The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1900-04-26
SENSATION BY MOODY.
he Attacks Pneumatic Tube Mail Service
In a Vigorous Manner
A FORMER CONGRESSMAN HELD STOCK,
But He Would Not Disclose the Gen.
tIcmnn's Name-The Service Was
Knocked out Very DecisiveIy.

Washington, April % The house today
put It's heel upon the pneumatic mail tube
service now In operation in New York,
Boston and Philadelphia, and IL its action
stands. the whole service will be crushed
out. The postofhce committee had recon-
mended an increase OF the appropriation
for this service from s225.000 to $3.50. 000
The proposed increase was attacked by
the appropriations committee under tho
leadership of Mr.. Moody (Mass.) with such
vlgor and success that In the end the
house voted 81 to so to strike the entire
appropriation from the bill. Mr.. Moody
created sensation by the manner in
which he assaled the methods OF tho
pneumatic tube company. and the direct
charge that former member OF con-
gress who was a member Of the appro-
priations committee. had been a holder OF
the stock and bonds of the company. He
declined to disclose the gentleman's name
He added to the scandal by charging that
a block of stock had been sent as a New
Years gift to a near relative of another
member Of congress- but TO the credit of
( the member, he said the dshonoring gift
/ had been returned TO the sender by the
next mail Although the tube service was
highly commended by other members,
these revelations transformed the senti-
ment OF the house, which has several
times voted for the tube service. into a
decisive majority against its continue
/ tion in any form
! Mr. rawney Mimi offered ms All
- 81 otf
mail clerks, but IT went out oil point Of
order.
Mr.. Little (ArkJ opposed the pneu-
matte tube service, which. he held was
, unnecessary and OF no material benefit In
expedition Of tho mails. The charges for
the service In New York he said were
! outrageousy exorbltant The government
was paying 900 n mile rental for six
inch iron pipe, besides the cost of operat-
Ing the machines. Mr.. Moody Mass also
opposed the extension Of the tube n IL
was extended, he said It would add in the
near future millions 10 the already swollen
expenditures Of the postoflce department.
In using this item as a text Mr.. Moody
made an urgent plea for retrenchment ia
public expenditures, Every branch of tho
public service. he said, was asking tor its
snare Of the enormous revenues which
were being collected. Proceeding Mr.
Moody assailed the whole history OF the
pneumatic tube service. 1T ia 80 malo-,
dorous from beginning to end" said he
that it should die the death of dog "
Smoke the rasoals out" cried Mr. Lit
tie and we on this side OF the house
viii stay with you"
Mr.. Moody said it was not pleasant
thing for him to exploit The scandal which
had been uncovered by the postal commits.
sion, Of which he was a member, but he
considered II his duty to do so. He de-
clared that Former Second Assistant Post
master General Nelson, undor whom the
first experiments in the pneumatic tube
service We're made, when no retired, an-
cepted from the company $1,000 in cash and
$4,000 In stock for his services here during
the succeeding year. What that service
could be, Mr.. Moody said, he could not
imagine These facts. he said had been
brought out by the committee, John E
Millholland of New York, he said. was
president Of the tube works.
Mr. Moody's next statement startled the
house and created sensation. The tube
service, he said, had been coktructed by
contractors who took their pay In stock
and bonds The only asset OF the COM
pany was its contract with the govern
ment. II regret TO say" continued Mr..
Moody, deliberately, THAT one of the prin.
eipal holders of the stock and bonds was
a member of this house and member OF
the committee on appropriations"
GIVE his name" shouted Mr.. Living
ston (Gal.
~ Will not replied Mr. Moody. Then
he added another sensational statement,
10 the effect that large block OF the
stock OF the concern had been sent to
near relative of a prominent member OF
} the house as New Years gift. But
am proud TO say" said Mr.. Moody, that
the return mail carried back that dishon-
oring and dishonorable gift"
When the applause that greeted this
statement had died out. Mr.. Moody. ap-
pealed to the house not to lndorse "thls
sort of transaction" He discaimed any
Intention of rejecting upon the postotfce
committee which he highly commended
He was especially glowing In his praise
, OF Mr. Loud, the chairman OF the commit
! tee. Mr.. Moody said he had been APP
, pealed 10 by commercial bodies Of Boston
!, TO aid in the extension OF this service. but
he refused to close his eyes to his duty
Z In this matter He charged that companies
, In all the large cities of the country we're
, preparing to raid congress in behalf Of
further extension Of the tube service
Messrs, Roberts (Mass.), Bingham pal
and Cummings IN. " all warmly sup.
ported the extension Of the pneumatic
tube service. condemning the methods de-
nounced by Mr. Moody. but saying that the
service was too valuable to large business
4 communities to be dispensed with on
, motion OF Mr.. Moon Cronn.l the house by
81 to 80, voted TO eliminate the entire
paragraph.
At the opening of the session, William
r. King, who served In the Fiity-htth
congress from the state OF Utah was
sworn in as a representative OF that state
to the seat vacated by Brigham II. Roh-
erts, who was denied the place.
HAWAIIAN BILL PASSED.