The New York herald., 1869-01-07
NEW YORK HERALD THURSDAY, JANUARY ss-TRlPIE SHEET

here than In Belgium or Switzerland, and the use
confined 10 few kinds OF business, the high rates
prohibiting fts general use for most kinds OF basi-
press messages For these the rates low and its
by the press Is very extensive and probably
ceeds similar use abroad Dy ten TO one.
Second That the rates are arbitrary and exorb-
tant, varying In amounts for The same distances on
different lines-Often higher to nearer than TO q
more remote station on the same line. A table was
prepared by Mr.. Hubbard with the rates TO q large
ton Chicago and New Orleans. According to this
table the average rates TO ofi1ces within 500
miles OF Boston were a cents; Chicago, %
tween 500 and 900 miles OF the same cities are re-
spectvely 81 49, 81 o6 and 81 a. The average rates
IS ii, and the average rates between 1900 and
1900 miles are, Boston 50 20 and New Orleans - a.
These rates are TO stations supposed TO present
fair average. large majority OF messages are
transmitted less than 500 miles. The rates vary
greatly In different sections OF the country In the
In the West more than twice as high in the East
while the Eastern or lowest rates are more than
twice a. high as the rates Of Belgium, switzerland
Tfrd-Tnat the lines are poorly constructed. Of
poor material, and are kept In operation only be-
electric iuid than In England, where such lines as
ours would be useless for the earning OF dividends.
F0uus-Ihat while large proportion OF the ex-
penses are the same whether the wires are IN use or
not. commercial messages are practically transmit
ted but six twentyiourhs Of the time, thus burden
would be distributed among iour times the number
II the wires were kept constantly employed.
Fyt.Ihat by the union Of the telegraph with the
penses OF the telegraph without corresponding in
crease Of expense 10 the department. the cost OF
celving and delivering each message being little
more than for each letter. The expense OF the Post
ONCE 1s therefore, only increased In the proportion
letters. In this country the ratio s as seven mes
sages to seven hundred and twenty letters.
Strth-That by reduction OF rates and uniformity
OF charges new kinds OF business VIII be created and
many people Will freely use the telegraph who are
now prevented by the expense.
There is no country n the world so favorable @ for
States, and when messages shall be transmitted nom
the West to the East at the rate that was for
mery paid as postage on letters few merchants VIII
the slower mail. There is doubt that railroad
and telegraph lines for the transmission OF the mails
and Geographic messages can be constructed and
maintained at cheaper rates by private parties than
by the government. Nor can there be any doubt
that the transmission OF correspondence, whether
tsrest to be 's entrusted entirely % ' to private
enterprise. Under the postal telegraph system
now proposed the aayantagss Of Private enterprise I
principal defects OF each are avoided. The entire
system will be in harmony with the present postal
delivered by the department and transmitted under
contract with private parties. The peculiar features
OF the proposed plan are:-
authority construct lines Of telegraph the post
roads and routes OF the country Its capital fixed at
sum Is large enough for the construction Of good
lines with far margin for proft, and Will prevent
any undue infatiOn OF capital
ISeoOnd-The establishneng Of postal telegraph
system which shall include
1. The establishment OF postal telegraph onnces
IN connection with the post oices In every city and
village OF fve thousand inhabitants and over, at
railroad stations and at such other places on the
country may nom time to time demand. -
2 The prepayment OF all telegraphic messages
by stamps, and their reception at every postal tele
tsxf ufnVIOA and ofp Inffo tx1xx
.. The transmission Of messages by telegraph be-
tween postal telegraph 0ffces by contract with q
for GS
or figures or less, exceeds twenty cents for each
message ana dve cents for each added ive words or
miles or fractional part thereof to which Is to be
added i've cents for postage and delivery.
rs y sP'cs cass s1 he as c S
livery OF letters from any post once or within one
mile Of every postal telegraph ONCE, and the de-
livery ct special rates beyond such limtts provided
however, that messages directed to be transmitted
by night shall not be delivered until the next
s. The transmission Of messages by mail with
out extra charge to or from the nearest postal tele
graph ONCE when received at or directed TO any
place not not having such an ONCE. ,o,o, :, ,...,
money orders, the transmission Of the original mes
sage In special cases, by mail priority in transmits
sion, the repetition OF messages and delivery 70 the
sender The transmission OF messages where the
whole amount OF the rate has not been prepaid and
the transmission & Of messages between the largest
!. The forwarding the originals Of Ill mes
sages not transmitted BY mail to the Dead Letter
once, and the delivery OF all messages receiv cd
through 1scSr%ng 2 with the copy
8. Such other provisions as are nom time to
time required to carry out the objects Of the act
Third-Tnst the lines shan be extended and new
wires added as the wants OF the community may
require. II the contracting party fail 70 erect such
lines and wires the Postmaster General may do 1t
and charge the cost thereof TO the company and de-
duct such amount from the payments due 1t.
FbuTth-That the Postmaster General may, from
time to time reduce the rates, provided the profits
Of the contracting party are not thereby reduced be-
FUrh-That the company chartered BY the bill
shall make Q contract, required by the Postmaster
General, on the terms above named provided no
II grants no exclusive privileges In telegraphing
either to the department or to the company that
may be employed to transmit messages. Other COM
panies II they transmit messages more promptly Or
correctly at Cheaper rates, or more faithfully Will
perform the business II involves no expenditure OF
money on the part OF the government IN construct
ing and operating or purchasing lines, while the
rates proposed as the highest are as low In proper
ton to distance or transmission as those proposed
by the advocates Of line 70 be built and operated
by the government
have the honor to submit herewith an amended
draft Of the act to incorporate the United states
Postal Telegraph Company, and establish telegraph
system, and also copy Of letter received by me
from Mr.. Gardiner e. Hubbard, OF Boston, on the
cannot close this communication without acknow-
lodging the obligations am under 10 Mr.. Hubbard
for his valuable aid In collecting Information and his
assistance in preparing this special report.
ALEX. w. RANDALL, Postmaster General
Hon. SCHUYLER CoLFAx, Speaker OF the House oI
Representatives.