The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-09-15
"NO MONOPOLY"
Opening OF the Southern aud Atlantic
Telegraph Company.

The Southern and Atlantic Telegraph Com
pany opened its Charleston offices yesterday,
and is now ready for the transaction of all the
business that may offer. Messages will be
sent, with accuracy and promptitude, TO all
points North and Northwest at reduced rates;
and the business men of Charleston are now,
for the first time, in position to realize the
solid advantages photographic competition.
The high telegraphic rates charged In the
South, as compared with the North, has been
a subject of complaint for years. 1t was due
to the absence Of competition. The western
Union Company monopollzed the business,
aud, having no fear of opposition, charged
Just what they pleased. This was only natu'
raj. THE CHARLESTON NEWS would not be as
good and as cheap paper as it is, If no other
daily journal were printed in South Carolina.
There have been, of course, occasional redue-
lions of rates on the part of the Western Union
Company, but these were induced by an ex-
pectation that some rival would enter the
field, and, when the danger blew over, the
rates were advanced to something above the
original level.
Experience has shown that. with kilograms
as with letters, the increase in business which
springs from reduction of price makes the
lower rate quite as profitable as the higher
one This led to the organization of the South
ern and Atlantic Telegraph Company, whose
motto is, No Monopoly and Low Rates Ample
precautions were taken to prevent the new
company from being bought out by the West
ern Union, and stock was literally subscribed
in the cities through which 1t passes. These
stockholders and their friends hold the for
tunes of the company in their hands They
can make it brilliantly successful, if they so
DESIRE and they must know that, II the West
ern Union Company could again moaopolize
the field, 1t would soon make every business
man pay, in increased prices, all the losses 1t
had incurred while 1t was fighting against COM
petition. The Southern and Atlantic Company
Is completed from the North to this city, and
Is nearly finished to Savannah. AS rapidly as
possible the line will be pushed on to New Or
leans.
That competition will be an immense saving
to the business public is shown by the fact that
uUL lOuS dSO tuC WCotOth ohiSh SSOfSNS
charged 81 S5 for ten word message from
Charleston to New York. When 1t became
manifest that the new company was nearly
ready to start, the Western Union rate was re.
duced to 81 60. The rate of the Southern and
Atlantic is only 81 TO- We remember the time,
not century ago, when the Western Union
charged as much as 50 10 for ten word New
York telegram. This is case In point.
The Southern and Atlantic Company are in
debted for many acts of kindness to Mr.. syl-
vester Kjng, of this city, who. at great incon'
venience to himself, tested and worked the
line until the arrlva! Of the company's opera
tora. Mr.. King is an expert operator, although
he has followed another profession for mum.
ber of years. The offices Of the company are
at the corner of East Bay and Broad streets,
Immediately opposite the new Postofhce.
They will be open from A. NJ. to 10 P. NJ. E,
Laftte, Esq, of the firm Of E. Laftte q Co..
is the director Of the company for South Caro-
lima.