The founder of Untapped New York shares their favorite obscure fact about New York City: the pneumatic tube mail system. The system was installed in 1897, had a 27-mile route, and connected 23 post offices across Manhattan, including extending into the Bronx and Brooklyn. The tubes could carry between 400 and 600 letters and traveled at 30-35 miles per hour. The system was eventually purchased by the U.S. Postal Service. The system’s downfall was due to high operating costs, and it was ultimately replaced by automobiles for mail delivery. Very few remnants of the pneumatic tube system remain in New York City today.
https://untappedcities.com/2023/10/17/pneumatic-tube-mail-new-york-city/