The Portland daily press., 1889-11-01
UNCLE SANS TELEGRAPH MESSAGES
Postmaster General Wanamaker
Fixes Rates for Next Year
And Proposes Commission 20 Give
the Matter Further study,
Whereat Or. Green Does Not Appear
To Be Greatly Pleased.

WASHINGTON, October 81. Postmaster
General Wanamaker has issued notices to
the different telegraph companies fixing the
following rates for government business
during the current fiscal year; For day mes
sages Of not more than 10 words, exclusive
Of date, address and signature, 10 cents for
all distances not exceeding 400 miles. and ]
cent for each word In excess Of 10 words.
For distances exceeding 400 miles and not
exceeding 1000 miles. Is cents for the FIRST 10
words and Of cent for each word in excess
of 10.
For all distances exceeding 1000 miles there
shall be added to the price OF the message
fixed for distances over 400 and under 1000
the sum Of cent for each word.
For night messages Of not exceeding 20
words, exclusive of date, address and sig
nature, Is cents for all distances and cent
for each additional word.
Instead Of computing the actual distances
Of transmission, the distance for payment
shall be taken to be the number Of miles be-
tween the capital of the State or territory
from within which the message Is sent and
the capital Of the State or territory within
which the message is received, such dis
tances to- be computed upon the shortest
practicable route between such capitals. III
a message be sent and received within the
same State or territory the distance Tor pay
ment shall be taken to be the distance Of 400
miles. The rate for signal service cipher
messages Is fixed at p cents per word over
each circuit. The Postmaster General also
directs that IL at any time during the year
any company shall charge the public n less
rate than the prescribed government rate,
the government rate Is also TO be reduced to
the same figure.
The following letter from the Postmaster
General to President Green of the Western
Union Telegraph Company was also made
WASHINGTON, october 30, 1889.
Dear Sir-Referring 10 the question OF esta0-
lishment Of rates for goyernment messages for the
fiscal year ending June 80. 1880. desire 10 call
quested "ofheial declaration" Of the new rate TO
be withheld until opportunity could be haa for
conference, which request was promptly COM
piled with. After considerable correspondence
and the several interviews with you at Saratoga
aiseuss}ons Of the su6iects al issue. / had The
honor Of a visit from you early last month. and
when parted with you understood you TO say
you would call the next day, at which lime ex-
pected that we would reach conclusion, at least
to the extent OF an agreement upon the basis OF
rates for the government telegraphlng Tor the
present fiscal year. regret that you did not ind
It convenient then or since TO pursue the subject
further and beg now TO say that inasmuch as
more than reasonable time" has been gained
for Conference il is necessary for me 10 Ax defin-
itely the new rates for the year.
desire TO state that have ayailed myself OF
all accessible sources OF Information TO ascertain
the rates and rebates In force with the various
classes OF customers OF teegraphic business. aud
have weighed carefully all your able arguments
your claim that the privileges accorded TO tele.
graph companies by the act Of Congress OF 1855
are not and never have been OF any value TO your
corporations, am impressed with what you say
IN opposition 10 the application Of the Associated
Press rates to government business, and eonse-
quently have for the current fiscal year revised
The order fixing rates, and issued tho same this
day to all the departments of the government A
Teagced 1a s rates hereby determined for day mes
sages are practically the same as those upon
which one Of the divisions or departments Of your
company, as well as one OF its principal c0mpet-
tors, transacted business for the public generally
| Tor considerable time, until absorbed by your
Sne YRairess 81 these conclusions. io
Permit me, also to add that while there Is no
| your company, yet am convinced that the gov
ernment Is entitled 10 very special consideration
II rates ana privileges o. tsiegraRn,le seTyes,
ment rates In the future. now formally propose
what have already suggested and understood
nent of a commission of fve suitable persons Two
BY your company, two By this department snd the
nth by the four !S. 50 chosen, 10 ,nqure and
company upon the actual cost ard proper
value Of telegraphic service, their conclusions to
government telegraph service for the next sue
ceedtog fiscal year.
veryEespectfulyy yG,g yours, k,x,v,xr,
Postmaster General.
NEW YORK, October 31.-With reference
to the new schedule ofrates for government
telegraphic service promulgated by Post
master General Wanamaker today, DR..
Norvin Green, president Of the Western
Union Telegraph Company says "fhe rate
| fixed by the Postmaster General is updOubt-
| edly below cost. am not prepared to say
| what the attitude Of the company will be
| until after the matter has had the consider
alton Of the executive committee next
| Wednesday. The reduction averages about
SO per cent from the old rate, which was not
/ remuneratiye."