New-York tribune., 1911-04-09
e,v;fter Distribution of Letters
,h.n New York Has Ever
Experienced Will Follow.

,rTH the completion Of the new
M untown postoifice building, in
w Eighth avenue. opposite the
-y,vauia terminal. which must be
i,~sos within twenty-three months, the
~ New York viii have an institu-
CIV w hat Will wonderfully facilitate the
W. -, business inside and outside its
P0'so~ies New York is known FOR
- things on a large scale. and it is
's.rapid growth Of the metropolis which
- .s,onsible for it all. Every decade
.nr history is marked by some nota-
- ,.,rrovement. and the Postotfice De-
W ,ent has kept pace with the times.
i,;ssrinc the tons Of mail that are
rr handled in this city. it is really re-
-,oble 70 see the speed with which il
. ,scsiyed and delivered. Our postal
..,, IS widely different to-day from
-, il was a hundred years ago, when
v,s ? common sight to see postmen
..,,6ling wheclbarrows containing mail
,.rs through The city streets.
Sosed IS the first thing in the mind of
,,n postmaster who has charge OF the
ii service. and the sooner a letter is
sa,uarded 10 It's destination the more
..,isfac,ory Is the result. The adoption
:, nneumatic tubes between the main
.os,off;ce and several sub-stations in
u.nhattan has marked a great improve
,,snr in the delivery Of mail But the
,ew hvi,6iuE viii insure q swiftness
=, mail delivery never before approached.
About A. per cent Of the total outgoing
s,d incomine mail Of our city is handled
over the lines ot the Pennsylvania Rail-
,osa system and this mail. which
amounts On something like two hundred
and fifty o. three hundred tons a day. is
nov concentrated al the new Pennsyl-
vs,ia terminal station. a temporary
ras,offce building has been set up or
,rs end 0r the site FOR the new structure.
and here has teen installed an elaborate
,ri unilu, uaH-handling equipment.
which evert-ally viii be incorporated
into the new structure. In this plant are
four large pluuEer elevators that provide
rorrscti,rs between mailing platforms
and the basement and train platform
py,ls. -Four train platforms and six
rscss under The western end Il the
ps,ofice have been set apart wholly or
urtly fo- railway mail train service. On
these tracks there is room for & maxi
nun q tVe-tv-six mail cars az one
tine. and all four Platforms will event
Willy take raL departing from the sta
ton. The s-utherly platform IS arranged
specsllv for raceiving the incoming mail
from the Wss- and South. Aside from
he mails handled on these tracks there
us other and lighter mails for dispatch
NJ trains on other tracks. The pouches
q the latter viii be sent through spiral
ehuies or elevators down 20 q trucking
ssbwsy twelve feet wide. extending east
yard under the tracks for q distance OF
varly 800 feet. being provided with
nnsyerss branches extending north and
sath ard connected with the different
;ktforrs ty means of elevators.
These facilities are not ot themselves
s3squa,e % provide for the prompt
ianiing and dispatch % the enormous
Quantities O. ra.I-comprisirg from H.
H8 70 1900 bags weighing from a few
lends 10 511 pounds each-whiCh daily
srs seut out and received a. the station
Ths dense mass q mail must Be handled
With great cs,e-.ty. and mechanism
Tad TO be devised which would be quick
iai reliable 60 operation while occupy
sgs oramTed space. made 50 BY the ar
ananent of the building. which viii
r'ziile the railroad tracks. The unique
Gginsering character q the maitland
1g work required . radical departure
i'on convelt.oIal conveying machinery
!ssgn.
Here are t-o classes q machinery
lovided. one for handling the outgoing
sii one tor taxing care of the incoming