The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-26
STRICKEN FROM THE BILL
Successful Opposition TO the Pueu-
matic Tube Mail Service.
The House. in Committee of the
Whole, Takes Adverse Action ON
thc Proposed Appropriation of
S725.OOO - Charges Made by Mr.
Moody-RaiIvay Mail Clerks Pay.


| terday. in Committee Of the Whole. struck
/ item of S725 goo for the continuance and
! extension Of the pneumatic tube service
/ now in operation in Boston New York,
Brooklyn. and Philadelphia.
The principal speech against the ap-
/ preparation was made by Mr. Moody. who
/ is member Of the commission appointed
I to investigate the postal service. He at
tackled methods Of management Of the
/ Pneumatic Tube Company of New York
I and related several incidents that were
not Of a creditable nature. He said that
/ if the attention Of the House were fully
: directed to the appropriation lit would die
the death of a dog as it ought to do"
The paragraph appropriating for the
salaries Of officials and employees of the
railway mail service was the subject of
a two hours debate in which Messrs.
Tawney OF Minnesota, Cummings of New
York, and Loud of California, in charge Of
the bill, made the principal speeches. The
paragraph reported made an increase in
pay Of about 5000 600. Mr.. Tawney offered
a substitute making a reclasshcatiOn Of
the service. increasing the pay over the
amount carried in the bill about 81 200, 600.
At the end of the discussion the substi-
tute was ruled out Of order and the House
adjourned
The Bill Taken Up.
The House at 1913 O'Clock resolved itself
into Committee Of the Whole. with Mr..
Dalzel in the chair Consideration was
then resumed of the Postofice Appropria
;ion bill. The pending paragraph was that
appropriating for the pneumatic tube
service. Mr.. Little Of Arkansas re
served a point of order against the item.
He said that the pneumatic tube service
added so little to the acceleration Of the
mail and its continuance and extension
would not be wise. For some parts Of the
tube. said Mr. Little. the Government was
paying So a foot and for eight and half
miles S225, eco. II It were extended to the
cities of the country generally the cost
would amount 70 millions Only first-class
matter was handled in the tubes and Of
that it handled but 50 per cent.
Mr.. Mann of Illinois said the pneumatic
tube service was of value and interest pri-
marily to the cities and he said it was but
fair that they should have their part Of
the experimental service Of the Depart
ment. On Tuesday the House voted
S1.750,0O0 for rural free delivery and no one
objected. The city Of Chicago paid over
SO, ,O0O, COO into the Treasury from its net
postal receipts and it needed the tube
service Not so much be said. to trans
NIT the mails from the central office tC
the railroad stations and vice versa. but to
transmit mail from the central office to
the branch stations. especially to the stock
yards. which now requires from an hour
and a half to two hours each way
Mr. Moody OF Massachusetts. who said
that if the House took the step proposed
in the bill. and increased the appropria-
tions half a million dollars, it would not
be a question of half million dollars
only. but of many millions added annually.
in the near future. to be added to the ex-
penditure for postal service. Mr.. Moody
declared with great force and earnestness
that there seemed to be no sentiment in
the House or out Of it. for the economical
administration of public affairs sixteen
hundred million dollars appropriated in the
last Congress. and every Department
is knocking at the doors Of Congress for
its part Of the increase Of public eNpen-
ditures' he said
The speaker reviewed briefly the history
OF the appropriation for pneumatic tube
service which began with a tentative SIC
600 appropriation in 1888. It appeared next
in 1886, while Nj Wilson was Postmaster
General and Charles Nelson Second As
sistant Postmaster General when $35. 000
was inserted in the bill. The subsequent
history. Mr.. Moody said was malodOrous
throughout
Replying 10 suggestion by Mr. Little Of
Arkansas. Mr.. Moody said that if the at
tention Of the House could be directed to
the facts in the case the appropriation
would die the death Of a dog. as il ought
to do"
Testimony of MiIhoIIand.
Mr.. Moody quoted from the testimony OF
John E. MilhoIland. representing the New
York Pneumatic Tube Company. taken by
the postal committee in 1895 MilholIand
said that shortly after Nelson retired |
from the Office Of Second Assistant Post |
master General the company made an ar
rangement with him by which for 81 900 J
cash and SO, Gee in the company's stock /
he represented the company for a year at |
Washington. What service he could rem /
der the company in that position, Mr..
Moody said he could not imagine. Con /
tinuing Mr. Moody said.
The commission found that the tubes |
in New York had been laid by contractors
VINO look LOT ilelI pay STOCK anu bOutS OF f
the company whose sole value was found /
ed upon the contracts Of the company with /
the United States. And it was with a
sense OF shame that We found that a large |
part Of the stock and bonds was owned /
by member OF the Committee on ApprO- |
priations"
Mr. Livingston Of Georgia-Does the tes- |
timOny disclose his name?
Mr.. Moody-Yes.
Mr.. Livingston-The name him.
Mr.. Moody won't do it.
Continuing Mr.. Moody said that a block I
Of the compaEy's stock was sent as New |
Years present TO a relative Of a promi-
nent member OF the House And I am
glad to say that the return mail was not
permitted to leave Washington without
carrying with it that dishonoring and dis
honorable gift. And that is she kind OF .
transaction which you are asked to ex-
tend "
The tube service. Mr. Moody said. was
in the hands Of two companies only, and
il they got the contracts desired the prob
ability was that they would combine
Shaking his head. Mr. Moody said "Don't
come here talking humbug about trusts II
you are willing to set this one on its
feet" Concluding, he said that if the
pneumatic tube service were to be extend
ed it should be done by the United States
and an extra charge made for it's use. An
attorney for the tube company had told
the committee that in his opinion the
United States could establish a system
without infringing any patents now out
standing. Warning the House against the |
pressure that would come uDou the mem
bers for extension Of the service. Mr..
Moody said that IL Congress had one thou
sand pest houses 10 dispose Of every Con-