The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1869-01-30
HEoKUK. IOWA


ROSTAyI T0AsD sss
The po.tmsxsr G eneral has issued spe.
cal report favering the eonnecsioa 2. ~
Teleeraph With the Postal sSsse" y ~
cemntrv. Throughout whole OF cont
natal Europe ~ telegraph Is under the ex-
elusive control and management o. sne re-
spective kbvernnents. he shows tho &C.
vantages ef this system.
The poslAl telegraph System has been ca.
RED TO it's greatest perfection IN Belgium ana
Sri,zerlend. In those countries the rates
have been loweus4she facilities for the recep-
ton and delivery % messages the greatest.
md the enterprise most Profitable, boln 10
the State md the people.
The Investigations into the operations OF
1s.. That in Belgium and Switzerland,
where the, sstes are low. and uniform, NE
telegraph 4 @,tost freely used, and that the
receipts in those two countries have exceeded
the cost s,of. eona,ruclion.s maintenance Ana
ope61sM N vuds sbing allowed % :acn
hnssskktkseIsdng d1keand sigsssure. Ire
annual number OF messages in Swifzeriann
averages nearly one to every two persons IN
Belgium one 10 every thrrs p<fsons; in the
United States, estimating the number o.
messages annually transtniitea at 5000, Coo,
one to every six.
I'd. That the rates for inland messages ID
Belgium and Switzerland, where the greatest
distance OF transmission is 200 miles, IS
fr.... lthe rates for transit and International
spaessaesa are, higher, varying with ehe -
lance, ! that the average cost OF each me sage
isi Of franc, the average receipt 40 OF
franc. In France, the rates in the Same
department are . franc; between different
dspaieUests, greatest distances 600 miles, !
franc, or u $40 cents and % Clio currency.
9 1d;sThat fbefatas have bean reduced from
time to time as the business increased; that
svery Fet reduction Of rates has been fol-
lowed by large and immediate increase OF
Tho old business and the creation Of nsw
kinds or business, reducing the proportionate
expepaa Of each message. ss.
18th. That the facilities afforded for the
reception and delivery Of messages are very
great, Ind equally distributed over the coun>
try; 80 great are these facilities that in
Bsit11fll6i ID Oh half Of the stations do not
average more than two messages day.
d 6tlks fhAtshe telegraph ia but little used
by the press, an organization like the "As.
sociassd Press" being unknown.
eth. That by the union Of the telegraph
with the post . great saving is made in the
expense Of the telegraph, without any cor
responding increase Or expense to The post
Office.
Tbs.l estsnasaer General adds to this
If the system has succeeded with low rates
WAsFe @distsases ars short and the population
smalh and IN countries whore the habits of the
people and political conditions are such that the
press makes but little use Of its lines and where
the chief advantages Of the telegraph cannot
thcrsfers, be realized il must be moro successful
in eee ceuntry with its vast extent-with lite ia
vorabla climate and it's increasing millions-where
thA.tblegfsph anticipates by days the loteers sent
by mail.
England proposes to unite the two systems.
The plan which Mr.. Randall proposes is to
let the transmission Of telegraphic postal
iatslligence by private contract as other mail
contracts. The features Of his plan are
j. incorporation
ity TO eonstssci Hnss Of telsgraph on the post
roads and routes Of the country; ITS capital hxed
at 5000 for each mile of wre This sum is large
enough for the construction of good lines, with >
fair margin Of profit and viii prevent any undue
Initiation Of capital.
2. The establish ment Ct postal telegraph sys-
tenn which ahalt include
First, The establishment Of postal telegraph
dfhces ii connection with the post Offices in every
city and village Of 5000 iphabit.nts and over at
railroad itAfiors and At such other places the
lines Of the wires As the telegraph business of the
country may from time to time demand.
Second. The pre- payment Of all telegraph mes
ssges by stamps, and their reception at every
postal telegraph Office, post office, sub-ofice and
street letter box.
Third. The transmission Of messages by tele-
gFaph hstwsea postal telegraph Offices by contract
with : telegraph company, provided that no bid
shAf be received in which the rate for messagea OF
twent1Ntards " figures, - Jess, exceeds twenty
ceat4 for3ach pessags. and fvs cents for sscb
sd1itepa fvs wsrds q 4ssres, or less, for s.sh
and every 500 niles Of fractional part thereof
which is to be added five cents for postage and
delivery.
Fourth FAe N e,ia, smme diate free delivery Of
every message by carriers within the limits of
free delivery Of letters nom any post Office or
within one mile of every postal telegraph Office
and the delivery, at special rates beyond such
hulib, divided. however. that messages aisectsd
to be transmitted by night shall. not be delivered
until the next morning
Fifth. The trapsmission Of messages by mAl
without extsAoharee, to orfron the est postal
telegraph oface when received at or directed TO any
place nit having such an office.
Sixth. The transmission by telegraph of postal
mnney ofdse; the tFAssnfssion Of tha yeAxinal
message, in special cases. by mail; priority in
transmission; the repetition of messages and de-
livery ofhe sanAer; hhetran snnfslisn OF messages
where the whole amount of the rate has not been
th0 tray TAI of ntns he.
tween the largest cities by autographic insru-l
msnts or in cipher.
Seventh, The forwarding the originals OF all
messagss not transmitted BY mail to the dead
letter odires an theseellvGy ef all messages res
ceivcd through recording instrument, with :
copy thesee5 nsaat = Ne.
time Ar. ~ Esa sS - tn. iohjec.s of the
act and to perfect the system.
S.. That the lues shall be exten dsd And new
wires added as the wanta Of the community may
require. II the contracting party fail to erect
aush hnes ana wires, the Postmaster HenerAi msy
do II and charge cost thereof to the company and
deduct such amount from the payments due to it..
ID One, reduce the rates, provided The profits Of
tbeesntspains- pa<ty a. not thereby reduced !
isw ten per can't Per AnnRm.
S. That the oos1pany Oh astefsd BY the hill shall
u1ake contract if required BY the Postmaster
General on the Terms above named, provided, no
xsansivspsivileses in telsgraphiass either to
the department, or to the company that may be
employed to transmit messages Other compa-
MES Is they transmit messagea more promptly or
cofFedeay, y chespsr rates, or morn faithfully,
win perform the business It involves no expcn.
diture Of noAeye The part of the government in
conatructng shd operating, or In purchasing
lines, while the rates proposed the highest are
@losinspfspoEtios 70 the distance Of transtA ies,
ioaAs @Asss proposed ~ tss advocates Of line
to ebnpt ma operated ty the government
y istait to existing companies, aimee an OF
them Hsy hid for the contact. a.
sTAx AaHk-Eye has tbs !. concerning the
Bnrlingtos, CedAr Rapids l. Minne5ota Rail.
road "We arc glad 70 notice that the peo-
pie along ths northern part Of this great en-
erprise afs vide awake to ita vast impor-
taHcsya and are deter mined to do their part ii
carving Il throurh tn an an rlv co~.l..:.s