The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-28

tubes for mail purposes in this city has
submitted its report to the Postmaster
General The committee consists Of
Nessrs- J. II Nasten. Y. J. Bradley. J.
H Crew. ana Postmaster Merritt
The report in part is as follows
Under the terms Of The new law.
which permits OF the establishing OF
pneumatic-tuhe service in any city At
an expense not in excess Of S per cent Of
its gross postal revenue. 1t Is obviously
appropriate to consider now 3he FEAST
bility Of providing some pneumatic-tube
service in The NafioauI CAPITAL
Local Postal Revenues.
Tho gross postal revenue OF the
Washington PostoH7ce for recent fiscal
years has been as follows. Fiscal year
ending June 90. 1899 s6-4 G04- fiscal year
ending June 80. 1900 $3.50. I57: fiscal year
ending June 80. 1901. SI39. 7T2: fiscal year
ending June 80. 1909 (DartIy esumatedl.
SS10,0 o0
1T is estimated by the local postal
officials that at least 50 per cent should
be added to these figures in order 10 OBJ
tain proper credit for the free mail
matter handled.
However. in dealing with The situa-
ton in Washington under the new law
we can only reach q proper conclusion
on the basis of per cent OF the known
revenue, and if We take the figures for
the fiscal year 1901. S73g. T72. we find
that I per cent would be SO $50. and
that the service 10 be advertised for at
present would necessarily have 10 be
operated within sthis amount as an an
Eual outlay.
The principal postal stations Of the
Washington rostoaI1e on the basis of
gross revenue are stations G. c. and z.
ana the postal TeCeiDJS al these sta
tons for the past fiscal year ending
June 30 1901. were Station G. S13I $50.
station c, SI23.2S7; station B. $39. T2I
The revenue obtained at these sta
tons would at first glance indicate the
desIrabiltty Of their being connected
with the general postOf7ce by pnegI-
matte tube service But when we an.
alyZe the situation we find that station
G IS practically located on the general
postofice district that station c IS not
q delivery station. and that station
IS & considerable distance from the gen
eTal pOstofice and should only be reach
ed incidentally, and IS not of sufficient
importance 10 justify an independent
line from the general postofice.
As to Railway Depots.
The connection Of the general post
ONCE with the railway depots has also
been considered, but we must recognize
the fact that there Is to be a great
change within short time. the present
depots OF The Pennsylvania and BaIti- +
more and Ohio roads being soon to be
discontinued and replaced BY a union
depot in an entirely new location. This
feature Of pneumatic tube service must .
therefore be reIegatcd TO the future for
arrangement It seems TO your commit +
tee that il viii be of great importance
in the near future for Tho several de-
DaTtDents OF the executive branch OF
the Government 10 be connected by
pHeuu4a tic tube mail service but II
would be Improbable a this time for
this committee to offer any cornp-e-
heDsive plan, in view Of the fact that
the new law limits the expenditure for .
pneumatic tube mail service In the CITY
OF Washington 10 about go. 600 Der an
NUN This amount, a a maximum rate
Of $1,000 per mile. would only permit
Of the construction and operation OF
little over one and 0ne-half miles Of
tube service
Remembering that the 81 600 limit
was imposed in cities where three miles .
OF more of tube service we're TO lie
operated, II Is safe TO assume Thar the
rate Of operation in a city where less
than three miles is to be constructed
would exceed the $1,000 per mile. bur
in Washington this question ufshr be
modified by the apparent feasibility of
constructing some Of the pueuuatff.
tube lines within Government reserra-
tons. thus reducing materially the cost
Of construction, and therefore the annual
cost of operation.
From Postof7ce to Capitol.
assuming that your committee at the
present time can only plan the allotment
Of about one and one-haIf miles Of this
service. We believe that the most IN
pertinent installation would be between
the Washington general postofice and
the Capitol building. The distance u
roughly estimated as enc ard one-rhird I
miles Thus assuming the building Of
The lire from the general postof7-e
through Eleventh Street 20 the Mall. and
thr---h that reservation 10 5ae Botanic
Gardens 70 First Street. thence TO
the north driveway Of the Capitol
grcr-ts. AID along thar d-iveHay 20 q
du-t constructed some time since for me
entrance OF a proposed pneumatic tube
connecting the Capitol and the Govern
mCnt Printing Office. This duct is said
70 be eighteen inches by twe1ty-fouI
inches. and extends from. the Capitol
Building 10 the junction OF North Capt.
tCI and 2 Streets We were informed
b. the architect Of the Capitol build
ing that there would be no physical diff
fcuIty IN the way Of running the pueu-
matte tubes through this duct or OF
reaching easily any portion Of the Cap
itcL Il is cur opinion that separate
Pneumatic tube station should he pro /
Tlded OF both the Senate and House side
OF the Capitol
III il should prove that an extension
o. the tube service beyond the Capitol
could lie Included IN the limit Of ex-
pense imposed by the new Law il would
seem desirable TO effect junction with
Postal Station b. The local iuvestIga-
tons made ty oUr committee c0uvinces
rs thar u-Ee service between the Capt J
trI aua tE- Government Printing Office {
would Re Q E--E E-eaL convenience. Bat &
perhaps 81 would be more appropriate :
for such 2 connection 20 be considered s