New-York tribune., 1900-04-26
AGAINST PNEUlfA TIC TUBES.
STRICKEN OUT OF THE
POSTOFFICE BILL IN COMMITTEE
OF THE WHOLE.

Washington. April 25-The House to-day. in Com
mittee of the Whole put its heel on the pneumatic
mail tube service, In operation In New-York'
Boston and Philadelphia. and If its action stands
the whole service will be crushed out.
Without preliminary business consideration the
Postofice Appropriation bill was resumed. The
item appropriating s725 900 for pneumatic tube SER
vice-an increase of 100000 over the appropriation
for the current year-was the subject OF two hours
debate.
Mr.. Little, of Arkansas, opposed the pneumatic
tube service. which, he held, was unnecessary and
of no material benefit in expediting the mails The
charges for the service in NewYork. he said, were
outrageously exorbitant. The Government was
paying s37 900 mile rent for 6-inch iron pipe, be-
sides the of operating the machines
Mr.. Moody of Massachusetts, also opposed the
extension of the service If 1t entered upon,
he said II would add In the near future millions
to the already swollen expenditures of the fos'-
office Department. Using this item text Mr..
Moody made urgent plea for retrenchment In
public expenditures, Every branch of the public
service he said, was asking for its share OF the
enormous revenues which were being collected
Mr. Moody assaied the whole history of the pneu-
matte tube service. 1T is malodorous from be-
ginning to end" said he. that it should die the
death of a dog"
Smoke the rascsls out" cried Mr. Little, land
this side of the House will stay wit you
Mr.. Moody said it not pleasant thing Tor
him to exploit the scandal. which had been un-
covered by the Postal Commission of which he
a member but he considered it his duty to do
So He declared that Mr.. Nelson. formerly Second
Assistant Postmaster General, under whom the
first experiments in the pneumatic tube service
were made when he retired accepted from the
company 81 900 in cash and $4,000 in stock for his
service here in the succeeding year. What that
service could be he could not imagine. These
facts, he said, had been brought out by the Com
mission. John f. Milhoand. of New-York, he said,
was the president of the tube company.
Mr.. MOodyS startled the House
and created sensation. The tube service, ne SAID
had been constructed by contractors who took
their pay in stocks and bonds The only asset of
the company, he declared was its contract with
the Government. 81 regret to say" continued Mr..
Moody deliberately, that one of the principal
holders of these stocks and bonds was member
of this House and member of the Committee on
Appropriations
Give his name shouted Mr.. Livingston OF
Georgia.
Il will not" replied Mr.. Moody. Then he added
another sensational statement. to the effect that
a large block of the stock of the concern had been
fSet se House to fsaY NeM &
to a he that the %
When the appauss that greeted this s negt
hof noq to died ndorse Hs Mt so Pps"fs o
disavowed dis any intention of rejecting the Post
was especially glowing in his. praise of Mr..
Lloyd ~ the chairman Of the &c M 6
Of Boston to aid d in the he extension IN Of of s @ sfrve m h
matter He charged that companies in all the
large cities of the country were DreDarng TO make
raids on Congress in behalf of further extension
OF The tube service.
Mr. Roberts. of Massachusetts. protested against
the elimination of the pneumatic tube service in
Boston had the Endorsement of all the bus
ness men of Boston. he said. He not here to
defend or condone anything rotten" in connec-
ton with these contracts. but if all the charges
that would have no effect on the value
OF the service.
Mr.. Bingham. of PENNSYLVANIA. said that Con-
gress concerned with the question of
morals involved in eS-Assistant Postmaster
General taking service with corporation but
with the question whether the tube service
valuable in expediting the mails He earnestly fa-
vored the extension of the service. The proposed
appropriation would extend the service to Chicago
and extend the service in Philadelphia, New-York
and Boston.
Mr., Cummings of NewYork. supported the prop
ostion extend the service. The pneumatic tube,
Ike the elevator. he said. was here to stay
Mr.. Loud closed the general discussion. He
thought the service should be continued or stran-
e!ed If it to become the settled policy of the
Government to maintain the tube service it should
be extended
Mr.. Moon OF Tennessee moved to eliminate the
entire paragranh, and the motion was adopted by
a vote nf 81 to 10.
Mr.. Tawnev moved his bill to reclassifv railway
nail clerks. hut ii went ont noint of order.
Without completing the bill. the House adjourned