The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-01-22
Tho Telegraph system OF thc United
StnteA.
WAsHINNToN, Jan. 2l.

day, paper on lue pEOpOSeu uDlOu U
the telegraph and postal system. This
paper presents thorough and exhaus
tive statement of the present condition
| of the electric telegraph in Europe anG
| America. The statistics show that there
is larger number OF telegraph offices in
proportion to the population in this
country than in any other in the world,
while in Europe there is but one teie'
| graph Office for every 4,G0l of its in
| habitantS-in the United States there is
one for every $40. The total number
of kilograms transmitted in Europe pei
Annum, according to the official report
| is lSG, $50, 900, at an expense of SIS, ,2S6,
900. The average cost was 81 SIG per
message. The Western Union Tele-
graph Company transmits 1O,067 ,O0O
| kilograms per annum, at n cost of $5,-
72S 900, being an average Of 81 cents per
message. The European statistics in
clude the Ireland international and
| transit messages, and these present Il
larger number of kilograms than are &C
tualIy transmitted, as the same
message is sometimes counted in
several counties, while those OF
the Western Union Telegraph
Company are counted but once, Il prop
or allowance for the duplication in
counting. In Europe the actual num-
Der of dispatches sent was ll,Ol2, 600, at
an average cost of 81 90 each. In no
country III Europe IS tie
| administration connected with the post
office. In France and Spain the tele-
graphs are under the control OF the Min
lister of the Interior. In Russia, Prus-
sia and Italy they belong to the Minis
ter of Public Works. In Belgium the
telegraphs. railways and post offices
form general division under the Min
lister OF Public Works, but are kept
distinct. In Austria the administration
of the telegraph and the post office were
at one time united, but it was found eX-
pcdient to separate them. In SWltZer-
land the telegraphic organization is
nearly the same as in Prussia, the post
office, customs and private establish
ments supply the elements OF an auXll-
liary staff, but all the persons employ
ed in the transmission of kilograms de-
pend on the administration of tele-
graphs for their compensation, and in
the annual budget an appropriation is
made for that service distinct from the
post office.
An effort was made in France in 1864
TO consolidate the Post and Telegraph,
but owing to strong opposition on the
part of the chief functiOnarles of both
services to such amalgamatiOn it was
relenquished. The extent of lines and
wires belonging to the Western Union
Company is more than twice that of
France, three times greater than that
of Prussia and equal the aggregate
systems of Austria, Prussia and the
lesser German States, Italy, Spain, Bel
guim and Switzerland, and it IS in
creasing in larger rates than any other
system. The cost of construction of
the Telegraph lines in Great Britain
and $relAnd is $l,l02.97l per mile, on
this basis the value ofthe lines belong
ing to the Western Union Company is
81. PIG, ,607, 800. The Western Union has
3 3,33l Telegraph offices; 5O,760 miles
OF line; 81, ,4l6 miles of wire; 265 subma-
rine cables and 6,39S skilled persons in
its emplOy-in Continental Europe
wherelthe Telegraphs are under govern
ment control there are but 4 ,347 Offices
for Il population of over $50, ,00O, 900
while Great Britain and the dominion
of Canada and the United States where
the Telegraph has hitherto been left to
the control of the people, furnished
6, ,G50 offices for population of 81 ,O0O,-
600. The number OF TelegrRGns trans
rnitted per annum in Continental Eu-
rope is only PASS, 900, while there were
sent by the people of the three countries
where 1t has been hithetO free from
government monopoly 1S,I7l.O00. The
tariff of charges average one dollar and
nine cents in Continental Europe,
counting the messages actually trans
mitted, while in the countries where
the people manage the business, it
averages but 81 cents.
1t is a suggestive tact that the amount
of news furnished by the Western
Union Company, to the press OF the
United States, tor an aggregate sum of
1921 500 per anpum, Is considerably
greater than the entire telegraphic cor
respondence of continental Europe, for
which those governments receive SILL
597, ,632.
A bill introduced bv Mr.. Wash
bIrne for the establishment OF Govern
nent lines, provides for general tariff
of one cent per word, with an addition
al charge of three cents for delivery,
and stipulates that a reduction of not
more than so per cent, shall be made
for the press reports. This rate would
increase the average cost of news for
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 n million dollars per Annum, for
the privileges they now enjoy.
The proposition of Mr.. Hubbard to
deliver kilograms by letter carriers, is
shown TO be practicable, as there are
only fOrty-six places where the post
Office has established free delivery of
letters, out of Il total of -. 900 post otfi-
ces in the United States.
1t is worthy of mention that while
the rates for telegraphing in the United
States do not average much more than
half AS much as the EurOpean charges
for the same distance, yet the cost OF
labor and material is nearly three times
as great as in Europe.
The assertion that the consolidation OF
the telegraph lines In the United States
caused an increase in the rates for
telegraphing, Is not true in any in
stance, nor has the tariff been increas-
ed since the consultations. On the
contrary, there has been steady de-
crease in the rates to more than one
thousand stations having been lowered, :,
and this course is still being rapidly
continued. The policy and practice of
this company favor IL reduction OF the
rates on dispatches as rapidly as the
necessary ex penses of the service will
admit, and 1t offers, if the government
will abolish the tax on the receipts for
transmitting kilograms, to lower its
rates until the reduction upon the gross
amount of business done shall be twice
as much as the tax remltted. This
would be u far better plan for furnish
| ing cheaper telegraphic facilities to the
people than the construction and opera
| lion of Government lines at the ex-
expense of the National Treasury, not
| TO mention the creation of a new army
of of1ice-holders to operate the govern
ment lines.
Mr., Hubbard's bill TO incorporate the
! United States Postal Telegraph Com
panv, and 10 establish postal tele'
graph system, provides for the estaO'
| fishment of n telegraph line to all cities
and villages of 5000 Inhabitants ana
over in the United States. Were this to
| be adopted the Government thus enters
into partnership with the new COM
pany in the telegraph business. In &C
| cordance with the terms of the bill
what is to become of the small towns