Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-07-23
THE WESTERN UNION.
ITS RULES AS TO DELIVERY OF MES
SkGES WITHIN THE CITY.
A Letter from Superintendent Tree in Re
spOnse TO n RESOLUTION Of the Cham
Der Of Commerce.
The Secretary Of the Chamber Of Com
merce yesterday evening received the fol-
lowing communication
WYsTERN UNION TFITGRArH Co..
SCFEKTNTESDENT's OFFICE.
RICHMOND. July q. 1889


SCrEKTSTESDENT's OPFICE.
RICHMOND July y. 1888. J
Dear Sir.-Y0urs OF the 18th instant, COW
cring preamble and resolutions adopted boy
the Chamber Of Commerce at their last
meeting would have met with an earlier
e.poneo but for nv absence from the city.
] quote them as follows:
Inasmuch aq the Western Union Tcle-
graph Company has q rule by which an ex-
ira charge is made for delivery ot kilograms
in certain sections OF the city: and whereas
in other cities this company not only dis
penecs with tins rule but establishes offices
for thc accommodation of such sections
therefore bC 10
"Reso'r,d That the Chamber requests of
the Western Union telegraph Company
such facilities as are due this city and are
afforded other cities
Tho question is-all things considered f.
whether the Western Union is giving the
city Of Richmond prOpOrtiOnatcly the same
, facilities 1t gives other critics.
II has been asccrtained that g per cont.
Of the tclcgrams transmitted by the West
crn Union are on mercantile subjects, 10
per cent. refer 20 newspaper reports, and
per cent. only 10 social or family matters.
The business centre of Richmond may
be described as lying between seventh and
Seventeenth and between Broad and IN"
| river. J mere is ilfi IOUDts NlAf.if t'Aff iiitt
the bulk Of the business Is delivered with
IN the limits above described-of saw, ten
squares running east and west and five or
six squares 10 the riyer.
This is a limited business area compared
with the cities Of New York, Philadelphia.
and Baltimore, and 10 is difficult TO make a
comparison as 10 the telegraphic facilities
furnished. If We consider the population
of these cities We obtain the following re-
suits:
New York. $50 Western Union Offices, or
one office 90 every l2000 persons; Pmla-
/ dclphIa. 81 Western Union Offices. or one
office 10 every 1900 persons Baltimore,
y Western Union Offices. or one once TO
every II. 900 persons: Richmond, 3 Western
Union Offices, or one office 10 every 2G, 600
persons.
II IS fair TO assume, therefore, that the
business area Of Richmond has been fully
considered by the telegraph company, and
that really with less business area than
Baltimore. aud certainly with less mum
bcr Of messages to transmit, IT has pro-
port ionato number of offices TO the pOpu-
latIOn.
Referring 10 the Western Union rule of
collecting an extra charge for delivery
when the addressec resides or has his busl-
ness-place beyond the tree-delvery limit,
the telegraphic company gets no revenue
from Suth fDlltftltnN.
The messongcr-boy is paid by the tcle-
graph company e certain sum for the de-
livery of each message. When message
is delivered beyond the frcc-delvery limit
ne collects simply his carfarc. The free
delivery limit extends eighteen blocks east
aud west Of Thirteenth street and from
the poorh0use TO the river. If the boy did
not ride to points outside this hmt' aside
from breaking down with fatigue he
would lose the delivery Of messages ia the
business part of the city which he would
obtain hv making his trip rs quick As pos
sihlc. do not know of q city where tins
eXtra-delyery charge beyond the free-ue-
livery limit Is not ~ force.
As member Of the Chamber of Com
mcrce myself 1 VIII take pleasure in CO.
operating with it, and in forwarding your
letter and enclosures 20 DIVISION head
quarters. with suggestion which, II 10
does not fully carry out the terms OF the
resolution, viii add to tho present tele-
graphic facilities of the city of Richmond
aud will advise Won further.
Yours truly,
j. B. TEEE, Superintendent.
The following are the Western Union
Offices in this city referred to III Mr.. Trees
letter:
Davenport & Morris, Charles Davis, ope-
ratOr.
Byrd-Street passenser-room, Miss Ida W..
Donnally, operator.
Thirteenth and Main street Office.