New-York tribune., 1873-01-18

aud the development business carries tho develop
capacity Of iat wire t then becomes necessary 10 du
pcate the entire investment less the cost OF ue poes
Now, on this point let mo make remark concerning tho
most unfortunats errors which the Postmaster Gen.
erai has permitted uniformed person 70 put
! upon him and upon the country with oiicial san,
tOn. He states thar the coat for additional wires ~
$50 per milo: Now The smallest Of wfrc we use
IN the port OF NewYork I0 cents per pound Itreqres
very little Lnewlcdgsof arithmetic to show taIt tho
ton OF making telegraph. Is about $50 mile Aud
then when IL - Transporting the wire
OF at least 1000 mics over me UMted States hnDdres
OF the backs Of pack horses 70 the place where
H. IA u be erected tOgefhcr with tho insulator
arms tools and other rcqui tc appliances for ereCtng.
must confess my surprise a. tue declaration Of tbo
Postmaster General IA an onflal document that ad
wires bo erected ~ he United states at
cost ~ tD a mile - A., -. ,,,,, a, -,
fro, yoyr sftetnent tunderS;and y0p - that tho
Western Union TeiegrIph Company would probably
NJ about a on Oco haf snd "a mile, which not
very the estimate OF the Postmaster General
Tine Postmaster General WIN toe du'S Oh - ''S@
Tbe Chairman 10 Mr. o,vtonD--old msunderstlnd
Mr. Orton--You did not mi'snderstand me was not
trying he exact wnen spoke ~ tue cost A. D.ing
which the Western Union Company would make. la tbs
erection of 25OD mile. of new telegraph wire prop
would be contributed by railroad companies We aro
building good zeal of tine eyery year a, tne cos OF oar
COMPANY OF pnly WIRE nslatOra. ana tnstrumobts
the poles being provided and AL t'e labor pet0rne1 ef
cept tnat OF eompetent foreman by the rairoSh com
syey ours for use IN transmitting messages iOt to pu
We ~ y & we ",S IT, NV en- Se ,r,ni,on Of he iaii
road COMPANIES perform service for them on osher
hines. While, therefore, tine addition OF 1000 miles OF
wire might not be- eutered ~ costing tine West
em Union Company IN ca,h invested a the
cost might DE twice much, thu balance being
contributed by railroad companies charged 10 prOhs
aoii loss Tne addition OF a single wire may aud fro
unenty does involve the necessity Of the reconstruction
entire line, nclntng the provision Of new pOes or
larger carrying capacity In that case tue cost 10
Company additional
would be- charged "a construction. the other expenses
being put profit loss although the yaiuo
OF the whole ne nss increased oeyOnd OF
the additional wire. Bur when the additional wire has
been erected NJ many operators are required 70 operate
Il m n it were The only that route. II takes Just
mluy operators to operate second wire a. 70 did iOr
first wire and IL Will transmit as much matter AZ mo
first one did that the expense, In connection with the
increased volume OF business keeps proportional vita
the increased volume; wnile every time the Increase
reaches a certain figure must duplicate the invest
ment perhaps not absolutely, nut we must make very
suppose that when the traffic of a railroad reached
figures 10 became necessary to lay down new
track aud separate STAFF ior each department OF is
operations, you Will see IN moment that very large
increase IN business might become great mifOrlune
has been Ouud by our friends VINO nave sought thc
favor OF the puzzle IN competition win the western
Union Telegraph Company by reducing ther rates ta.
tne short and sure road to obstruction Ahi
also quite satisfied with the result OF that expert
ence since tne difference in own reycnue- by tho
larger rates enable us 20 provide the additional wir
which. being provided constitute the ablty OF mo
stronger Company always 10 compete successfully Win
single remark more. t true that all tho teIe-
graphs M the country could be reproduced tOi ton OF
eleven millions of dollars would not thdt Tact alone Az
ford ample protection to the people OF the United ses
any severe oppression on tne part Oi egIaPn
Companies l. any danger To the people Oi Lns
United states from COMPANIES whose prVpsiy 9an De
duplicated for small sum OF money! Bnt, wnetnet
It millions or nfty millions or whatever the sun,
may be, there Is no business OI ukc geuerai
that can be estab shed comparatively snil cap
itaI A single wire between New-fork and Washington
governs the tan On 80 Ts Seoye 'IS now ' Working into
Washing gtOn-a line Of one wresh0uld elect tOOrlOw
TO reduce the rate between New YORK ana Waslison M
onehalf II would be necessary ior te western Os,on
Company follow in that reduction iOf athouSn, wo
did not follow. the public would be OBLIGED sun 10 gvo
the majority OF business at the nlgher rate Mr.
