The Washington herald., 1908-03-22
PNEUMATIC SERVICE OF PRESENT DAY

Ever since the early days when Hero.
of Alexandria. in his "Pneumatics.
wrote about the influence that heat ex-
erted on atmosphere. relative to expan-
sion and contraction. the compressed air
method for transmission has been in high
favor with scientific investigators into
that particular realm. Electricity only
furthered the greater usefulness of the
pneumatic service. In almost every in
dustrial activity compressed air becomes
a valuable adjunct simplifying work
that otherwise would be both difficult 10
perform and a consumer of time, says
the Philadelphia Record.
Air under pressure finds one Of its
chiefest missions in connection with the
swift-speeding elevators that have be-
come scarcely second in Importance to
the huge structures in which they act
as carriers. In fact. without the lifts"
such as are now in evidence, the sky
scraper could not have been considered
Electricity Of course. is very much to
the front as regards the elevator but
the pneumatic controller IS the safe
guard In a similar way, the airbrake
on the lightning express train guards
against accidents that otherwise would
be even more numerous than are now
the case.
The government makes use of the pneu-
matte force through the tube service
which now makes the transmission Of
mail within the city's borders Of such
, vast benefit to the residents. Where for
merly hours would be consumed in bring
ing letters from one section TO another.
only minutes are required by the pneu-
matte tube service In the great de-
partment stores-in fact. in many estab-
1ishments which are not of extraordinary
dimensions-the overhead carrier Is fire.
quently propelled by compressed air.
The saving in time goes TO the GUS
toner. who is not required 10 await the
slower process Of making cash when
the money has to be taken 10 the cashier
and change returned in an equally leis-
vrely fashion.
In the Machine shop.
In the great machine shops and foun-
dries pneumatics long ago demonstrated
that without the compressed service
progress would be interfered with very
much The immense cranes that move
overhead are propelled through this
agency. The pressing of a button sets
in motion the carrier. which is connected
by a tube. Noiselessly, and absolutely
without danger should break occur,
the compressed agency does the work
that man could not accomplish of HIM
seif
Where great building operations are the
question. hOists find in compressed air a
factor for accelerauon. The generative
force back OF the tube is always ready.
providing the respective power is at
tending 10 its duty The workman in
charge OF the hosting apparatus. how
ever. feels safe in placing utmost reIi-
ance upon the handmade az his service.
AS soon as he applies the force. il is sure
TO respond
That schemers have not omitted to seek
In compressed air a suitable agency for
deception came 10 light when the Keely
motor bursted." so 10 speak 10 the as
tonishment of not a few who trusted in
the honesty OF the inventor. And. recur-
ring TO the time when the Alexandrian
sage made his pneumatic demonstrations.
TO him is aseribed the mysterious work
lngs of the famous tenpl, doors that
opened and closed by methods unknown
20 the Egyptian public. which. naturally,
believed that supernatural agencies were
at work
1t is quite remarkable. i'm a way. that
TOR many centuries compressed air failed