This article was originally published with the title “ The Pneumatic Tube System of a Modern Department Store ” in Scientific American Magazine Vol. 88 No. 12 (March 1903), p. 206 doi:10.1038 ...

Bygones is researched and written by David Ouse, retired reference librarian from the Duluth Public Library. He can be contacted at [email protected].

Pneumatic tube systems had found favor in banks and department stores, enabling clerks to transmit documents rapidly from one office to another.

Whatever happened to the vacuum tubes in many stores in downtown Lancaster that sent your purchase order and money up to the business office for your receipt and change? Paul Ripple Lancaster Dear ...

They used this pneumatic tube system, which carried reports/stock order in capsules through a system of pipes. Let's walk through how it works. Here's the pneumatic tubing station that dates from ...

You will remember from Memories 312 that, in times gone by, the front counters of department stores were connected to the back office accounts office by a network of tubes.