The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-01-29
POSTAL TELEGRAPmY.
Important Bill to be Introduced
by General VVaShbUrne.

! The first section declares that, from and
after the 24th day of July, 1871, it shall be
unlawful for any person other than such as
are hereinafter authorized to transmit
by electric telegraph, or by any device
equivalent thereto, any message, informa-
tiOn or intelligence of whatever description,
for hire, or to receive any moneys or reward
of any kind for such transmission.
WHAT THE BILL PROPOSES
The bill proposes to convert the telegraph
lines into q Government institution and
place it on the same footing as the postofice
service The manner Of acquiring these
| properties Is by purchase, and the basis of
| the negotiations with the companies is laid
down in the second section as follows The
PostmasteroGeneral and the several tele-
graph companies are to appoint each two
appraisers, who, together, will appoint
a fifth. These appraisers are required
between July lst and December lst 1870
to proceed separately to examine and ap-
praise, at their cost value, the lines and
other telegraph property belonging to each
of said companies. After appraisement
the Postmaster General is authorized, sub
ject to the approval of the President and
| Congress, to contract for the purchase of
said property, to be held by him and his
successors for the use and benefit of the
people of the United States.
COST OF MESSAGES.
By the third section the Postmaster
General and certain other officers provided
for are invested with the exclusive privilege
of operating the several telegraph lines aud
of transmitting telegrams, from and after
the 24th day of July, 1871 Each telegram
is to be paid for at a rate not exceeding
twenty cents for the first thirty words, In
| cludiHg date, address and signature. but no
| J, al, Al.
cents This will cover the cost of delivery
within one mile of the telegraph Office, or
within the town postal delivery. Beyond
such delivery, messages to be delivered
without extra charge by the first post after
their receipt, or by special messenger, at
compensation to be fixed by the Postmaster
General, or by his subordinates, under his
authority The Government to have prece-
dence In the transmission of messages
other messages to be sent in the order in
which received.
HOW MESSAGES ARE TO BE PAID FOR.
The fourth section provides that messages
shall be paid for with stamps A" to be affixed
to each message by the sender thereof, or
| by stamped paper" The PostmasterGeneral
! is directed to provide stamps or stamped
paper, to be kept for sale by him at places
to be designated by him. Files of all
| original messages are required to be kept at
every Office, to be subsequently transmitted
to Washington, to be there preserved for
reference. The telegraph Offices are re-
quired to " be kept In connection with the
United States postofices," except when
otherwise ordered for special reasons by
the Postmaster-General.
WHERE OFFICES ARE To BE ESTABLISHED
The fifth section provides for the estab-
lishment of telegraph Office at every
postofice where gross receipts are not less
than 500 per annum, provided that the
distance between postoffice and the nearest
| line of telegraph shall not exceed twenty
miles. The Postmaster-General to desig
nate the hours during which the Offices are
to be kept open for the receipt and dispatch
of messages.
MONEY-ORDER SYSTEM.
| Other sections provide that the Post
master General may also establish, if he
thinks fit, Offices or pillar letter boxes "
as places of deposit for messages, which
messages SHALL if properly stamped, be
| conveyed to the Offices of transmission
without extra charge. Provision Is made
for adapting the money-order system in the
Postofice Department to the telegraph at
the rates charged upon money-orders trans
mitted by mail No such order by tele-
graph to exceed $I00
PRESS MESSAGES AND CABLE LINES
The Postmaster General is authorized to
cause messages to be transmitted to the
newspaper press at rates discretionary with
himself, and may assign one or more wires
| to their exclusive use. He Is also authorized
to contract with foreign and colonial tele~
! graph companies, or with governments
| having control of lines within the Uaited
States for the interchange of messages, and
to open negotiations for the purchase or
| laving down of one or more submarine
cables connecting the United States with
other countries. When companies fail to
come into the proposed Arrangement, the
/ Postmaster General Is authorized to con-
struet other lines in lieu Of the lines Of
such companies
BUREAU OF POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
A special bureau, to be called the Bureau
of Postal Telegraphs, Is to be established
! in the Postoffice Department, under the
control and supervision of a Director
General, to be appointed by the President
4 and confirmed by the Senate, whose salary
! shall be $4,000 per annum. The duties Of
/ this DirectOr-General are enumerated, and
provision is made for such assistants and
/ clerical force as may be necessary.
CFFIcERs-APPoIxTMExTs.
It is provided that the lines acquired shall
be geographically apportioned by the Post
master General into five grand divisions,
each to be under the control Of a general
superintendent, to be appointed by the
! President aud confirmed BY the Senate, and
whose salary shall be $1,000 per annum.
/ Provision Is also made for the appointment
of assistant superintendents.
HOW AND WHEN LINES ARE TO BE TAKEN
POSSESSION or.
/ Upon the contamination of the contract it
rTF-r rf. Tf
the Director-General and the fvs- superin-