The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-10-01
rELEaRAPHIC OUrRAGEs.
How The western Union Tries 90
Prevent the Building Of Rival

Prevent the building Of Rival
Lines.
Philadelphia Times
A good deal ofindgustion has been cauaed
in financial and business circles in this city
recently, and particularly within the past
few days. by the outrageous and unlawful
conduct of certain agents and employees ofthe
Western Union Comp in endesvoring to
prevent the construction of the Bankers and
Merchants Telegraph Company's line be,
tween this city and New York. The Bank.
ers' and Merchants company was. formed
some time ago, aud ia composed
almost exclusively of bankers and
brokers in this city and New York
for the purpose of protecting them
selves against the great Western Union mo-
nopoly. The stock is all held by certain
number of well known bankers and mer-
chants, each of whom owns an equal number
of shares As all the members
of the company are compelled
in their business TO use the teleN
graph to great extent, and were men who
could not be bought off, the Western Union
has used every means in their power, talr
and foul, to prevent the construction. VIM,
NJ. Maris, of the banking house OF Marls Y
Smith, and president Of the BaHkers' and
Merchants Telegraph Company, recounted
yesterday some of the means employed by
the Western Union TO prevent the construc-
ton of the line. We have, he said, con.
structed our line from Jersey City to Stock.
ton, on the Delaware river. We intended
to cross the river at Lambertyllle, but
when the Western Union heard of it they
went ahead of us and bought up the right
of way through the town. Then when they
learned that we we're going to cross at Stocks
ton they went TO the owners Of the bridge
there aud offered them $1,000 for the exclu-
sive right to run wires across the bridge.
Failing in this, they tried to buy the bridge.
They have tried in every mean and sneaking
way to prejudice the people OF New Jersey
against us TO prevent us from getting right
Of way, and they have offered poor laboring
men 500 piece to chop down few OF our
poles. They have in the night chopped
down our poles in several places, leaving
gaps in the line between jersey City aud
Stockton. We have had a man named
McAleer, said to be a superintendent of con-
strucliou for the Western Union, and another
OF their employees named Bradford, arrested
and held in $1,000 bail on charge OF con-
spiracy.
LAST Saturday night four of their men at
tackled our inspector near Stockton, drove
him of and then chopped down twenIy-tbree
of our poles. We did not succeed in CATCH
ing them. We have not as much capital as
they have They have $50, 100000, although
agood deal of il is water. But we can get all
the money we want and we don't mean to
DO triaed with. We have the law on our
side and we shall use it. Our line would
be completed to this city wishin thirty days
but for the dastardly ouirsges perpetra-
ted upon us in tho darkness of the night
by men in the pay of the Western Union
Company.
MIR. Maris ssid that while the prime object
of the company was TO relieve its members
from the eXtortionate charges otthe West
ern Union, yet they would take all the out
side business that came to them and would
establish offices in the city wherever they
would pay. He also said that tho company
intended to extend its lines to Boston and
Washington,