National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-01-20


J The Postmaster General. That would be thu
question with great many more people II theJ
had facilities, AMI II the telegraph was cheaT
enough to he within their reach.
the Chairman. Mr.. Brown, what Is your opin
ion upon that pont7
Mr.. Brown. My impression Is that tho expert
ence in some parts OF the country has been thai
reducing the rates has very vastly increased the
business, as In the West, for Instance. ! learned
from Mr. orion that putting the rate down to ten
cents between Chicago and Milwaukee increased
the business very vastly; hut my impression has
been that when man pays twenty-five or thirty
cents for cigar he does not care very much
| whether he paws Ave cents more or less for tel.
egTnph message.
Mr.. Palmer 90 Mr.. orton.) II cheapening rates
does not Increase the volume Of business, why dc
you cheaper rates7
Mr.. orion. Have been understood a. saying
that chespenng the rates did not increase the
volume Of buslness7
your argument was 10 show that II was the In.
crease OF facilities rather than the reduction Of
prices that brought an Increase OF business.
Mr.. orion. Both Of them tend undoubtedly IA
Increase the business, but believe that the de.
yelopment Of the telegraph depends more upon
the provision OF increased facilities than on the
reduction Of Understanding, Of course, that
the rates are not exorbtant and prohbtory, hut
taking the average rates they are to-day In the
| United States. And now, let mesuppOu this
The tariff between New York and Cincinnati six
years ago was o.. 30 message. Under the active
| competition inaugufated 10y the company OF
which M. Thurston Ia the president the rates
W NlsuNf tlsspt uhh Hlhll1 W w
cents. AT that rate the lines were operated for
| two years. The rates to intermediate places
were reduced correapondlngly, the rate betwoen
New York and PittshurR being 20 cents. On
the list Of May last, by previous agreement, the
rate between New YORK and cincinnati was ad-
yanced from 90 cents TO and between New
The year preceding the Western Union Telegraph
Company had very considerably Increased Its
faculties between New York, Pittsburg and
Cincinnati Inc increase IN the volume o. bust.
| mesa between the stations that route. UufinQ
the months Of May, June and July Of the pres
| ent year, aIter an advance OF from " 70 100 per
responding months In the previous years.
The Chairman. Had there been an increase in
| the faculties
| Nj. Ort0n. Yes; stated that as part OF my
| lac chairman, what was the percentage OF
the increased facilltiosf
| MT. Ortgn. ] cannot answer that very well.
The facilities between two such cities as New
YORK and Cincinnati do not depend upon the
| number OF wires on any one route, although that
route may be the one mainly used for the bust.
ness between those two stations. II Is the gen.
| eral increase OF facilities east and west on the
lines that are available between the two sections.
90 nos mean u. $1,000 70 say ,n .ne WAY 70 get larger
he ,etofore Ia to make a further increase In the
tariff. presume shall not be misunderstood In
nun, ~ sha nninnn hicS sInpss.sd az y, ~
law governing the development OF the telegraph
businessman, that II Is question OF facilities,
and that until ample facilities are provided for
the existing volume OF business there "a GER
| talnly no great inducement 70 make reduction
| OF rates. IL costs good deal OF money TO pro-
ylde those additional facilities. 1he western
Union Telegraph Company has erected within
the last two years wire OF unusual size In this
country-a number SIX gauge-between New
York and ChlGsEo Il u now completing one
between New YORK and Cincinnati OF the same
gauge, and has ordered another OF the same
gauge between Pittsburg and Chicago.
The chairman, Is there any other relation To
Mr.. Orion, The question OF strength does not
enter into the case at all. The distance, tclc-
graphically between two stations depends upon
bring New YORK aud San Francisco Geographic.
ally within the same distance as New York and
Boston, u you make me conductor large enough
On these larger conductors we are Introducing
stearns duplex system. We not only provide al
additional wire, but we equip II A. once with Al
apparatus which gives y double power. We
bring Cincinnati AMI New York nearer together
Geographically, and we make each wire equal Il
two.
