Pneumatic tube mail in New York City: A Forgotten System

Pneumatic tube mail in New York City was once a popular and efficient way to send mail and packages. It was first introduced in 1897 by Alexander Graham Bell and his company, the United States Pneumatic Tube Company.

The system was designed to transport mail and packages through a network of underground tubes, with stations and sorting facilities along the way. It was a marvel of its time, with mail and packages moving at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour.

By the early 20th century, the pneumatic tube system had expanded to cover over 27 miles of underground track, with stations located in major buildings and hotels throughout Manhattan. It was a convenient and speedy way to send mail and packages, especially during peak hours.

The system was also used to transport small packages and even live animals, including birds and even a few small dogs.

The pneumatic tube system in New York City was a remarkable innovation that revolutionized mail delivery in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Installed in the 1890s, the system allowed mail to travel at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour, reducing delivery times significantly. The system was installed in various major cities, including Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, and St. Louis, with a total of 56 miles of tubes existing underground in the United States.

By 1915, the system had become a crucial part of the city's infrastructure, with one mail route in New York that typically took 40 minutes being cut down to just seven minutes. The system even helped during inclement weather, with mail being delivered on time despite the city's streets being impassable.

Each canister used in the system could hold up to 600 letters and was pushed or pulled through the tubes by compressed air or vacuum suction. The canisters were two feet long and had felt and leather packing on the ends for an airtight seal.

At its peak, the system handled 95,000 letters a day, representing 30% of all mail in the city. The system was eventually shut down during World War I to conserve funding for the war effort and was restored in New York and Boston afterward.

Today, only a few remnants of the system remain, including a section of the tubes in the Old Chelsea Post Office at 217 W. 18th St.

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