The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1870-04-28
Statistics of the Postal.Tele-
graphin Switzerland.

We do not take much stock in the pro.
position to have the government assume
control of the telegraph lines; but the
following letter from Horace Rubles
United States Minister to Switzerland
contains some interesting statistics con.
corning the operations of the postal tele.-
graph system in that country. and we
therefore transfer it to our columns n
was written to Hon. G. G. Washburn
member of Congress from this state. who
ls strong advocate OF the adoption of
the postal telegraph syatem in this
country:
LEGATION DIS ETATs UNIs D'AMER-
1QUE, PRIs LA CoNFEDERATIoN
SUISSE, BERNIE, March 81. 1870
DEAR SR-Your note of the goth nit
asking for some recent statistics of tbe
Geographic system in Switzerland l. 70
celVed give you such as T have been
able 20 obtain and which are not includ.
ed In your speech on the postal teleoranb
made in the House of Representatiy Yes IN
December last. The number oftelepranh
offices IN Switzerland on the 18th inst
was 46o, The total length of lines in
operation was q, 568 Kilometres. The total
length of wire 9,87S Kilometres The
aggregate cost of the lines 67t A7o
francs. Or apparatus, offices, &c. neces-
sary for their practical operation. 396 $40
francs; making The total cost 90S o91
francs. The total receipts for the wear
1869 reached 1,053,357 francs The cost
dor administration for the same period
seo.lo4 lerVlng the net receipts 100, 246
francs; or something less than seven per
cent. upon the capital invested. For sal.
aries OF employees during the year there
were paid 49.936 francs.
Autograph dispatches have NOT nc vat
Deen introduced. In some of the prinoi
pal cities only the printing apparatus is
used When side lines are constructed
LOT the accommodation of special locali-
ties the locality benefited is il some cases
required to furnish the polls and an of.
flee tree of charge. The cost of ronetruc.
sion' as wen as that Of maintaining the
l!nes IN order, IS doubtless less by con
sioFraple than IN the United States. Up
on the iatfer point my information differs
sohi1" hae' from the statement made by
the Acting Consul General of Switzerland
az washington, DR.. l. Wermuth, in tbeI
letter which You publish in the appendix
70 your speech above referred to- Upon
what must regard as the highest author
ity on the subject l am assured that
1nterierence with the working of the
llnes by the elements in Switzerland is
rare and that the line over the St Got
tnerd, as exposed to accident az anv
perhaps, has not been once interrunted
turing the past unusually stormy and in
cAenient winter. The salaries paid to the
operator and their employees are also
considerable less than those paid fo, mi.
lar services in the United States Admit /
Clng 'hese facts however, it still seems to
me that the results ofthe governmental
adm'nlstrat Oh of the teleoranh in
switzerland are snch as to afford very
sCFon% encouragement to the propo ition
70 adopt the sysfe in the United States |
ne cost OF message of twenty words
uace' address and signature are counted
from any station in Switzerland to an
oLher is something less than ten cents !
Inns might be doubled or trebled in the
United States and still 1T would fall much
psioW the rates now exacted there by the
private corporations. Again the differ
ence OF character, circumstances and
business relations between the nennle in
the two countries are elements that should
NOT DC overiooked,an which,in my Judge
ment,are OF favorable augury to the exper
lment OF the postal telegraph in America.
Making due allowance for the large influx
OF strangers to Switzerland during the
summer, by which the receipts Of the
telegraph offices here are considerable
increased through four months of the
year, 1t is nevertheless entirely safe to as
sumo mat cheap telegraph would be far
more generally .patronized by the Ameri
cans than 1T is by the people of Switzer.
land
While | have always regarded the
principle as a sound and wholesome ON.
IN It's general application, that the gov.
eminent should abstain from interference
In matters that may be perfectly regula-
tea by private enterprise, the results o.
governmental administration ofthe tel
egraph, as witnessed here, in comparison
WIN the operation under the control of
private corporations in the United States |
have strongly impressed me in favor ofl
the former system. One thing, at least is
cer'aln-lc L improper for it to undertake
the administration of the telegraph. The
principle involved in the two cases is
identical, and those who oppose the DOS.
tai telegraph should demand the abolition
~ ,ne government Fost Once. Very
HORACE RuBLEE.
To General c. c. Washburn. House oil
Representatives, Washington, d. C-Er-
change