Morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven [Conn.]) 1848-1894, 1884-04-05
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.

The Postal Telegraph-An Adverse Report
by the House Comnnittee-But RecOTn-
mended by the Senate Committee.
WASHINGTON, April 4.-The House Com
mites on Pestofices and Post Roads to-day
adopted the following:
Resolved That is the of th!seommittes that
1t is ineIpedient for the government either to
struct postal or purchase any existing line OF tse
graph.
The vote on the resolution was as follows:
Yeas Money, Reese, Ward, Cosgrove, Riggs,
Rogers, James q. Jones of Texas, and
Waksfield-8. Nays, Bingham and Peele-2.
The committee will now take up for consi-
Iteration the several bills providing for
contract system of telegraphy similar to that
proposed by the representatives of the
Maekey Postal and Gable company.
The Senate Committee on Postofices to day
authorized its chairman, Mr.. Hill, to report
with favorable recommendations the postal
telegraph bill finally agreed upon by the
committee. The measure is entitled ga bill
to establish postal telegraph system" 1t
authorizes the postmaster general to adver-
tise for sealed proposals from any telegraph
company for the transmission of corre-
spondence in accordance with the provisions
of the bill and to make five
years contract with the company
Offering the most favorable proposition
The contracting company or companies are
to be allowed four years time within which
to construct acquire, or put in operation
additional wires necessary to connect all post
Offices in places where there are telegraph
Offices and service at the time of passage of
the act The bill requires the government
to provide for the reception and delivery of
postal kilograms and also furnish the neees-
gary Office room for the contracting compa-
MES and after deducting three cents for each
message transmitted is to pay the remainder
to the company. The bill also pro-
vides that the companies may establish
and maintain at their own expense additional
Offices outside of those contemplated by the
bill The maximum rates fixed by the bill
are as follows: When the distance is one
thousand miles or under, twenty cents for
twenty words; for every two hundred and
fifty miles or fraction in excess OF one thou
sand miles, an additional rate of five cents
shall be charged; for kilograms directed to
be transmitted by night under two thousand
miles fifteen cents, for greater distances
twenty-five cents. All words to be counted
and for every i've additional
words or less one fifth additional rate.
For newspaper and commercial news assoela-
ton dispatches the rates are: For each 100
words or less, thirty~fve cents If sent at
night and seventy-five cents during the day,
and ct the same pro rata rate In excess or
hundred words; but when copies OF the same
disnatch are dropped at one or more Offices
the rate for each drop shall not exceed
twenty-five cents at night and atty cents dur
ing the day and at the same pro rata rate for
each word in excess. For press dis
patches delivered in the same Office
Tor two or more newspapers, five
cents additional shall be charged
each newspaper for sach one hundred words.
The bill further authorizes the Postmaster
General to advertise for sealed proposals to
sell existing telegraph lines and franchises to
the government, which proposals If oonsid-
cred fair and reasonable are to be reported
pany offer to contract to perform
the services contemplated by tie bill.
and SHOULD no satisfactory proposition to
sell existing lines be submitted by the 25th of
construction and opera ton by the govern
nent of four trunk lines SO located as to con-
meet the northeastern, northwestern. western,
southwestern and southern parts OF the
Be carried on as part of the postal system
Of fhe country at the same rates fixed
| in that portion Of the bill pro-