The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1869-01-22


years after the Introduction of the electric tee
| graph in America that it was opened to the peo.
| pie Dy any European government. Then ia France
| The electric telegraph was established as late as
1901, ana us spread throughout the empire was
exceedingly slow. The semsphore, a defective
and inefficient system of conveying Intelligence
by the exhibition of signals was still in use and
Notwithstanding the manifest advantages of the
electric telegraph. the government long refused
employ II. The extent OF lines and wire belong.
ing to the Western Union Telegraph Company is
more TRAN twice that of France, three
times greater than that of Prussia, and
equals the aggregated systems of Austria,
Prussia and the lesser German States,
ltsly, SPAN, Belgium and Switzerland, and it is
increasing IN larger ratio than any European sys-
TEN. The Western Union Telegraph Company
bss added to.its lines during the year 1868 more
than 5OOO miles OF wire, or as much as the entire
system oil Belgium. In no country in the world
is there so vast system of lines under one con-
troll SIS IN this. In no country Is the business done
50 well or 80 cheaply, aud no where else has there
ever been so earnest an endeavor made to serve
the people faithfully and satisfactorily. The
cost of construction Of the telegraph lines in Great
Biitain and Ireland is one thousand twenty nine
collars seventy-one cents per mile. On this basis
The value of the lines belong to the Western Union
dred sixty six thousand seventy-nine dollars sixty
cents. The Western Union Telegraph Com.
pany has three thousand three hundred thirty.
one telegraph Offices fifty thousand seven
hundted sixty miles of line; ninety-seven
Thousand four hundred sixteen miles of
wire two hundred and sixty.ive submarine ca
Dles, and six thousand three hundred and eighty.
nine skilled persons in its employ. The assertion
that the telegraph facilities are better in those
countries where Il is under governmental control.
then IN those where is left to private enterprise
is shown by official statistics to be entirely erro.
neous. In continental Europe where the tele-
graphs are under government control, there are
but four thousand three hundred and forty-seven
fnr loNaA Of
fifty million, while Great Britain, the dominion of
Canada and the United States, where the tele.
graph has hitherto been left to the control of the
people, furnish 6659.telegraph Offices for popula-
ton OF 64OOO,OO0. The number of kilograms
transmitted per anDum in continental Europe is
only IL 4S6 co., while there was sent by the people
OF the three countries where il has hitherto been
free from government monopoly, Is 74l 900. The
tarih charge averages one dollar and nine cents
In continental Europe, counting the messages
actually transmitted while in the three countries,
where the people manage the business, it aver
ages but fifty one cents. Private enterprise laid
the submarine cable through the Persian Gulf and
Mediterranean Sea, across the Gulf of ST. Law.
renee, the Vineyard Sound. the Strait of Florida,
the English Channel, the North Sea- and the Ger
man and Atlantic Oceans. Ii is a suggestive fact
that the amount of news furnished by the Western
Union Telegraph Company TO the press of the
United states, for an aggregate sum Of five hun
dred and twentyone thousand five hundred and
nine collars per annum, is considerably greater
than the entire telegraphic correspondence of
Oriental Europe, for which those governments re.
ceive eleven million five hundred and ninety seven
thousand six hundred and thirty.two dollars.
The average cost Of continental kilograms has
been stated at one dollar and nine cents, while
the average cost of press kilograms in the
United States, under our cooperative system,
is but three and one half cents. The bill intro.
duced by Mr.. Washburne for the establishment of
government lines provides for a general tariff of
one cent per word, with an additional charge of
three cents for postage and two cents for delivery
and stpulates that a reduction of not more than |
ffty per cent. shall be made for press reports |
This rate would increase the average cost of news
Tor the press Of the United States more than three
hundred per cent, and thus, if his plan be |
adopted, the newspapers would be compelled to |
pay an extra tax OF q million dollars per annum |
Tor the privilege they enjoy. IL is shown that
The highest American rates tor telegra phing are |
ow er than the highest foreign rates. The aver |
9ge American rates are lower than the average |
oreign rates, and the lowest American rates |
are lower than the lowest foreign rates. Ia |
Drder that a fair comparison may be made |
between the American and European systems |
)f teegraphy, so tar as the rate of charges
'eIned, this company presents list of the prnci-
pal stations IN Europe and the same number Ia the /
United States, with the tariffs and distances in air
ines from London and New York, by which il |
appears that rates from London are more than twice
is much, upon an average, for the same distances |
is those nom New York. In Belgium one mes
3ri' ain one to each fve and in the United States
'ne 10 each two and half. The proportion of |
kilograms to letters IN Great Britain is one to one
hundred ana twentyone, in Switzerland one to
lXty nine, in Belgium one to thirty seven, and in
he United States one to twenty-five. The propo-
iton of Mr.. Hubbard TO deliver kilograms by let
er carriers Is shown to be impractcable, as there
ire only forty-six places where the postoffice has
established free delivery of letters out of total of
wenty nine thousand postOtices in the United
states. The amount of business done upon wire in
given time is vastly grester in this country than
n any other. In Europe there are nearly three
ines as many miles of wire as there are 10 this
country, and yet the wires in the United States
ransmit more telegraphic matter per aunum than
III the lines in Europe combined. This singular
act is explained by the superior character and
biy OF our operating staff, and the more reliable
construction of our lines. IL is worthy of mention
hat while the rates for telegrsphing in the United
states do not average much more than half as
much as the European charges for the same dis
snces, yet the cost of labor and material is nearly
hree times as great here as in Europe. The aver
ge weekly earnings in England for all kinds of
sbor, including professional domestic, CONNER
isl, agricultural and Industrial, 50 l6. while
n the Continent of Europe the average is con.
dersbly less. Letter carriers in England receive
cents per day; in the United States 81 Is.
he number of letter carriers employed by
be British postofce department for the year
S66 was ii 449. and the fetal expendi.u
DR. the same, S2,664 600, being an average of
232 GS per annum for each man. The number of
tter carriers employed by the post.office depart.
ent Of the United States for the year 1866 was
81, and the total expenditures for the sane
jS9, ,236, an average OF $6S2 ~ each man. The
rtish post-ofice delivered 705 900 900 letters Tor
le year 1866, while the United States postofice
eiivered bot Sc .000, 900. The assertion that the
of the telegraph lines 10 the United
Istes caused an increase In the rates for tele-
raphiuR, is net true. In no instance has the |
rlh been increased since the consolidation. On |
'e contrary, there has been steady decrease,
e rates to more than one thousand stations |
aving been lowered, ana this course is still
aing rapidly continued. The Western Union
tlegrsph Company is now preparing a new
ritf Of rates based upon ar line distances
etween all stations which will still further
mplfy and cheaper the tarf. The policy
I'd practice of this company favor reduction of
e rates in dispatches as rapidly as the necessary
Ipense of the service will admit and it Offers If
e government will abolish its tax on the receipts
transmitting kilograms, 10 lower its rates until
e reduction upon the gross. amount of business
me shall be twice as much as the tax remitted.
lis would lessen the rates for telegraphing nearly
n Der cent and WOuld be a far better plan far