New-York tribune., 1873-01-18

| IN. Ill
pretended the repsrt Of Mr. Chester has been can
begin to comprehend how such statement az that came
10 be made The committee Will pardon me Tor Gaming
attention again the fact that there two Statements
made In tue report that All tie telegraph properly IN
siOoOO0o secondly, that il be reproduced for
S11 $4,000 The only witness whom the Postmaster
Charles r. Chester OF SeSYdrs whose estimate is found
page l6o of the report Tue principal item In tnat
ticuiariy that il says duty jroc' Now, the duty
S e SS es Of % % per when ae sHs
| Company erected IN the year 1872 IT was oDiged
6s per cent less per since the ist of July last
think. In this estimate. then this principal item repre-
senting more than S6OO0OOO for wire duty Jree Now
committee will bear IN mind that this Is the witness
who presumptiyely, Is put upon tue STAND, not 70
prove the of the Postmaster Genera at least
TO justify its being made and Know 1t Will surprise
the committee. 1t surprised me- on examining Mr.
Chesters estimate in detail AMI on footing IL up
standing that its principal item representing more tnan
sO0O0O for wire duty free to nnd tnat tne Total
peat The POstmaserG General alleges That All tue eie
graph property m the United states oos s Ss m s
and pnts upon TIE stand "a witness whose estimate
cost an that witness testes that It would eighteen
| and one quarter militons OF dof1drS! r.. -, q, o
Mir. Haie-He It can be put up Tor ABOUT 20 per
Mr. Orton-Would not that % per cent be fully Offset
| Now, Mr Charnian propose 10 inquire concerning
the competency OF Mr.. Charles i. Cheser 10 DC OON
ernment witness u this trial. an indictment by the
Postmaster General OF the telegraph Companies 0i @ te
money in the development Business that has brought
less average return than any other public Investment III
| the country within the last six years.
Was there actively connected with inc telegraph
business no uupejudced person IN the United States
having knowledge Of the facts OF whom inquiry might
have been made and whose testimony would nave oeon
Mr Charles T. Chester never constructed but tele-
graph line and that built in the City OF Now YORK
within he last three years 1t Is the Fire Alarm Teie-
graph of that city. And we have had the curiosity to
investigate Mr.. Charles Il. ChesteTs Fire Alarm IeIe
graph have obtained from the Fire Department an
inventory the property which he pat into i ana from
Comptroller OF the CITY the bill which he presented To
lie erected G25 miles of wire and his bill for it on file
to-day In the Office of the Comptroller OF the CITY O new
York. is SSj00OD Now, at the rate that Mr. Charles l.
Chester, who offers 10 build line (Which the Postmaster
General says be built for siS00o0 for eighteen and
quarter million dollars II you Wll iet nun Import s
wire OF duty-at the rate which Mr. Charles J. Ches
charges the City OF NewYork the telegraph lines IN
tine United States would amount TO S2j5OOOVO Ihcre
were eighty miles OF poles. Ii we make the car
culaon on the basis Of the miles OF poles the result
would be nearly S5OOVIVOV but IL MS OIll Aos
$4,000 be audited the basis of his estimate OF
eiRhteen and quarter millions for system of telegraph
equal that in operation IN the United States. the
| Comptroller would pay him but s5,00!
Mr. Sargent-ls there not some difference in the num-
ber of instruments and their character between the FIRE
Alarm Telegraph and the ordinary business telegraph
which would account for some difference In the cost
thing very much less in proportion TO equip that
of telegraph than 1t does TO equip regular tele
! graph for commercial business.
Perhaps, Mr. Chairman as a specimen brick, this is
little better clearer, and more decided specimen than
shall be able 10 produce as We 20 through WIN te
other estimates and exhibits IN tthls report, and yet
! will he substantially the same.
