New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-12-22
The Pneumatic Tube Middle

The report Of the committee of Post
office Department officials appointed by
Mr.. Burleson to investigate the pneumatic
tube service cannot be used in Congress
to Justify a cutting off of all tube service
in this city. The departments present
policy is one of unconcealed hostility to
the pneumatic tube enterprise. Yet, how
ever great the desire Of Mr.. Burleson's
subordinates to humor him and to give
countenance likewise to the vagaries of
Mr. Moon, the exceedingly biassod chairman
of the House Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads, they have been obliged, as
practical postal administrators, TO admit
that in the congested portions Of New York
no satisfactory substitute can be found for
the present tube service.
SO far as the section Of Manhattan
Borough below Forty Street is con-
cerned, return at present 10 an all sur
face delivery service is out Of the ques-
ton. 1t would also be foolish and dan
gerous to discard the pneumatic line be
tween the downtown Manhattan Postoffice
Building and the main poStoffice in Brook
Ign. Traffic below Forty second Street and
across the Brooklyn Bridge is already too
heavy, and large increase in the number
Of man-killing and man-maining mail
trucks operating in this area would be a
public calamity.
The committee calling attention to
traffic conditions in this part of New York,
says: 1--WE believe that the retention of
tubes in this district is fully warranted
1t therefore recommends that the depart
meut ask for bids to perform mail service
by tube in the territory south of the Grand
Central and Times Square stations, be-
tween all points between which such SER
vice is now in operation, and also between
the general postoffices of New York and
Brooklyn. The contracts would run from
March 5. 1917, to June 80, 1926, but would
be terminable by the Postmaster General
on six months notice.
AS to the service in Manhattan north of
Forty second Street-on the lines which
run up on the east side and west side OF
Central Park and reunite just below 125th
Street.-The committee recommends that
it be continued, but only if there is to be
material reduction in cost. It suggests
a discontinuance of the present pneumatic
tube line in Brooklyn between the general
postoffice and Station l..
1t was unfortunate that the Postofice
Department did not put in its own tubes at
the start, instead of making contracts with
an outside corporation formed TO do a gov
ornamental service. The relation between
the corporation and the government is I'M
natural and onerous. The corporation can
not expect to get absolutely fair treatment
from Congress or from the department.
1t is at the mercy of both every time It's
short time contracts run out.
Without government ownership we
never can escape such squabbles as now
threaten an unjust and unwise Curtailment
OF pneumatic tube facilities here. New
York, the greatest single source of postal
revenue in the country, is entitled to the
best and fullest facilities available. The
House of Representatives, under Mr..
Moons captious and prejudiced leadership,
may vote to discontinue the use Of the
downtown tubes here, which even the Post
Office Department officials admit to be in
dspensable. But saner view is TO be ex-
pected from the Senate, which for the last
six years has been successfully frustrat-
ing Mr.. Moons persistent attempts to bed
lamize the postal service.