Last Updated on May 27, 2021 by JigsawPuzzleGuru
Table of Contents
Introduction
Once, while traveling in San Antonio, Texas we visited the famous Emily Morgan Hotel overlooking the Alamo. The building was originally constructed in 1924 and is a delightful place to enjoy the nearby Riverwalk and Texas historical sites.
History of the Mail Chute
One of the lesser admired aspects of this beautiful site is the vintage Cutler Mailing System made by Cutler Mail Chute Co. in Rochester, NY. In the Emily Morgan, it sits plainly between the elevators on every floor. The glass atop and below the mail slot was constructed to reduce the friction of the falling mail. It also allowed people to watch the letters fall to the mailbox in the lobby below. For convenience, a letter carrier would make his pickup there each day.
The worn and polished brass of the chute shows how important this type of system once was when people sent multiple letters each day. Invented and patented by James Goold Cutler, the mail chute became a staple of skyscrapers across the United States beginning in the late 1800s. Many are still in use today, although several have either been removed or painted over.
Guests pass by the mail chute multiple times each day texting on their cellphone and sending emails. Sadly, they fail to realize the history that lies before them. It is a beautiful reminder of our amazing past and how far we have come since those days.
Conclusion
The next time you visit a skyscraper, stop and look for the clues of our history and the beauty of what they can teach us. You might even write yourself a letter or postcard and send it down the mail chute to see if it still works!
Today’s daily jigsaw puzzle is a 90 piece online puzzle of the vintage brass mail chute in the Emily Morgan Hotel in San Antonio, Tx.
Do you need some more vintage reminders of the postal system? This Buffalo Games puzzle should do the trick!