The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1884-03-22
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
AbstrRst of Bill Presented 60 the CorsaKait
SEQ On Post OHices.


WASHINGTON, March 21.-A subcommittee
OF the Senate committee on post offices, hav-
Ing several postal telegraph bills under consid-
GRAFTON, has formulated bill Of which the
following is an abstract:
The Postmaster General shall establish tele-
graph tffices at all post offices telegraph
circuits, and at all other post offices within
ten miles OF any such circuit where the salary
of the postmaster is uot less than $500 per an
mum. The office of Fourth Assistant Plst-
master General is created. Such an officer
shall be a competent electrician to exercise
general power OF management over the
Geographic system hereby established.
Charges ior the transmission of kilograms, ex-
ceptlng service and government kilograms,
Shall Do prepaid by telegram stamp or b.
postal.
Telegraph cards and maximum rates for
telegTams of twenty words or less shall be as
follows: When distance of transmission is
1000 miles or under, 20 cents; when over 1000
or under 1000 miles, 40 cents; for all greater
distances, 90 cents; for telegrsms directed to
be transmitted by night under 1000 miles, 10
cent; for greater distances, % cents. Ali
words shall be counted, and for every five ad-
ditional words or less, one fifth addi- ional rate
shall be charged; that charges for transmission
OF special kilograms to newspapers aud COM
merclal news associations for each 1000 words
or less, for each circuit of 1000 miles,
shall not excsed fifty cents ii sent
et night, and one dollar during the day; but
when copies of the same telegram are dropped
on al one or more offices, the rate for each of
flee shall not exceed 30 cents at night aud rs
cents during the day, and at the same pro rata
rate for each word in excess. Postmaster Gem
erals shall provide telegram stamps and stamp
ed paper of suitable denominations to be sold
as postage stamps are now sold. The Post
master General shall cause to be issued postal
telegraph cards of the denomination of 10
cents, 20 cents, 25 and 40 cents, and 80 cents on
one side, and spaces sha be ruled for the writ
ing of the postal telegraph messages The
money order system now in operation in the
Post Office Department shall be adapted to
postal telegraphs The Pos master General is
hereby author zed and directed to advertise
for three mouths in two Of the daily news
papers published in such of the cities as WASH
ington, Baltimore, Phisdelphis, New York,
Boston, Chicago and st Louis, for sealed pro-
posals from any telegraph company or compa-
nies for the transmsson OF correspondence by
telegraph, according to the provisions of this
act, and shall contract with the lowest respon-
sible bidder to perform in whole or in part the
telegraphic service or services by this act pro-
vided for.
Said company shall have the right to con-
struct lines on all post routes, and shall pro-
vide lines of telegraph to every postal office IN
the reqaest of the Postmaster General.
The Postmaster General Is authorized to ad-
vertise for sealed proposals either to sell exist
ing telegraph lines and franchises TO the gov
ernment, or to construct four new telegraph
trunk lines for the government, SO located and
arranged as to connect northeastern north
western, western and Southwestern and south
ern parts of the United States with the city OF
Washington, and if upon investigation any OF
such proposals either to sell existing lines or TO
construct new lines for lhe government are
deemed fair and reasonable, the Postmaster
General will report the same to Congress at its
next session for acceptancs or rejection.
In the event no existing or hereafter organ
lied telegraph COMPANY will contract for the
performances of the service by this act provided
for and at rates herein before specified or less,
and in the event no satisfactory proposition,
either TO sell existing lines or contract for con-
struction OF new ones for the government,
shall be submitted on or before the % h day OF
Now, 1884, then there shall be established
postal telegraph system within the United
States in the manner and by the means follow
ing:
board consisting of the Secretary OF State,
Secretary oi War and Postmaster General
shall cause to be located and ARRANGED four
trunk lines Of postal telegraph, conn citing the
Northeastern, Northwestern, Western and
Southwestern and Southern paris of the
Unjtsd States with the city of Washington.
The Secretary of War, with the approval of
the President, is authorized and directed to
locate the lines and to take aad use for the
right of way such lands, tenements and
heredita.nents as shall be necessary for the
pUrpose, aud pay such compensation therefor
as shall be deemed reasonable; and in case an
agreement cannot be made wi b the persons or
corporations owning such properties, whether
municipal or others, in respect to such COM
pe1sation such person or corporation is hereby
authorized TO file petition for ascertainment
of such just conversation in the court Of
claiais of the Unlled States.
The Secretary of War is hereby authorized
and directed, with the approval Of the Pres-
dent of the United S ates, to construct or take
and use sll such machinery, appliances, de-
vices and materials, not including telegraph
lines owned by persons or corporations, whether
patented or not, as shall 20 deemed necessary
for the convenient aud successful establish
ment and operation OF said lines.
The board of civil service commissioners
fitness of all clerks, electricions and operators
who may be employed in said service and there
BY is appropriated out of any money in the
treasury MT otherwise appropriated the sum of
50 600, 900 for the purposes hereinbefore in
this ACT mentioned for the fiscal year ending
June 80, 1885, for the working and operation
of said lines AS part of the postal system OF
the United States which shall re under the
charge and direction of the Postmaster Gener-
al in the postoffice establishment of the Uni
ted States.
Nothng in this act shall be construed to pro-
hibit individuals or corporations from carry
ing on the business of operating telegraph
lines. The bill has been submitted to the
full committee aud will be taken up for con-
sderation in few days.