Daily Kennebec journal., 1883-08-31
THE LABOR C0nnrTrEE.
Bloody War With Monopoly Prophe.
sied-The Western Union De.
tended and Exi0lleA.

NEW YORK, Aug. 3O.
The Senate subcommittee on labor and
education resumed its session today.
Robert Taylor insisted that if a blow was
not struck at monopoly before the expiration
of ten wears one of the bloodiest revolutions
that ever occurred would happen.
DIR. Norwin Green testified he had been
president Of the Western Union company
about five years. He had, whenever the
company compelled him, put wires under
ground 1t would result in detriment to pub
lie service. The Western Union had alb
sorbed large number of smaller companies
In respect to telegraph service the witness
said there was no such telegraph service in
the world as in the United States. After the
experiment of ing wires underground be-
tween Washington and Baltimore the plan
was abandoned and the pole system adopted.
At the time the witness went into business
the lines had been extended in the south and
west. but not one of these lines had paid
dividend. The New York, Albany and Buffa-
10 line paying three per cent. and one or
two other lines Welded small percentage.
Telegraph property in 1856 began to yield
dividend.
Heavy expenses were incurred in running
their offices and caring for their lines aud the
public seemed slow in approaching the diti
culties under which the telegraph companies
labored. In every instance when there was
consolidation of companies it has been
positive gain to the public.
The witness asserted they could do busi-
ness much cheaper if they adopted the Eng
lish pOst-othce system and took their own
time to do it, and he was satisfied there was
no telegraph service in the world as perfect
as that of the Western company.
The capital stock of the company was $780,
ONO 900 In the uf his fpStimnnv
Green spoke of the franchises they owned in
railroads along which they had a right of
way, and explained to the committee that
railroads had the use of certain wires for the
conduct of their trains and the portion of the
business as pays for such franchise. The
railroad had their own operators and used
the company's wires or had a separate wire
for the starting and management of their
trains. The witness said that their line was
eight per cent. on capitalization of $780,
600; their contracts with railroads run from
20 to 30 years. The service they do us, said
DIR. Green, was of great utility to US, but of
small percentage to the railroads. The Bell
patent was once offered to the Western Union
company for 100000. Now it was reported
to be worth S20,000,000. The Western
Union company was constantly buying
patents.
DIR. Green resumed his testimony. Four
6fths of the Western Union operators had
been office boys and messengers. The aver
age salary paid to their employees is SO
month. A large number of their lady opera
tors were educated at Cooper's institute at
the expense of the company, about sixty op-
orators year being turned out. Tho average
wages of Western Union operators is from
S68 to $75, and that Of all the operators in
the country from S64 to 800 month. The
witness denied the assertion of the New
York Times that none of their operators re-
ceived more than $50 a month, and added
that the operator receiving the the Times
specials gets $50 a month for five hours
work and S65 in the produce exchange for
five hours work, making Sl55 month. The
operators here get twice as much pay as in
England, but they do more work.
He thought the strike should have been
won by the company at any cost. The Gould
system of railroads in its effects to obtain
first class operators forced up wages beyond
the market value of service rendered. The
general rates on all their lines had been
gradually reduced. The tendancy of wages
is upward, and they were never higher than
now.
Next week Senator's Pegh and George will
take testimony in New England. and Sena-
tors Blair and Call will remain here