The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1885-12-20


The following application OF q new telegram com
pany to be heard BY the Senate Committee on Post
ounces anu Post Roads, which has the Edmunds
ceived some days ago:
New YORK, December IA, 1855.
non. i. Conger, Chairman Senate Committee on
iosf OWces and Post Roads, Wusht.,o,on, D. C.:
DEAR SIR: Since your committee during the last
session OF Congress took testimony and heard argu-
ment on Mr. Edmunds's bill to provide for The es.
tablishment OF postal telegraph Important dis
coveres Inventions, and improvements have been
made IN what Is commonly called "machine ele
grapny." Tnese developments OF the past wear have
greatly altered the conditions precedent 10 the es
adjustment OF The lines which you are called upon
to consider in reporting on the same measure ms in
PRODUCED by Mr.. Edmunds, ana the evidence bsiora
you, elaborate as 1t Ia, is incomplete without the
facts as to those recent changes.
may say. without going Isto details that ,hesn
changes embrace;
l. The manufacture OF a compound wire of sin
strength double that OF steel aid an eeeirca ep nnp
ductiviiy seven or eight times greater than INA, OF
me iron wire In ordinary use. BY the employment
Of this combination wires OF less than halt Tie size
OF the wires IN present use can be utilized IT can
De employed with rap,l,ty and accuracy In circuits
OF almost unlimited length across the continent If
II. Anlmprovement and slmpltncation in machine
telegraphy as previously used, by which an operator
Is enabled TO transmit over the wire above described
al least 800 words per minute over circuits of as ono
miles; 900 words per minute over circuits OF IOo0
miles, anu az practically unlimited speed over
shorter circuits one such wire with this slmpioed
machinery can DO the work OF sixty iron wires ope.
rated by hand over the longest circuit practicable
with any iron conductor. The whole cost OF teIe
graphic outit In comparison with the best Of existing
sys,ems VIII De at least Nifty per cent less while the
cost OF transmission is not more than one fifteenth
IL IS perfectly practicable to transmit the entire
contents o. any New York daily paper to san Fran
cisco IN three hours time at Of 81 so; or TO ac
commodaie the entire commercial correspondence of
the two coasts at an Insignificant cost In view of the
saueu anu a'so as compared with present rates
gaming under the laws OF this State, with capital
SUFFICIENT TO build lines across the continent for the
purpose OF utilizing these inventions in transmitting
letters, etc 1t will probably be incorporated before
the close Of the present year 1t has been the design
o. tne projectors from the Inception OF this enter
General Government and their desire has been aug
h Esmens ~ ri, tie PROMPT OF NJ
to apply to your committee for a hearing before
reporting on the bill before you. II 1t Will he in
Ime TO De heard after January next these gentle
from corporate body; II 1t is necessary TO submit
facts and Arguments previous to that date. they ask
1ectors most familiar with the details of the new
system they control. Wv ~"
Il shall be in Washington almost Immediately after
the receipt by you of this COMMUNICATION and viii
take the liberty of applying in person Tor anv
response there may he to this application Very re-
specuuily' WILLIAM F. q. SHANKs,
President and General Manager
Mr. shanks on Friday arranged with Senator
Conger, OF Michigan, chairman OF the committee, for
an early nearing. Mr. ShankS says that COmpany
with capital OF s., OOO goo is being formed, incudips
prominent New York and San Francisco capitalists
and Journalists, and that the company controls alI
the patents Tor the wires and machinery for this
country ,na ana England: Inc company will build two
wires TO san Francisco within the next two years
capable Of accommodating the entire commercial
correspondence between the two coasts Including
English and Australian communications, practically
shortening mail communication with the East and
west by seven days time at cost of not more than
nall cent per word. The lowest present rates be-
third cents per word. The preparation OF dcspaches
Tor rapid transmission are SO much simpiled by
new machinery that merchant may prepare their
SO that the privacy OF communication will be as
absolute as II Is by mail The great difficulty here
OF low resistance wires impervious to heat OF cold
and TO gavanc action between the steel aud conner
Of which they were made. This il entirely obyiated