New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-01-28
Mitchell, Wadsworth and
Others Heard by Senate
Postal Committee
LIFE OF PEOPLE AT
STAKE, MAYOR SAYS
Burleson Report Favorins
Extension of Mail
Trucks Denounced
Iron The Tribune Bureau

Washington, Jan. 2f.-Postmas'er
Morgan, Senator Wsdsworth, Mayor
Mitchell. Inspector Myers, Of the Irsi-
10 Squad. New York police. and repre-
sontatives Of the Merchants Assoeia-
ton and other New York organizations
protested before the Senate Postoihce
committee to-day against Postmaster
General Burleson's plan 70 substitute
auto mail trucks for pneumatic mail
tubes in the larger cities.
81 believe" said MIR. Morgan. that
the time is coming when, in addition
20 the present S-ineh tubes, we must
have 24-inch or S6-inch tubes 10 trans
NIT our mails. would ADVOCATE put
ting in 2a-inch tubes and cutting out
the wagon service. The government
a. we'll as New York, would find II ad-
vantagcous to put in the larger tubes.
Last year 659 persons were killed IN
the streets, and 105 Of these were
killed By motor trucks, although the
trucks constitute only Pr per cent OF
the vehicular traffic. ] say to you IN
all solemnity that the problem OF city
traffic is crushing one IN New YORK
to-day. II has cost the city mlIilohs
and will cost millions more.
Inspector Myers told the committee
that the addition Of just one more
mail truck would be like pouring
little more water m trimming glass
Senator WadswOrth approved the IN
g m fmbp service pre-
sented by the New York delegation,
and said he considered that any cur
railr-ent of the service in New YORK
would prove a postal calamity.
Mavor Mitchell rested his argument
on the sole question Of public safety.
The addition of motor mail trucks 10
New York streets 10 displace the TUBES
bo declared. would make the already
had traffic conditions intolerable. Con
Guiding. he said: 81 am really placing
on the table before this committee the
lives Of the people Of the City OF New
r d. de Barsrd, head of the research
department of the New YORK Mer-
chants Association, attacked the bur-
Lesson commissions report. ANY protes-
sionsl man, said Mr.. de barard' VINO
would subscribe 10 such a report ss
that returned DF inc butiN
sion would be completely discredited'
not only because of the falsity oil lts
allegations but because OF the Cd
viouslv suppressed information Oh
vital pertinence to fair consideration
of the question. At this point Senator
Townsend, Of Michigan, was interested
10 know lust what investigation mao
been made in New York, and he seemed
amazed at its inadeauscy, as reported
bv Mr.. de Barard. Inspector Myers
interrupted to say "the Burieson com
nittee must have come into New 1orK
in gumshoes." =.
Pneumatic tube service wouio JUS
tify lis use, declared Mr.. de Barard, II
il were utilized only for the delivery
of local mail. This valuable phase Oh
the service was not mentioned at all IN
the Burleson commissions report, ne
said.
Representative Hubert, Of New
York and James Breckenridge, repre-
senting the Bronx Board of Trade
urOed that the Senate retain the addl'
tional $4,000 provided in the House
hill for the extension Of pneumatic
tube service from Manhattan to The
Bronx.
Josepb Z. Keane, secretary Of the
Central Merchants Association, testi-
lied that New York City had spent
$500 100000 to put its streetear trafhc
underground and challenged the logic
of taking the mail service from under
ground to put it on congested THOR
oughfares.