The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-09
PNEUMATIC TUBE SERVICE.
Report on Investigations to BE Sent
IA to Congress Today.


The Postmaster General will send to
Congress today the report of the investi-
cation into the pneumatic tube service
for the transmission of mail instituted
in accordance with the act of June 2. 1t
was upon the findings OF the commission
that made this report to the Postmaster
General that he recommended to Congress
Monday that an appropriation of $500 900
be made for pneumatic tube service this
year. The report says sn part:
The investigation was directed to be
made in eleven cities-New York. Chi
cago, Brooklyn, Boston, Philadelphia,
Washington, Cincinnati, New Orleans, st.
Louis, Denver. and San Francisco. In the
hearings before Congressional commit
tees twenty seven cities had made appli
cation for pneumatic service, but it was
not deemed necessary or expedient to
make the examinations in ALL and the
cities named were selected as fairly rep
resentatiye. Finally it was directed that
all Of the reports and information col
lected should be submitted to the inves-
tigation of a second general committee
composed of experts of national stand
ing wholly unconnected with the Post
office Department and with TIE pneu-
matte tube companies, men of such high
business character, professional training,
and practical experience as especially
qualified them to pass upon all of the
questions involved, and as certain to give
weight and authority to their conclusions
and recommendations.
1T considers the feasibility and utility
of the pneumatic tube service as a per-
manent feature of the postal system; he
conditions which should govern S main
tenance and extension: the proper rela-
ton OF cost to postal receipts: the ratio
of expenditure which would be dispro-
portionate to the benefits; the principles
which should govern rental from private
companies; the advantages of Govern
ment ownership. and the conditions I'M
der which it would be admissible and ex-
pedient"
The committee concludes that the cost
or constructing a pneumatic tube system
with full equipment and power plant
should not exceed $4,000 per mile for a
line of ten miles, and that with the al
ioWance for interest and taxes. for annuity
to cover depreciation and permit earnings
at per cent. but not including labor and
power; operating expenses-the proper
charge for annual rental would be So. 761
for line of ten miles. Upon the assump-
ton of Government ownership the com
mittee estimates that the annual charge
would be S3s.735. II does not believe how
/
Government ownership until the system
shall be further developed and material
improvements shall be made The system
Is capable Of such improvements. It is
yet, in some senses. in the experimental
stage. Different devices. methods. and
companies are coming into the field. None
OF these companies have yet offered better
terms than the system contracted for. but
tho process Of development is going on.
and the committee believes that before the
Government acquires possession it should
have the benefit Of the improvements GER
tain to be made.
The committee fully sustains the pneu-
matte methods of mail transportation as
available and mechanically successful, and
gives effective illustrations of its I'M
portance 20 the business interests of a
country in eXpediting mail communication.
While the cost is great the demonstrable
advantage is prOportionately greater.
Besides there are good reasons for he
lieving that its maintenance in the large
cities will stimulate an increased business
which will pay its cost. The committee
believes that the expense Is capable of a
reduction with the further progress of i'm |
and 1t is unanimous in Zee
the retention of the service
as it now exists and its limited extension
as specifically Indicated
In ms view the department concurs:
In the great cities the pneumatic tube
service is too important and vital an
agency of postal expedition to be abandon
ed. II is an fundamentally which with !
in reasonable Limitation. has come to stay
rs part of the modern system of COM
II can no more be discarded |!
han the fast mail trains. To strain every |
nerve to save half an hour or an hour and |
hen waste half an hour which might cas-
ly be saved at the point of departure or /
would be homogeneous and I'M !
wise. The fast mail train is employed |
,nly where the conditions Justify it, and |
80 the pneumatic service is to be used |
only where in sound reason the i'm
)ortance and value OF the result warrant
I. bat within these bounds as the COM
nittee shows 1t q to be sustained"
The investigation was conducted under
he immediate supervision Of the Second
Assistant Postmaster General.