The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-03-23
The Postal TELEGRAPH.

Vrom The ". Y. Herald.
The signs are clear and positive that the
postal telegraph is a coming thing. Senator
Ramsey, of Minnesota, has introduced bill
system and to incorporate the United States
Postal Telegraph Company" which has been
read twice and referred to the Committee on
Post Offices and Post Roads. Its plan is a
great advance on the proposition presented
at the last session of Congress, and shows
how much the question has grown with Mr..
Hubbard and his coadjutors. But it contains
the germ of an immense evil, which we hope
the gentlemen interested in the promotion of
the plan will consent to modify in behalf of
their own interests, those of the Government,
and the preponderating interests of the public.
England has preceded us in this movement,
and has contracted to purchase all the tele-
graph lines in Great Britain and make them
adjunots of its postal system. But it has now
been discovered that the railway and telegraph
companies there have contrived to convert
this wise measure into an immense job, and to
saddle the Government with obligations to pay
for the existing telegraph lines sum far be-
yond their real value and what 1t would have
cost to build new ones. 1t is against the per-
petration of a similar evil in this country that
we demand precaution shall be taken by the
senate Committee on Post Offices; and we
shall point out before we close this article, how
~~~S N@NSAOSto W eAO POOPiO auu tuC OOFcTu-
ment can best be protected in this matter
But before taking up that point we will look
at the bill as it now stands
10 DO this we must reverse the order of the
bill, as In 1t the cart has been skilfully placed
before the horse, for evident purposes. 1. is
proposed to incorporate Gardner g. Hubbard
and his associates by the name of the United
States Postal Telegraph Company. with a
capital OF four hundred thousand dollars.
This capital seems ridculously small for the
great purpose which it is proposed to achieve.
but We will refer to this again. This com
pany, 1t is proposed, will build its lines he.
tween Washington, New York, Boston. and
Chicago within six mouths; to Cincinnati, St.
Louis, and New Orleans within two wears. and
to every other city OF five thousand or more in
habitants within three years from the execu.
ti0n OF the contract. The postal telegram
Offices are to be in connection with ths posi
Office in every city, at railroad stations, and al
such other places as the business of the coun
try may demand. Messages are to be received
at every postal telegraph Office, post Office, sub
of1ee, and select letter box, prepaid by stamps
and to be delivered free within the limits o
free delivery OF letters from any post Office, O
within one mile OF every postal telegraph
Office, and to be transmitted by mail to O
from the nearest postal telegraph Office wheI
received at or destined for any place not hav
ing such office, and postal money orders may
be RENTED by telegraph. The rate of toll fo
this service to be one cent word for each fv
hundred miles or less, and the minimum
message to be twenty words.
The advantages of this system to commerc
and ia every private interest in the countr,
are obvious. 1t will quicken trade to an i'm
mense degree, while in a proportional
measure 1t will diminish the capital requisit
to transact the exchange of commodities, b
enabling every dollar to do its work in muc
less time than is now required. The disad
vantages contained in the bill are pertiner
only TO the manner of establishing this In
mense reform, and not to its plan for the post
telegraph system. II is proposed that tn
shall be done by authorizing the Postmaste
General to contract for the transmission OF u
messages with any telegraph company I
companies now or that may hereafter be inoo