, 1872-12-05

going is increased little or none. But, when we
have q wire between the Same points, and have
500 messages in day for transmission, the full
capacity Of one wire.-and Al additional 100
tho same as if the railroad were obliged to lay
new track and get new equipment and men; for,
when one wire gets more business than it can
do, another wire iB required Now, none Of the
railroads are taxed to the utmost with mail
matter; but the wires of the Western Uuion
Company are taxed to the full every day, and
our extensions are in old territory, multiplying
facilities, rather than in new and distant terri
tory. Telegraphy meets it's largest profits in
territory where it has educated. the
percentage Of cost for doing our business now,
when it amounts to $9,000,0oo year, is quite as
great az six years ago, when the business
amounted to $5,000,0 900.
1T does not, therefore, follow that, by crowd
ing down the postal wires with universal bust
computable 2"
MI Orton-"No. The Government, az the
monopoEzer Of telegraphy, might save SOME
thing. as it would not have to pay dividends, and
would not be liable to be sued or be taxed; but
the assertion that it can send any more messages,
at less cost, is entirely erroneouB.". -
Have the English advantages over US IS to
Mr. Orion" Certainly Take wages, which
make between so and 60 per cent of al the e1-
times more than in Europe. The London tele-
graph Office is operated By females, Il Bhillings
week. or from 8 to 20 shillings each. Nov, in
our New York Office, We have so females whom
ne pay from $40 to S65 month"; or an average
of nearly dollar where the English female opsr-
ator gets q shilling And we pay male operators
$50 a month average wages. It is the same
wherever We turn. We pay 50 per cent
more for wire, moro for telegraph poles, although
the country is full Of timber, and between Is and
30 per cent more for every article entering into
consumption"
THAT is . queer condition OF things as to
poles in particular :"
Mr. Orton-" It costs more now merely to
transport telegraph-poles from the lakes to Chi
cago than it used to cost four years ago for the
pot for all the telegraph-po1es in the Mississippi
Valley, or between the Rocky Mountains and
Buffalo. The great majority Of our durable
poles come from Green Bay, Wisconsin, and are
white cedar, but the red cedar Of Tennessee makes
the best pole OF which We have knowledge.
We have recently erected in the CREST telegraph
ic centres, for the telegraph wires assemble at
the great focal points like the cords in 8 whip
stock, Of which the butt is ut the Commercial
centIes,-We have put up in Chicago and other
cities 8 class Of poles to accommodate the fu-
ture multiplication Of wires for years. The
poles must be accommodated to the burden Of
wires, for s1eet-storms often break down
the poles. This year wo have hung 10000
miles OF new WIFE,.
Are you able to determine whether the West
ern Union Company has greater prospects be-
fore it if allowed to continue its business than
if purchased?'
liz. Orton-s'We are making very va1uab1e
property, adapted to the fullest uses Of the
poets are encouraging to ne. Our equip
ment is very complete; but the telegraph is
comparable to house which is fit for occupan-
cy, but always requiring improvements. We
charge to profit and loss, instead Of to fcon-
struction,' all our improvements on old routes;
but, in the English system, they show an appa-
rent profit by charging large sums expended to
construction accounts, instead Of to profit and
loss. But our standing as q corporation vas
tested in England, when We recently applied for
g loan there to erect our new building at the
corner OF Broadway and Dey Streets New York
We obtained with promptness, and on superior
terms to any concern in this country,
100000, and we are putting up a
building that will give more space to tele-
graphic operations than the great Post Office
edifce in New York, which costs nearly
$4,000, ,000.''
NJ, I. WY Do you build so far down in the City Of
Mr.. Orton-'s Why, rs per cent Of all the re-
Hall Park, although We have 70 stations (there
being 100 in all, counting other companies) in
that city. They have but one central Post Office
there, and thirteen sub-Post Offices. I mention
these things to show that the telegraphic enter
prises in this country are energetic and ample
T. Has Mr. Creswelrs desire for postal te1e-
graphy been OF his own motion, or In response
to any complaint as to present facl1ities?"
Dir. Orton-'' There is tendency amongst
all Government officials to seek an enlargement
OF powers. His may be laudab1e ambition,
but it is based upon superficial ideas and he is
this year receiving the aid OF q person employed
to get statistics in iB interest. No petition had
ever been addressed to Congress containing any
statement or grievance, or any attack upon the
and Chambers Of Commerce are generally de-
clared against the pet idea. After he proclaimed
his policy, two State Legislatures we're moved to
pass resolutions indorsing it but be has no no.
tion OF the aversion with which railways, and
those interests needing the telegraph most: re-
gard the plan."
ss How as to railways ?"
Mr. Orton-'' We exchange facilities with the
railways, and they are compelled, under modern
e1igencies, to move their trains and rule their
line Of road through us. In return for this, they
push our business with equal alacrity, as they
would never do under the REFRESHING hand Of the
Government. In the late Boston fire, for e1-
ample, / VAS wakened Saturday night, and in
formed that our offices there were about to b
to New York from Philadelphia, while trai1-
load of New York operators moved on to Boston
from New York, and construction trains were
advancing on Boston from both New Ytrk
and Portland; and We sent in a
day. amidst al that catastrophe,
A. 800 mercantile messages and 1000 words for
the press. The railways would never have
moved for the Post Office Department with equal
alacrity. This seizure Of the telegraph -wires,is
the initial movement on both the express COM
panies and the railways"
s'Do you think the English syEtem Of postal
ts1egraphy, then, to promise failure ?"
AIr. Orton-'' No. I frankly think it there
to be efficient, well performed, and much ex-
tended under the Government assumption but
all the conditions are different from ours. The
English Civil Service alone is mighty advance
upon our own to accomplish such q change.
Think Of the same revolution being
tried with our system Of political ap-
pointments In Europe the telegraph as a free
fundamentally never existed, any more than q
free press, and it was q part Of the police eya-
TEN OF each country. It was, in fact, more i'm
possible than freedom of the press. It Was
adopted in England because the telegraph COM
panies were without enterprise, and did not aim
to make themselves universal convenience
Here, telegraphy has arisen among the people,
kept ahead OF their necessities, and built up
newspaper press which is the wonder Of the era
what is the superiority OF the American press
to that Of Europe, under the telegraph"
al