But acquit the Postmaster General OF an intention to
do the telegraph business OF the United States so great
injustice as he has undoubtedly done IT, Ihs Is not
his work The young gentleman who has been permitted
20 the dignity of high oicerto shield himself while
making an assault ON private citizens and private
terprses is the same appeared before this commit
Tee session OF Congress as the volunteer adVo
! cate of the Government side of this question.
say acqut the Postmaster General OF an intention
to DO so great au injustice has been done, not only to
the companies, but, as submit very respecuuily 70
himself and his great office. But do ask that, In the
! further consideration Of tins question, by whatever
department of the Government some regard be paid to
the fact that there connected with the telegraph
cpSaged in it almost since its commencement; gentle
men of ripe experience, OF high character and whose
oninous and whose statements Of fact certainly Ell
titled to as much weight the gueSses OF hls clerk
who has been permitted in an Official document TO assa
private citizens and private enterprises III the na7 Vi
| the POstmaster-General. -
Let me say aword the question of value The tele
graph and railroad companies in the United states have
invested during the last Sr years. more cash IN the pro
ducon OF telegraph property than the gross sum named
in the report as the cost OF all the
Tne Cbairman-Do you mean by that that cash
capital has been invested in the actual structuref
| Tue Chairman--You exclude stock operatlonsi
Mr OrtonI exclude stock operations. mean exact
y what say: More cash has been invested in the pro-
| ducuon of telegraph property-not stock-out poles
wires Instruments apparatus, buildings, patents, &C.,
than the Postmaster Generals report states to be the
cost of all the telegraph property IN the country.
| Now the question which becomes necessary for this
committee to consider at the outset Is the eXpedency OF
the Government OF the United States enDarklng III the
| telegraph business.
|
4OOOOO)O The number OF messages sent by an the tee
graph lines In country In year Is less than 20 mil
lions This fact therefore, appears that OF every two
persons in the United states, one OF them once IN year.
has to send telegraph message at the average
cost sixtytwo cents or throne cents for each per
SON OF the 40 millions probably 80 millions never send
message at all, vet each one Of them must have, IN
and shelter. BY what right does the Government,
gained for the common benefit and maintained at the
common expense propose 10 tax the whole people OF the
United States for the convenience OF so small per cent
ace of the nopulation Is IL not strange and anon
|
an attack upon private parties ana property by depart
ceedng the acquisition Of their property aud for
embarSing the telegraph business at tine public ex
pense promote the convenience of mere handful OF
peope not one of whom comes here 20 complain or TO
ask for any relief while thousands and tens " thousands
are either homeless suffering for lack of food fuel
clothing, and for whose comfort the Government makes
| no provision whateveri
trust, Mr.. Chairman, that this Committee will be-
leye entirely sincere when say that neither on this
any former occasion have Intended TO be want
ih in that respect which is due members of the
Committee aud to the officers OF every department OF
the Government Of the United States Six years ago we
entered supposed into compact with the United
States either that We were TO be permitted to go on and
that Government would take our property at the
appraissnent of jury IN whose selection we should
mtted TO withdraw capital and invest 1t in other en-
| terprises Scarcely was the ink dry on the signature
gave validity TO that act before schemes were intro
duced into Congress aud have been pressed at every
session since which nave rendered 1t necessary for the
officers and representatives OF the telegraph 10 be in at
tendance Congress- under circumstances Of great per-
sona inconvenience, at very considerable expense and
they are connected. IT, therefore, have sometimes
hbited impatience, II is first because compelled
| always to be in hurry and, secondly, because have
felt as feel now that have been the injured party
and the aggressor that we have endeavod to keep
In good faith the compact into which entered the
invitation OF Congress and yet obi ged 10
here at every session 10 defend property busi
ness and management from unpr0voked assaults by
parties whose interests whose prejudees tempt them
10 suppress disor the facts who for lack OF knOw
edge and experience unable to comprehend them.
Let me ask, behalf of the property which repre-
sent and of the interests with which connected,
that some definite action be taken this subject at
session. due all the interests involved, well
81 no fhe honor and faith the Unifed Stntes