The semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1882-1886, 1883-12-22
The POSTAL

The POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
Notwithstanding the adverse opin'
ion of the President, bills for thu
construction of a Postal Telegraph tx
be owned and run by the Govern
ment will be introduced in the pres
ent session of Congress. The ont
! that seems to meet with the most IA
vor among the advocates of such q
measure is the revised bill which
Observation-Disclosures, of Kansas
introduced i'll the last session of Con
gress. This bill, according to the
late press dispatches. authorizes the
Postmaster General to const: uct
niaintain and operate three main
lines Of telegraph, the northern tc
extend from Bangor, Me-, to st.
Paul, the central line from New
York to Topeka, and the southern
line from Baltimore to San Antonio.
The northern main line will be 1920
and the branches 1861 miles-tota]
1881, the central line 1887 miles,
branches 878-total 2415, the southern
line 500 miles, branches 1418-totai,
2314;; grand total 9l10 miles. At the
maximum cost of $500 a mile, it will
cost $3,6l4,O0O.
1t is pro vided that all telegraph
which since 1865 have been or shall
be constructed by the Secretary of
War for the use of the army shall be,
when no longer needed for military
purposes, transferred to the Postmas-
ter-General for the use of the Postal
Telegraph, and shall be a part there
of; also, that where a junction can
be made with the wires of any rail-
road or telegraph company which
has received a grant of public lands
bonds or credit OF the United States,
the Postmaster General may use his
discretion to cause the connections of
the Postal Telegraph Herewith, and
all postal telegraph messages shall be
transmitted over said wires at Gov
eminent rates, and in the manner
prescribed by the law. This bill
gives a list of all such grants.
The bill also authorizes the Post
master General to connect the wires
of the Postal Telegraph with those of
company which accepted or may
accept the provisions of the Act IF
"a, 1866, entitled "An Act to aid
in the construction of telegraph lines
and secure the Government the use
Of the same for postal, military or
other purposes" The bill further pro-
vides for the issuance by the Secreta-
~ of the Treasury of $4,000, 600 in 8
per cent. bonds of 81 each, redeema-
BILE at option in ten years, not to run
more than thirty years, to be offered
for sale upon the market at New
the proceeds of their sale to be
applied to the construction and equip
nent of the Postal Telegraph by the
Postmaster-General, who shall hold
reserve Of such bonds as a
over the cost of construc-
ion, as may lie necessary to meet the
interest for five years. Ample pro.
Vision is made for the redemption of
he bonds. The capital thereof shall
reimbursed by the profits and all
iscal details shall be properly ar
anged, in ~consonance with the
ules Of the Treasury Department.
Local offices are to he nndar the
ontrol of the Postmaster General, |
nd stations will be established only
n Government postoffices. Provi-
ion is made for compensating post
masters in proportion to the number
+ telegraph stamps used. Stamps
hall be procured and sold the same
s postage stamps. The Postmaster
shall have full lower to
rates, aud is authorized to
stablish telegraph or telephone lines
etween main and sub-postoffices in
lie same or adjacent cities or between
ny station and those patrons who
ill pay the cost of such lines or fur
ish their own. The various lines
III branches provided for in the bill
rike every capital city east of the
ocky Mountains and every city
here the free delivery mail system
Is been established.
There is no question that this bill
ill be pressed, not only by the advo-
ties of saak.a measurefp4s either
ouse, but receive the support
an immeiS lobby composed of the
'st arlnysSW place hunters that f.,
'arm at t6e.Uapital every winter
is a rich field for them to cultivate {
ID no etfort;will be spared to make ,
a profitable one. The bill may find ,
1gment in the Senate, but will be :
)st summarily disposed of in the '