steam supply companies. Its apparatus
CONSISTS OF Two tanks holding about l5tgd
gallons of water. The water is circulated
between the tanks I'm iron pipes. which
spray 1t through small holes thereby cool
ing IT, The air is drawn over these cooling
tanks through window-like openings To a
small room, which is connected by a con-
quit with the low-pressure cvliuder II
passes through four cylinders. being cooled
IN the course Of each journey. and in these
me pressure is Increased respectively to -
pounds, 100 pounds, $50 pounds 300
pounds. 1t will be seen that the production
OF compressed air is a comparatively sim
pc process, and its use is likely to become
general.
Pneumatic Transportation.
Those who are living ION the edge of he
future See many other ways in which mod
ern invention is changing city life along
similar lines. One direction in which there
Is likely 10 be marked development is in
The transmission of all kinds of articles
through pneumatic tubes by COMPRESSED
arr Mail is already sent between the New
York post Office and some of its branches.
AT the trial of the part of the post office
system first installed, which took place a
short time ago a great variety of articles
were sent a distance of nearly mile and
back, making the round trip in four min
ules. The test was made by DIR. Chauncey
DepeW, in the presence Of Gen. Shallcn-
berger of the Post Office Department and
other prominent men. Among the articles
sent through the tubes were CODY Of the
Bible, an American flag, fruit, br!e-a-brac,
pair of shoes, a bottle of wine and a live
kitten.
This opens a wonderful vista of pos
siDillties. said Mr.. Depew after the test.
The department store can deliver its
goods to branch stations, the markets can
serve their customers. newspapers can be
delivered. and possibly in time human
freight can be shot from Office 10 home with
a rapidty that almost annihiiates dis
lance"
MIX and Beer.
Some time ago 1t was suggested that New
York could DE efficiently served with milk
by pumping it through properly constructed
pipes, and one of the great brewing COM
panies actually considered the plan of sup
plying their branch bottlirg establishments
and some of their principal customers in
this manner. In both these cases 1t was
the objections of consumers rather than
any practical mechanical objections that
prevented the carrying cut of the sugges-
tons.
A glance into the near future shows that
the one tendency to which attention has
here been called will bring about some re-
markable changes in the appearance of
our big cities. The city of the future will
be much more quiet than the existing town,
for the roar of overhead locomotives and
the clatter of surface cars will give place
air ee .tric motor. 1t will be much
cleaner, too. Horses will be banished from
the street except where used for pleasure
driving, and heavy trucks we'll as cabs
will be driven in the same way as the cars.
Dust and ashes will not rouse the ire OF
every housekeeper. for electricity will have
driven out the coal fire and ashes will be
taken only from the few power generating
stations.
The streets will be less crowded for many
things now conveyed in wagons will be
shot through pneumatic tubes to all parts
of the city. Life will be easier, for every
house will have heat and cold, light and
power pure air and ordinary drinks on tap.
The only danger to civilization then will be
that the inhabitants may get nervous pros
tration from the mental effort of remem-
bering which particular button to press for
each thing that they may happen to want.