The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-12-09
PEDS1 ECTES

PROSPECTUS:
r. will be seen by the statements herein contained
that the organisation Of this Company was necessity
growing out of the commercial and business wants OF
the country, imperatlyely demanding an increase OF
telegraph facilities at reasonable rates
I-CCMPETITIoN VERSUS MONOPOLY.
The whole telegraph system of the United States is
now in the hands OF one company The evils lnsepa-
rable from such gigantic and dangerous monopoly
are already numerous and increasing. Relief can De
found only in legitimate competition.
REDISTRIBUTION OF STOCK.
1t proposed that the benefits of this company shall
be enjoyed not by few favored persons, but By the
to promote e, and whose liberal patronage vii insure
its success TO this end is decided place the Stock
at all commercial points. 1t will be distributed to
Bankers, Merchants, Manufacturers and others in lin
IH-THE CAPITAL STOCK.
Is TEN MILLIONS OF DOLLARS divided into shares Of
ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS EACH.
Iv-CALLS-H0W TO BE MADE.
One per cent of the Stock will be required on sub
scribng, and subsequent calls, not to exceed five per
cent per month"; will be made by the Board ct DlTec
tors, from time to time, may be necessary to supply
funds to construct ard equip the lines but no calls will
be made after the per cent IS paid, until the entSe
capital stock shall have been subscribed
V-ACTUAL CAPITAL REQUIRED.
The Company confidently believe that thirty five per
cent of the Capital Stock viii construct and fully equip
Tacenty Five Thousand Miles Of Wfre which will con
meet all the commercial centres and important places
in the United States. This opinion rests upon the most
reliable estimates and responsible offers to construct
and equip the lines
VI.-DIVIDENDS.
In all cases the net earnings of this Company will be
applied to the payment of dividends on its Capital
Stock and in no event will earnings be diverted to the
construction of new lines.
VII.-INC0ME.
With the Stock in the hands of the active business
men of the country exertipg their influence to aug
men its business and with range of twenty five thou
sand miles of wire equipped and in operation the Com
pany believe that at reasonable rates the business will
pay liberal dividends on its entire Capital Stock.
VIII.-REASONS FOR THIS BELIEF.
May be found in the enormous profits of every
siderable telegraph line operated this continent The
present telegraph monopoly has " watered" its stock
to the extent of over thousand per cent on the
paid in and still it pays the stock thus in
lated, satisfactory dividends. Our Company will du
plicatetl the remuneratee lines operated by the
monopoly, and subscribers will pay for Stock only
the exact cost of our lines.
IX-ADDITIoNAL REASONS.
The existing telegraph monopoes have never sought
to supply adequately the demand for the of the tel
egraph, much less have they attempted to stimulate
such demand by an increase of facilities and reduc
ton of rates. While their facilities have remained
about constant their rates have steadily advanced
til the CT the telegraph has come to be Prodg0us
tax upon the commercial necessities Of the country
ting the amount OF their business to their restricted
facilities.
INCREASED FACILITIES AND LOWER RATES.
Every intelligent man knows that an enterprise
founded upon the necessities of the trade has health
Ter and more durable basis when it aims to do
santy increasing business at fair rates, than when it
does merely restricted business at exorbans and IN
creasng rates. The Of cheap postage in Eu-
rope and America never to have been thought
of by the telegraph monoposts 1t is believed that if
ten times the present teegraphc facilities fur
nishsd to the public at tenth OF the present rates,
the increase of business would justify the change
XI.-OUR PROPOSED TELEGRAPHIC RANGE.
Trunk lines throughout the United States and Ter
rlores which shall ultimately connect with lines to
Europe, Asia and South America
YII.-WHEN TO BE DONE.
Within one year from the time the Capitol Stock is
subscribed the Company expect to have finished
thousand miles of wires of the best mate
rails, equipped with instruments Of the latest improve
ment, and the whole range in successful operation.
XIIL-CERTAINTY OF SUCCESS.
1t is provided that every Stakeholder in addition to
his regular dividends, shall receive equitable rebate
on the amount of business furnished by himself paya
BILE annually; thus the Stock being widely distributed
and every Stakeholder having special interest aug
nent the business CT the Company, success is deemed
inevitable.
XIv.-DIsTRIBUTIoN oFDIRECToRs
To secure in the management equitable represen
taon of the Stoekk throughout the country the
large commercial centres will be represented in it's
Board of Directors, and local agents will be appointed
on the recommendation of the Stockholders in the
rious localities, and the operation of the Company thus
become general in its management as well as its bust
ness.
XV.-THE COMPANY PERMANENT.
Heretofore every new Geographic enterprise has
sooner or later been absorbed by the dominant monop
oily but the third section of the act of Congress which
coners upon this company its valuable franchise, alb
soutely requires it to maintain separate and indie
pendent existence. [See tn Act below
XVI-THE OLD SYSTEM.
Under it teegraphic companies have been organised
by few wealthy capitalists; these companies have
been consolidated under one Board of Management
they are made up of opposition companies, with para
lei lateral and useless routes costly to maintain Their
liabilities are heavy and they employ multiplicity of
officers who receive large saares yet they pay large
dividends. With their capital stock largely watered
amounting now in the aggregate to forty millions
Of dollars, they seek to monopolise the business
orolant rates. and thus benefit the few at the expense
Of many.
xvII.-TlE PROPOSED CHANGE.
The Shareholders in this organisation will be many
times more numerous than those of any other telegraph
company, and will be interested in its business and
success. We shall establish only direct trunk routes
required by the business of the country. Wesha
cur no liabilities beyond in the treasury
and we hope by energy economy, dispatch and careful
With the present consolidated monopoly, and fur
aish the public cheaper and better facilities Of tele
graphic communication.
XVIIL-THE PROSPECT.
The business of telegraphing is in its infancy. 1t
must rapidly increase in the immediate future and yield
still greater returns The business Of the Southern
states having been suspended during the will
oe reesablished Lines photograph are projected and
process Of construction to Europe, Asia and South
merica which, when completed will at once materi
Ally add to the telegraph business of the country The
proposed routes of our range are annually becoming
more populous. Cheaper rates and more rapid, GER
ain and reliable facilities will greatly popularSe the
elegraph and insure its substitution for the mails for
be purpose Of current commercial correspondence
All these considerations point to our future i'm
oortant one end plainly show that this is the golden
opportunity for inaugurating Geographic enterprise of
he character and magnitude Of the one now proposed
XIX.-AN EXTRAORDINARY ADVANTAGE.
On the application Of the National Telegraph Com
,any, Congress at its recent session enacted the Ma
ional Telegraph Law, which is printed herewith This
Existing consolidated monopoly opposed the passage
Command, but the public interest prevailed, and we