Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-20


Cleveland may justly feel pride in the
grest success of the telegrsphie enterprises
which have had their origin here. The
Russian American Telegraph, by which it
is proposed to connect Washington and st.
Petersburg within the next two years, had
its inception in this city. The office of the
company is in the Western Union Build
ing. The President is Mr.. j. H. Wade,
while Colonel stager, George B. Hicks and
Hiram Sibley are Directors. A Cleveland
letter to the New York Herald furnishes
the following details of the great enter
prise:
"The friendly feeling expressed by Rus
sia towards the United States has aided
much to the preliminary work. As soon
as the subject was proposed TO the Emperor
he expressed his hearty concurrence in the
plan. After some time he proposed to
build line half way from St. Petersburg
to Washington, on condition that the
United States would build the other half.
Nearly every enterprise in Russia, whether
of railway or telegraph, Is carried out by
the government, and not by private effort.
At first the Emperor hesitated to grant
privileges to a private company; but after
time he consented to do so. The Ameri-
can company has obtained perpetual
charter, which is exclusive for three wears,
for the building and working OF line
through the Russia possessions to the
mouth of the AmOOr river. This point is
about half way between St. Petersburg
and Washington. The Russian portion is
finished from st. Petersburg to Irkoutsk,
and from the mouth Of the AmOsr three
hundred miles west, leaving but about nine
hundred miles unfinished This will be
completed during the present season, and
is all paid for by the Russian government.
Mr.. Wade, the President of the Ameri-
can company thinks the line will bec
working from Washington to St Peters3
burg in two years from the present time.
A year will be consumed in fixing upon a
route and IN distributing material, and
when this is accomplished the greatest
difficulties of the enterprise are overcome.
The route on the Pacific coast is not vet
fixed. One route proposed is from Fort
Larmie to Salt Lake City, through the l.
dahO gold mines to Portland, Oregon
Another is by way of St Paul Mimi,
through Fort Garry and the Selkirk
settlement Of British North America
to Victoria and Vancouver,s Is
land. Thence it is probable the line
will follow the coast by the fur posts Of the
Russian Fur Company to Behring's Straits,
and thence down the Asiatic coast to the
mouth of the AmOOr. In case anv unfore-
seen difficulties present themselves in Beh-
rings Straits, it is proposed to lay cable
from Cape ROmsnzOff TO Isle st. Lawrence
and thence TO the Asiatlc coast at Cane
Tchuktchi. A glance at large map of
the world will show that this route is
shorter than the one by Behring's Straits,
though 1t requires cable of greater
length.
The chain of the Aleutian Islands was
first proposed, but is not at all likely to be
adopted. It would require an immense
numb9r of submerged wires, and be in
danger of being frequently out of order.
In addition to their charter as tele-
graph company, the new concern has re-
eeived the right to trade anywhere in Rus
sian territory. Hitherto trade has been
exclusive with the Russian Fur Company.
This company, like the Hudson's Bay
Company, has lost the charter for exclu-
siveness; but the trade hssso far dimin-
ished in the past few years that it is not
now worth the formation of rival compa
nies for purposes of trade alone. The te.el
graph company could be formidable riva
in the matter of trade, as it would carry on
the business in connection with its direct
enterprise. The Russian company has
that an arrangement be made
that shall be mutually advantageous. This
will probably be done, and the telegraph
and fur companies work in harmony, The
former will make use Of the ships, posts
and men of the latter to build and keep
the line in order, and will make 40 inter
ference in trade matters.