The New York herald., 1873-09-02

celpt or tWO-tnlr0S WOulu quite exceed tile whole
proper charge made under the home tarir Of that
company Mr. Orton denies hercey and with
much ostentation that the agreement between the
companies provides for o division of the charges
for the service OF his company in that proportion.
All l have to say on that point is. tnat learned,
from what supposed to he reliable and well in.
formed source, that such was the nature of the
agreement. Mr.. Orton himself knows. better than
any outsider can, what really are now, or have
and can remove all doubt II lie thinks proper to do
so. by publishing the actual documentary proof.
Ihls, however, ls not the questlon-it is not the
public complaint. This Is merely asserting That a
mistake has been made in stating the manner OF
division OF the spoil. II is OF little consequence to
the pubic now the parties apportion the excessive
rates between them. 1t Is OF far more interest to
discover that they have been imposing and collect
ing such eXorbitant rates.
2. Mr.. Orion attempts to meet the exposure OF
these overcharges for the land service on his lines
In the United States by asking attention to the re-
duced rates charged by the Anglo-Amerlcan Com
pany ior messages sent on government account
This again IS avoiding tue issue. On careful
examination OF the quarterly bills which have been
rendered and paid here ocean cable service
find tnat the rates vary, being sometimes half tine
tarill charge sometimes more than the iul cnarge,
depending apparently IN part, but not entirely,
upon the TACT whether tie messages were alto
getner, or any por ion OF them, In cypher; But
what has this TO do with the rates. doubled, or
more than doubled over the wires vi the Western
Union company Nothing whatever. And
his own express language. when he says,
INSTEAD OF the rate OF four shillings and three
pence word, London to Washington, the State
Department pays only two sLlllings and three
pence" Thus showing that even II a reduction Is
made to the government Ii is only on the cable
service from England to America and does not ap-
ply to the excessive rates collected here for the
use of the lines in the United States.
As to messages coming the other way-that is,
'from washington or other points in the United
States to be transmitted by the cable TO England"-
have in my former letter TO you distinctly stated
that ~ have no means OF knowing whether they
subjected to the same OF similar Overcharges or
not" Any reference, therefore, in Mr.. OrtOn's
letter to messages from the United states to Eng
land uuCalieu Tor and could have been intro
duced only lor the purpose OF withdrawing atten-
tiOn from the real issues.
plant embodied IN my letter TO you. IT was
complaint first brought to my knowledge by re-
who had discovered that they were thus imposed
upon in being compelled to pay, in addition 10 the
heavy cost for the transmission OF their kilograms
across the ocean, rate OF charge FOR their pass
ing over the wires in the United States greatly
in excess OF the charges regularly made in
tiOn. could not But thought, as others con.
cerned did, that anything thus injurlousy and un-
@ Gep a1a rpa
intimate and constant relations as Great Britain
and the United states was well worthy OF investl-
CATION, aud exposure, II need be, with view to
correction OF the wrong.
am glad to find that my movement in this
direction has been successful.
In replying to and denying-not the essential
charge, but matters entirely collateral to the main
fact-the President OF the Western Union Company
has made admissions and furnished Information,
showing most clearly the existence OF the unfair
and extortionate practice complained Of
Before proceeding to verify this, furnish and
refer TO- and request to have appended and made
part OF this communication, the tariffs OF charges
Of the Anglo.American Company and OF the Western
Union Company respectively, as of1cially published
by them in this country and in the United States.
believe no change, or no material change has
and have assumed them, therefore, as the basis OF
my computations. With these tariffs before you
you Will be better able to follow and comprehend
my comments and figures.
First, then, let us see what ls actually exacted
and collected IN England Tor Transmission OF mes
sages over the wires of the Western Union lines to
points beyond New York. If the tariff the Anglo
American Company be anayzed it will be found
that the whole OF that service beyond New York is
divided mot into three as Mr. OrtOn says, butt into
five rates or classes OF charges. These rates are,
for every word, including the date, address and
names OF the sender and receiver
l. Three pence, being equal to e:e51 cents. for
each word for all stations within the District Of
Columbia, Delaware, Maryland New Jersey, Penn
city.
q Mine pence, equal to 2os7 cents, for each word
DIANA Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi,
North Carolina, Ohio South Carolina, Tennessee,
Lake City. St. Marks and Tallahassee in Florida.
g. one shtUiga0, equal to 1888 cents, for each
word, for Pensacola, in Florida.
word, for all stations in Arizona Arkansas, Gail
1ornia, Colorado, Dakota, Idano, Iowa. Kansas,
Mexico, Texas, Utah, wyoming, and ali places In
Missouri except st. Louis.
8. Ttco shtutngs. equal to $500 cents, for each
ritory and all places in Florida, except Lake City,
st. Marks, Tallahassee and Pensacola.
Now, comparing these charges with those which
are given in the tarln or the Western Union Com
pany the same service. 1t will be that they
are IN the average a. nave ea d0u1 or
the same lines and to the same points at home.
In considering these extortionate overcharges,
letter explained that the excess is made greater
by the fact that names, dates and addresses are
il may be Claimed % that these several Charges
per wOrd-three pence, nine pence, one shilling,
fifteen pence, two shillings-do not amount at
great distances from New York to double the
charge, or in some instances to even q much as
the charge, made by the Western Union Company
at home but then let it be specially noted that the
charge OF three pence word, which Is very near
seven cents, additional to the ocean Charge is I'M
posed for all that territory which lies within the
places in New York outside of the city. Within
this area are included the cities Of Broosyn Jer
wilmington, Baltimore ard Washington. Within
this area Is transmitted and distributed doubtless,
q very large proportion of the whole business in
telligence which passes by cable from England to
the United States
The regular charges of the Western Union OF
orally 25 80 20 cents for the first ten words
and only to cents per word for all over ten
words.
Take, for example, Philadelphia. The difference
Is so much tnat have been informed by leading
DanKlnB mouse tnat luSteau OI ScOulnR telegramS
through from here to that city, they send only to
New York, and have their agent there transmit
them thence to Philadelphia. This, in large bus-
ness is great saving.
But these calculations can be readily made by
any one having the aid OF the accompanying two
tables OF charges. 1t Is not necessary, therefore,
to repeat instances by way ofillusration.
My computations in this as in my former letter,
are made on the basis OF lU9 for exchange and IFS
for gold.
The fact of such excessive charges demanded
and received by the AngO-American Company for
that portion Of service performed by the Western
Union Company, stands proved then, beyond all
question or denial
NOW, what is Mr.. Orton's defence? AS lhave
before said he does not controvert what is thus
alleged. He undertakes to show that the Western
Union is not implicated or sharer In these exces.
sive rates. He SAYS
There than thousand telegraph stations in
the United States and being impractcable to supply
European offices with tariff each OF such stations
this country is divided INTO four districts each OF
81 per word between England and New York includes
eight word payable to the Western Union Tele-
graph Company for their part OF the service The rates
bcy ond New York For all sta tons Jersey
Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and District OF
Columbia three cents a word For ali other
tsrri of MlssssipDi incl ths