The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-04-26
PNEUMATIC MAIL
SERVICE CRUSHED
The heApproprlatloll strick-
en- From the Bill.
SENSATIONAL CHARGE
Former Members of Congress Had
Held Stock in the Company.
AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATION
The Senate Passed tho Measure which
Carries Il Little Over $4,000,
oUo-The Conference Report
OH the Hawaiian Civil
Government Bill Was
Agreed To.
SENSATIONAL CHARGE
Former Members of Congress Had
Held Stock in the Company.
AGRICULTURAL APPROPRIATION

WASHINGTON, April G5.-The House
to-day put its heel upon the pneumatic
tube mail survice now in operation IN
New York. Boston and Philadelphia, and
If its action stands. the whole service
will be crushed out The Postoffice Com
1niree had recommended an increase OF
The appropriation for this service from
s2e5.Ooa To S725GGo. The proposed increase
was attacked by the Appropriation Com.
rnfGtee under the leaderaip of Mr.. Moody,
of Massachusetts, with such ViSor ana
success that in the end the House voted
s. to 50 to strike out the entire appropria-
ton from the bill.
Mr.. Moody created sensation by the
manner in which he assaiied the methods
OF the Pneumatic Tube Company and the
direct charge that a former member OF
Congress. who was a member Of the APP
glropriations.sco committee. had been holder
OF the stock and bonds of the company
lie declined 10 disclose the gentleman S
name. He added to the scandal by chars-
ing tnat a block of stock had been sent
as a New Years gilt to q near reiauVe
OF another member OF Congress, but to
the credit of the member, he said, the
dishonoTfng gilt had been returned to the
sender by the next mail.
HIGHLY Ijhh1INDElI)-
Although the tube service was highly
commended By other members these reEe- r
cations transformed the sentiment Of the
55ot:Se. which has SeEeral times voted Tor
The service. into decisive majority
against 5ls continuation in any form lhe
remainder of the day Was devoted 10 the
discussion of amendment offered bN
Mr.. T3wncy. OF Minnesota. to substitute
his bill for rne reciassificatton OF the
rail9cad 1ostai clerks for the provision
IN the bill.
AT the end of the lclsate :2e amendment
Tas held not 70 be IN % e,
Seventeen of twenty-five pages OF the
Dill have not been completed
AT the opening w II. King, VINO served
IN the fifty-tifth Congress from the State
of Utah, was sworn in as representative
from that State TO succeed Brigham
II. Roberts, who was denied seat.
Without preliminary business the House
resumed consideration of the postotilce
appropriation bill TIE item appropriating
S725.013 for pneumatic tube service, az
Increase OF $592.CG5 over the appropriation
Ter the current year, was the subject
of over two hours debate under The ar
rangeraerlts previously made
Cflgldi.ES EXCRBITANT-
Mr. Lite, OF Arkansas, opposed the
pneumatic tube service, when he held
was unnecessary, and the charges for
me service in New York, he said, were
.oucIageouSly- Nolaitanc. 1-ae governments
was paying SS5,OC1 mile rental for six
inch lion pipe besides The cost OF
operating the machines.
MIR Moody, of Massachusetts,, also op
posed the extension of the tube service
Ii it was entered upon. he said, it would
add in the near future millions TO the
already swollen expenditures of the Post
office Department. Using this item as
text, MIR. Moody made an urgent plea
for retrenchment in public expenditures.
Every branch CT the public service, he
said, was asking for its share OF the
enormous revenues which We're being
collected.
Proceeding. Mr.. Moody assailed the
whole history of the pneumatic tube ser
vice. I'll is so maloGorous from begin
ming to end said he. that it should
die the death OF q dog
Smoke the rascals out, cried Mr.
Little. and we on this side OF the House
viii stay with YOU.
Mr.. Moody said it was not a pleasant
thing for him 10 exploit the scandal which
had been uncovered by the Postal Com
mission. of which ne WIS member, but
he considered it his duty to do 81. He de-
clared that former Second Assistant
Postmaster General Nelson, under whom
the first experiments i'll the pneumatic
tube service were made. when he retired
accepted from the company sI,0o0 in cash
and $4,000 in stock for his services here
during the succeeding year. What that
service could be. Nr. Moody said, he
could not imagine These Facts, he sa d
had been brought out by the Commits
sion John /. Milholland OF New York
he said was the president of the tube
company.
STARTLED THB HOUSE.
Mr. Moody's next statement startled the
House and created a sensation. The tube
service, he said. had been constructed by
Yhair
and bonds The only asssts Of the COM
pany was its contract With the Govern
ment.
=! regret 10 say" continued Mr. Moody
deliberately, THAT .one of the principal
holders OF these stocks and bonds was a
member of this House and member of
the Committee on Appropriations.
Give his name shouted Mr.. Living
ston, of GeorSia-
~ VIII not" replied Mr. Moody. Then
he added another sensational statement
to the effect that large block of the
stock of the concern had been sent to a
near relative of a prominent member OF
the House as a New Years gift
But j am proud TO say. said Mr.
Moody THAT the return mail carried back
that dishonoring and dishonorable gift.
When the applause that greeted this
statement had died out, Mr. Moody ap-
peaied to the House not TO endorse this
sort of q transaction
Mr Moody said he had been Appealed
TO by commercial bodies of Boston TO aid
in ,he extension of this service. but he re-
fused to close his eyes to his duty in this
matter. lie charged that companies in all
the large cities Of the country were pre-
narinr 10 raid Congress in behait OF
further extension of the tube service
FAVORED EXTENSION.
Mr.. Bingham. of Pennsylvania, thought
fn view of the disclosures of Mr. Moody
thai the testimony which sustained them
should be printed in the Record, and.
,xtYh ar Moody's assent. il was agreed
to place The testimony in the Record
Mr.. Bingham said that Congress was
M, concerned with the question or morals