Thurston would inevitably get all he c9uo possibly 1S
by that ne and the fact that he Wiling " do All no
could at that rate would undoubtedly ehaDe nun W so'
the capital necessary 10 put up additional wires ana 90
step by step, difference DetWeen the TWO Woulu us
appear and unless came down to the same rate We
should ultimately lose our business.
The General-I have only one or two gen.
eral remarks to make III reply To MT Ort0n. In my
presentation of the question with regard 10 tue osa.
telegraph certain OF one thlng-that nave nor had
particle feeling for or against any Company nave
been looking solely to the pubic interest nave aos
blast its prospects the future TO Interfere with any
lust that may be awarded to 1t Tor It's prop
erty contrary, nave made my statement only
repeated solicitations from people Oh an grades o,
society some ric1, some poor SoIe e @ ~ c % n a
West and tat TOO, afer Congress ltseI hau In.
auguraed and carried out two OF three aOoiouS ana
Tie distinguished President Of the Western Union
Complain VINO seems 70 pe x e91 Bnse
~ deal somewhat facetously with the report OF tho
Postnaster-GeneraI and rather to express himself in
terms of commisseration weakness therein dis
played He has been especially severe upon the nstrti
nent that have seen proper TO Now admit that
nave had very advantages In preparing this state
ment have not had one dollar OF public money at my
disnosa except that which can by the assignment
of single clerk in the department to gather informa
ton have avaied myself OF the services OF Mr Lines
cerned it Will pare favoraby with that Of any gentle
PRESENT. going TO say with tnat OF d Mr Orton
offensive. But Mr. Oron has seen proper 70 designate
many of my statements the mere VapOrlngs oi an
ignOTamus who has been permitted 10 snleld hilnsct
behind the dignity Of high officer NOW, IN the nrst
place say TO this committee tha 80 iar ~ G 0 % uis T
OF my office is concerned do not look 10 MI Oton or
TO any the face OF the earh 10 prOect Us
Shield it, or 70 guide me how snail tTeat IT, IN .1 @
discharge of my official duties shall Simply exercise my
proper discretion earlessly toward MT Orton lndyid-
@a OF @ a' But to present ali the
that may apply on THIS subject IN All its nsnr
neopIe but TO be fair ana than Iusto be liberal
to the members of those corporations VINO nave hereto
heen Invested i'm tne various lines. AT the time
wish 10 be understood that mere temper IN ths tnne
will not guide my action. as am sure II Will not goo
yours. All that we seek to get at Il Ine truth ~ @ 10
that we want ascertain exactly where we sand pre-
scsIy how much money they have invested; and when
that ascertained the public mind Will DE prepared 10
say whether tue Government VIII paiehase thesc noS
Now. we have listened to two hours Grafton from
Mr. Orton, and we have not had from him solitary
word gong show what the expenditures OF the West
ern Usion Telegraph Company have been, nothing but
mere general declaration which would not be regarded
in court OF justice worth button appeal 70 any
Gentleman here who in the habit OF trying cases N ho
would for moment dream Of allowing witness TO re-.
tire from the stand after giving his own general
opinions and declarations, and studiously conceang
every ract. What have asked for In TINS report u
simply this not that my statements should be
taken as facts: 1 have presented them a. tho
nearest approximation TO facts which the means nc my
command enabled me 10 make ana ask the committees
To consider the statements which have been enabledto
present 10 themstatements all made In good fath-and
then do what think prudent men ought always 10 90
before engaging In great work tand especially gen
temen like yourselves. acting In representative ca
nacty as members the American Congress- that IL
simply to appoint commission Of the best men that We
can designate in the land with ample power 70 ascer
rain precisely how many miles OF wire these gentlemen