The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-22
THE TUBE.
A Manufacturers Agent Tells of Its
Development.

w. D.. Avery, of Detroit, a veteran SOL
der, who for seventeen years has been
engaged with a concern of Boston that
manufactures pneumatic tubes, was at
the Spencer House last night. The devel-
opment of the business in which he is en-
gagged has been remarkable. Mr.. Avery
is special agent for the concern and re-
Gently closed a contract witt the H. p.
WATSON Company, of this city, for the in
stallation of a pneumatic tube service.
This service does away with the cash girl
and the ordinary cash carrier. 1t trans
mits money to the cashier by means of a
vacuum process. There is a mistaken
impression in regard to the pneumatic
tube,;' said Mr.. Avery last night. Most
people think the parcel or package is car
ried by air pressure. Such is not the case.
1t is carried by suction instead of pres
sure. The speed obtained by the pneu-
matte tube in an ordinary store is about
thirty-five or forty feet a second.
Twenty years ago such a thing as a
pneumatic tube was perhaps never thought
of. The first thing in the way of a cash
carrier was a sort of ball that ran on a
track. 1t was given force by means OF an
apparatus that was manipulated by the
clerk or the one starting the ball on its
way. The ball gradually gave way to an
other device, and finally the pneumatic
tube became a reality. The largest system
of this kind used in the country is in the
big dry goods store of r. II. White & Co.,
Of Boston. This is probably the largest
dry goods establishment in New England.
In this store the pneumatic tube consists
of 2O stations. and cost S2. 500. In Boston
we have a scheme for the delivery of pack
ages by pneumatic tube. Our concern has
an arrangement with about eighty stores
by which we deliver their packages to the
suburbs or TO any part of the city. The
goods are placed in the pneumatic tube at
the store and dropped out at the different
Substations. From there they are taken
to their destination in automobiles, car
riages or by messenger. OF course, we do
not attempt to deliver pianos or bedroom
sets or cook stoves, but any ordinary
package is shot through the pneumatic
tube at the rate of about a mile a minute.
The pneumatic tube scheme is also being
tried by the Postoffice Department in Bos-
ton. There is a line of tube connecting
the postoffice building with what is called
the North Depot. Through this tube the
mail consigned TO the depot is sent. The
scheme was installed about two years and
a half ago, and after running a while was
stopped because of lack of funds. How
ever, l understand that Congress has made
an APPROPRIATION to keep it going, and 1
believe IL is in operation now.
"A story Is told of how the newspaper
men came out to see the first mail trans
ferred by means of the tube. One young
fellow determined TO make a complete in
vestigation. brought a kitten with him and
asked that the little animal be sent through
the tube. He was told that while the cat
could make the journey with safety, those
in charge of the tube did not care to sub
ject it to the terror of such a trip. Then
another young fellow stepped forward,
and. drawing a dozen eggs form his
DOcket, suggested that If the kitten could
be sent through with safety perhaps the
eggs might go through. The man in charge
told him they could, and they were put in
the tube. They were started and reached
their destination without breakage. My
opinion is that the time is not far dis
tant when packages will be delivered from
one town to another by means of the
nnanmafic tube