The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1903-07-24
SUBWAY COMPANY
AWAITS ORDINANCE
Plans for Combined Wire Conduit
and Pneumatic-Tube Service
for Downtown Section.
WISH TO BEGIN WORK AT ONCE.
Pending Bill Provides That the
City Receive ) Per Cent Of
the Gross Income for
Fifteen Years.

The proposition to place ell the telegraph
wires of St. Louis in the downtown section
underground ard operate in the same sub
way a pneuma;!c-tuhe service for the trans
mission of messages and parcels awaits the
return of Councilman George d. Markham
OF the committee which has the National
Subway Company ordinance under cons'd-
ration.
This company. of which Colonel 5. W.
Fordvce is president and Charles Suffer the
original promoter. already has FRANCHISE
for wire conduits under all the streets Oh
ST. Louis ard has a system in operation
| from the Postal Companys office TO Broad
| way, thence to Market west to leh'"'
thence to Chestnut. west to Fourteenth and
| soLth TO the alley between Market ana
| Chestnut streets.
The ordinance pending is an amendment
| to the old ordinance passed in 1859. which
! the Supreme Court of Missouri declared 10
| be valid. The new provision Is to give 10
| the company the right to operate pneumatic
! tubes in the conduits.
| An agreement has been reached by the
! Postal Telegraph Company and the SUD-
| way concern for pneumatic tubes for the
handling OF the formers messages. to avoid
delays in sending messenger boys long
| distances
| G.. E. Paine, division superintendent OF
| the Postal, has appeared with Mr.. Suffer
| before the Council committee to urge the
passage Of the amendment.
| Mr. Suffer admitted yesterday that il the
! amendment to the franchise was passed
| without much delay his company may JOIN
| issues with the company headed by Nathan
Frank which recently received the fran
| chise for tube system to handle the
| United States mail under ground.
| 1T would be better for the city could
| such a consolidation be Effected said Mr..
| Suffer. our company already has the right
| to dig up the streets and extend our system
| of conduits for wires If the mail tubes are
| To be placed in the same subway, only one
| excavation would be necessary. The cost
of construction would be reduced a consid-
| Grafton which would be Of benefit &C the
1 city under the terms We are making"
In regard to terms. Mr.. Suffer stated that
| his company has agreed to give the city
| per cent of its gross income q year for the
| inst fifteen years, and per cent Il year
| thereafter
| 1t is also agreed that the maximum rates
TO be charged for the pneumatic tube serN-
1 ice as we'll as the wire conduits, shall be
! 81 100 a mile a year for each duct or tube,
| the tubes or duets TO be three inches in
| diameter. .
| the tube subway service the same as II
| regulates the street railway companies or
the telephone, telegraph and electric power
companies poles on the streets.
In passing on the franchise granted to tie
National Subway Company, the Supreme
| Court OF Missouri. in the decision rendered
The general charter-granted power TO
regulate the use Of its streets Is sufficiently
| comprehensive TO authorize the city TO pass
| necessary ordinances for resuiatins tnelt
| use, whether any reservation to that effect
was made in the ordinance in question tsub-
The Postal Telegraph Company, 1t is
| stated, has agreed to pay to the condui'
company $303 mile for each duct or tube
maximum rate to be charged had been fixed
| at $1,000 mile. AIR. suffer SAID:
Just how mucn business a pareelItu9 ;,
cets' from $1,000 to sl5.ood mile to built
a subway, manholes etc. not to mention
operating expenses. Whatever the receipt:
per cent of the gross income. II the bust
ness should be heavier than anticipated
| taking the system in Boston as a criterion
then the rates charged for parcels woulc
be cut In any event, We would not receive
! more than $1,000 mile for each tube an
| rually.
Postal Telegraph Company or some news
paper, for instance common sense wouic
show that we could make fixed rate at 9
minimum figure. as compared with charges
for irregular business"
! The subway concern is negotiating with
the Western Union Telegraph Company
| which is expected to favor pneumatic
! tube service, well placing all of its
wires in the subway. The telegraph compa.
MES have been notified by the city that
all overhead wires must be taken down by
the 1st of next May.
| should receive the additional franchise fol
parcel tubes. an elaborate system w0ulC
We probably would extend the tubes Il
the Worlds Fair grounds. where such cerv
ice will be needed. not only after the Eek
of the construction period next fail ant
winter"
Councilman Markham's committee is eX
pected 10 make a report on the bill within
the next few weeks.
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