The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-28
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
GENERAL WASHBURN'S NEW BILL


sLoiIoS i. Inat from and after the oath day Of
july 1874, 10 snail be unlawful for any person. oher
tnan such hereinafter authorized. 10 talsuit
by electric telegraph, or by any deyce equivalent
tneredo any message, information or ~
Whatever description, Tor hire, or 70 receive any
moneys or ieward OF any KIND Tor such transnlsslon
SIC. 2. And DE II further enacted, lnat the fost
master General OF The United STATES IL HEREBY auto
rl1ed pursuant 10 act OF Congress OF July ~, 1860 en-
tilted An act 20 ald IN the construction OF telegraph
lines, and so secure To tue government the use 81
the~ame Tor postal, military ana uIner purposes 10
appoint Two appraisers VINO, Ia conjunction Win
two other appraisers TO be appointed by each VI
the telegraph companies winch nave or shah nave
HE'D acceptance OF the provisions OF salu ACT
with the Postmaster General, and lith 20 DC
selected by the Jour SO previously appointed suali
between July / and December /, 1870, proceed 10
separately examine ana appraise AT Jneir cash Vaue
the lines anu Other Telegraph property Deio1ging 70
each VI SAID companies; ana Jnereupon the POST
master General Is soin2feu 10 contract Tor the pur-
CHASE Of sad property Tor the purposes OF TINS act
purchase lake enect On the 24th day OF jniy,
1871; aud properly contracted Tor shl as soon
as the purchase sconsummated, De vested mana heu
by Inc postmaster General ana ms successors lof 1e
use ana penentof the people OF the United STATES;
provided always, tnat no such purchase shali pe
made and no agreement for sucA purchase he Dild-
lug until the said agreement shall be approved ny
tue President and snail receive the SANCTION ui Goa
gfcSs. And any OF The companies Aforesaid, WIN
the authority Of the voles OF two-thirds OF us share
holders present in person OF by proxy at u general
meeting OF the company specially convened Tor That
purpose may contract Tor the sale Oh all or any pof.
tioa o Its SAID property to the Postmaster General
praised a., ana tne execution by sucn company IN
Ger us common seal Oh Il Conveyance 10 the PcsLnla5-
Ter General uuly stamped, OF sad property SHAH pe
sufficient 20 vest Tue same III the Postmaster General
as aosesad or al the estate right ana titIe OF sa!i
company therein, with all incidental rights,
privileges anu easements, and the same may DC
used exercised anu enjoyed by the Postmaster ten
erii iii tile same Manler and TO the same extent as
The same respectively are or, this act mad not
passed, might DC used exercised and enjoyed py te
saia company. And tno receipt OF majority OF the
directors OF any sad company Tor the purchase
pnDNl 4.,stgl aAt tpa ,Ean nf nuls
shall De a sullcent discharge OF the same 10 me
Postmaster General VINO snail not be bound TO see
TO Tue distribution thereof.
SEC ). And ne Il iurtner enacted, That the Post
master General, by hiinseE and 10y such officers as
are hereinafter provided Tor aad his ana their
respective servants and agents, snail, IRON and aftef
tae 24ta day OF July 1871, have the exclusive prl
yllege OF operating the lnes aforesaid by virtue o
Tie PROVISIONS fhs ACT, ana or transmitting teie
grams 0nereupon and each telegram SO Transmitted
(eAceptlng only such necessary messages us fe,ata
10 tie actual working ana administration OF sad
Ines shall De PAID lor ut u rate not exceeding
twenty GEMS Tor the hrst thirty words thereof, III
Guiding date, address and signature; but no
sage saii be sent Tor less Than twenty cents. Anu
Tie sums cAarged Tor tie TRANSMISSION OF messages
sdal be neu 10 cover the cost OF their de4iyery
WITHIN ono nile OF the teieg aphic oite al their
destination, or WITHIN the town postal delivery at
tbal polAu; out Wnen the aadressee shall resiue
BEYOND sad delivery such messages shall be ae-
lNered Without extra charge Dy the hrsJ post atcr
thelr receipt; or upon pa nent Of proper and just
sum any such message may be delivered by special
lesseAger, such sum Tor special delivery to estao
mates, under his authority; ana the government Of
Inc United states snail Always have pfeeeueHce in
Tue TRANSMISSION OF messages, ana all otner mes
sases small DC transmitted III Lie order III when
lney are received
oac L. Ald be it further enacted, that the pay
mcnts Tor tile TRANSMISSION OF messages siail be
MADE III all cases W means OF stamps, 70 be affixed
to each message by the sender thereof or by stamped
paper: and the POSTMASTER General shal cause a
proper supply OF stamps and stamped paper 10 De
prepared IOr that purpose aud Kept Tor sale TO the
luollc at sacu places he designate and 1lle
OF The originals Of al messages sent from and re-
cords OF All messages received at any telegraph
Office sinai he Kept III said Office for sucn time the
Postmaster General may direct after which they
Tor references; and the telegraph offices sha be kept
III connection with the United SSates Post Udices,
unless Tor special reasons IN any case the Postmaster
General may order oLnerwiSe.
