Waterbury evening Democrat., 1906-11-05
NEW MAIL CARRIER.
Chicago Mans Idea Will Revolution.
 ize Pneumatic Tube Business.

Washington. D c Nov 5.-At the very moment when the officials of the postoffice department were considering the installation of additional preu- matic tube services, in various cities of the country; n device was called to their attention that is likely to revO- lutionize the transportation of mails.
 Already the device is in use in some of the great department stores of the country, where 1t has displaced the the pneumatic tube service and other appliances for the carrying of cash and parcels. The invention is that of a young Chicago man who has been working on It for many years. Hav- ing perfected 1t. he organized com pany for It's promotion.
 The company Is swamped with or ders for the installation of the system in business houses, particularly In New York and Chicago, as the inven- tor is willing to, agree to put hl the system and accept seventy-fyc per cent of the cost of the operation of any other device that the store may have in operation. Thus far the con- pany has not developed its plans for the carrying of mails. but they are far-reaching in their effect to the ex- tent which they have been outlined.
 The inventor has informed the pos tal officials that he will be able to dlsplace all pneumatic tubes and give the postofice department as service by his system that will be far more efficient and practicable. for n price that is inconsiderable as compared with the pneumatic tube service.
 The system is suction service through tubes of large or small size. The speed of the service Is dependent upon the amount of air exhausted from the tubes and may be regulated to a nicety. The tubes may be laid either under or on the ground. and. 1t is said. they are not particularly expensive.
 Claims made for the service seem to be almost the realization of dreams. At a cost of fraction of that paid for the construction of and operation of a railway line, the sys- sem could be put in. for instance, be- tween New York and Chicago. Through the tubes, once they are con structed cartridges weighing as much as 1,2OO pounds could be carried from one city to the other in less than four hours. These cartridges could be filled with any sort of mall matter. it would make no difference what It's character or bulk might be, and could be discharged from the one city or the other at the rate of one every three minutes.
 It Is the inventors Idea that the railroads themselves take up the pro- feet and lay the tubes along their rights of way. Power stations would have 10 bc erected at intervals. but there practically would he no relaying of through cartridges.
 The invention has appealed very strongly to First Assistant Post master General Hitchcock. who takes d profound interest in the develop ment of mechanical devices to facili- tate the transportation of mall. The as yet. is in its infancy. but demoussrations of lt have proved that the claims made for 1t by the inventor are not to be treated lightly. The posto1ice depart ment will consider it thoroughly and It is regarded as not unlikely that. In the not far distant future. mall may be transported in day from one side of the American continent to the other.