IL am not wearylng the patience OF the com
mittee, would make statement or two fuTthe
IN THIS connection. IL Will cost for the wir'
which we contemplate erecting between New
YORK aud ~ Louis this spring at least tl0O, ZOO
Tor one additional wire. suppose, for iustra
ton, that there were but one wire between New
York and 81; Louis, and that y had been until re
cenlly capable OF transmitting the volume o.
business required to be transmitted between
, those two cities; but the inevitable growth, re
sutlng partly from the use Of the telegraph ant
partly from the increase OF population and the de
Velopment OF business, carries the development
OF telegraph hnAiless ten per cent. beyond III,
capacity OF mat wire, u then becomes neuessar!
70 duplicate me entire lnyestlhont, less tne COS
OF the poles. Now, on tins point let me make
remark concerning the most unfortunate error
which the Postmaster General has permitted Al
lnlnformed person 70 put upon nun anu npol
me country WIN oniclal SANCTION ne state
that the cost for additional wires Is $50 per mile
Now, the smallest gauge OF wire we nse-No. y
weighs SiO pounIs 70 tne miie, anu " u worth U
uay, IN the port OF new lOrk, luN cents pc
pound. IL requires very little knowledge o
arithmetic 10 show lhal the cost there, beIor
YOU nave vons,uereu Vey H -, .ne uueSnoh ~
then, when u COMES TO transporting the wire q
. average OF AZ least one thousand miles over IN
United states, hundreds OF miles on tne backs 2
: pack-hOrses TO the place where II lstO be erected
7 together with the insHiators, cross-arms, tool
and other requisite Appliances Tor erecting u,
must confess my surprise AZ the declaration 9
the Postmaster General, IN an oncial document
! States at cost OF w mile,
! The Chairman. have lust made o little hgul
Ing here from your Statements ! underslan
, you TO say that me western Union TelegraP
Y Company would probably erect next year Y1,Oc
additional miles o. wre' ~ cost Of about 200
~ , ra M estate Of the bSstmaster Gensts
the POSTMASTER GENERAL WIN the uuty on IL
less than w mile ~ o.,., MA, ,..,,.
! The Chairman 10 MT. ofton.l pld mlsunde
y stand you7
! was not toying 10 be exact when ! spoke OF n
: cost as being N,OoOOOO, and ] had IN my min
, only tue expenditure when the western Inlo
y company would make. IN the oreotun OF Ho,O
y miles OF new telegraph wire, IS probable ina
from one-third 70 oneIhali OF the TOTAL cost woul
y be contributed ~ railroad companies. we al
= building ROou ueal o. lhe every year ny the CO.
OF our company OF ohly tne wire, lnsulAtOrs az
instruments; the poles being prOvlueu anu all W
, ah0r performed except mat OF competel
foreman W tne ihnToan companies. let sue
: lines, Wheu completed, are rs exclusively ou
= Tor use IN transmitting messages Ior the pun
y as " we male tine entlIe investment necessary
4 create mem. w return LOT Tue contribution
y the railroad companies We perform service y
them on other inesi MhlleI tnereloFei the add
ZION OF saVyO iillcs ol WIZ inlgnI not ne enter,
Y ~ costing inc western lhlOh company IN ca,
Invested AZ the time more thAn tio 10 tna mile y
otalcostn ;ht tMce as Ihuon, lhe balance Deii
|, contributed ny railroad companiesy or charged
4 prOht anu loss. Lhe auultoh " single WI
y may, anu frequently uoes, lhVoNe tue heCessll
. OF the reconstruction OF the ehtIe llhe, lncludlI
the provision OF new poies OF larger carrying @
v paolty. IN That case the cost 70 the Westel
v Union Company OF Tue niultionAl Wiie only won
7, pc clArgei 70 oohsuNull3ll lne Vlner eApehs
y beng put 70 pIont a1u tqns qup9NntI hltnout
T. Inc value ~ We Mhole une nas neeH inclehs'
y farbeylhl thal ol inc hllltlOlal WIRE nut Wh,
tle AdultlOhhl wis HAS ueen eIvplel As mar
~ operators are required 70 operate fu u we
" the only wire on tnat route, " taxes Just
~ many operators 10 operate second wire Asl
~ " for the nrst wire, anu y VIII transmit as mu'
"a mayer as the nIht one dlu, so mat lhe expens
- IN cohISStlVh NlH VIZ lSFehseu Foiuhe OF pu