SEC. .. Ana De IT fultncr enacted, That the Post
master General sha, as practlcaple establish
telegraph oAice 1t every post onice within the
United states, the gross receipts OF which FOR post
age are not less Than 500 per annun; provided
nearest adjacent line Of telegraph shall exceed
twenty mics. And the Postmaster General NAV
me nours during winch the oinces designated Dy
hun ior the receipt and despatch OF messages sial
ne kept open for the transaction OF business.
SEc 8. And be il further enacted, That besides
tabiisny postal telegraph oiices for the transmits
Sion VI messages by the electric telegraph
the. Postmaster General may II ne think tit establish
oces or pillar letter boxes 10 be places OF deposit
Tor messages and the messages therein deposited
shah, provided they nc written ON stamped paper oil
proper value affixed thereto, be conveyed To tlfe
oices OF TRANSMISSION, without extra charge, at such
times as the ordinary collections OF letters are made
or as mucn Oltcner as the Postmaster General may
direct, and snali forthwith be despatched 10y tee-
graph TO their destination.
SEC. 7. And be II further enacted, That the money
order system now IN operation IN the Post Office
Department shall, as soon after the passage Of
THIS acc AS practicable, be adapted to the telegraph
and that tue charge Tor transmitting money orders
by telegraph WithLl the United states, wherever
money order oiices are now or mag hereafter ue
established, shall be the rates charged upon money
orders transmitted by mal, In addition TO the reg1-
lar charge Tor kilograms. And no one oraer so
transmitted by telegraph shall DC Tor al amount ex-
ceSdng $780,
aEC And be it further enacted That the Post
master General shall he authorized 10 cause messages
10 be transmitted to tue newspaper press az sucD
rates as lie may determine; a.fd ne may III hrs dis
cretion assign one Or more wires to the exclusive
OF me press, on such terms az Will best contrib
ute 10 the dissemination OF general Intelligence.
81. y. Aud be Il further enacted, That che Post
master General shall be authorized TO contract with
aiy foreign or colonlai telegraph company, or win
any government having control OF telegraph
ues without the limits vi ane United States for the
interchange % messages on sucn terms AZ may Co
Nun seem proper; and he ~ also authorized open
negotiations Tor the purchase or laying down OF one
or more submarine cables connecting the United
States with other countries ana report to Congress
the terms upon which sucn cable or cables may be
acquired or laid down.
sEC. 10. And be II further enacted That II any
telegraph company. having accepted the provisions
oi the act OF July "a, 1866 above mentioned shall
IAN or neglect 10 appoint before the trss day OF
Juhuai9t intuf ttit
or A any telegraph company, alter appraisemeni
made as provided for Ill th8 act, snail fail neglect
10 convey or To procure ali other necessary pro
per parties 10 concur Ill Conveying 10 tue Postmaster
General, Tee from all mortgages and other debls
or membranes, the property appraised, IT shat
be Lawful Tor the Postmaster General to construct
other lines IN lieu Of the lines or said company; and
the said company shall thereafter have caim on
tne Postmaster General or the government OF the
united states 10 purchase Their SAID lines.
SEC. Ii. Aad be IL further enacted That any com.
pany, corporation or person VINO shall transmit, oI
Who snail all or be concerned IA transmlttlag auy
Telegram or Information IN cuQtrayention OF the
terms OF tnls act o. VINO shall receive collect o,
aetVer such Telegram or Information, SHAH, upon
summary conviction. be liable TO penalty not OK
ceca1ng $iO3 for every such offence; and where ANY
person so offending Is servant or person hred 10
40 the act complained OF, the master or other person
employing sucn servant snail De subject 10 o ike
penalty AND any onicer agent or empoye OF the
government, VINO snail diyage OF give information
concerning any telegram, except To Lne sender OF
sacn telegram, or tue person or persons 10 whom Ii
may be addressed, Of his or their duly authorized
II.g1