Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1891-10-22
WIRES CUT OFF.
The Western Union Leaves the As-
ISOLATED Press in the Luroh.
Failure to Pay Tolls Due the Cause
Several Leading Journals Form a
New Press Association.
ITS SERVICE cURrAmED.

New YORK, Oct. 2l-The Associated
Press and the Western Union Tele-
graph Company have not been on good
terms for some time. little after
o'clock Monday night the telegraph
company cut off the three leased
wires on which the greater part
of the Associated Press news
has been received. No notice had
been given OF the intention to stop
the service. General Manager William
Henry Smithhurried to the Postal tele-
graph office. There he arranged to
have the matter usually carried by the
leased wires carried by the postal
lines. The matter usually carried
over the Western Union general
lines went through as usual. The
law forbids telegraph company to
refuse business offered for its general
wires, no matter how badly il may de-
sire to do SO.
The following statement from w. b.
Somerville, press agent of the Western
Union Company, tells the situation:
1.-THE diiieulty is about alleged obligations
10 the Western Union Telegraph Company
for leased wires. and the wires about which
the dihioulty arose are leased by the New
York Associated Press. The wires leased for
the use of the Western Associated Press
have been paid for, those for the New
York Associated Press have not been settled,
and the obligation counts from June last to the
present time the amount being about SOS, 600.
The Joint committee OF the New York
Associated Press and the Western AS
ISOLATED Press first took the matter in
hand That committee consists Of repro
sentat.ves OF the New York Herald. New York
Tribune, New York sun, Louisville Courier
Journal and the Cincinnati Commercial
Gazette The question at issue was by
them refe red TO the members Of the Joint
committee representing the New York AS
socated Press. The latter concluded not to
pay the Western Union Compay on then
ground that il was Offset by overcharges.
The Western Union accordingly notified the
New York Associated Press that its leased
wires would be cut of ut once, and 1t was
done. The wires IN question are one
wire from New York TO Chicago two wires
from New York 10 Washington, one wire from
Washington 10 Richmond ana Norfolk and one
wire from Memphis TO New Orleans"
During the morning the bill present.
ed by the telegraph company was paid
and the Associated Press regained con-
troll of its leased wires. 1t is reported,
however, that the arrangement is only
temporary and that the Associates
Press contemplates entering INTO con-
tract with the Bell Telephone Company
for the use of its wires between lead
ing cities.
The row with the Western Union,
however, appears to be the least of the
troubles of the Associated Press. New
complications have arisen which may
lead to the disruption of the entire
press service. The New York Sun
and Tribune formally withdrew from
the Associated Press at noon, and
it is said that other newspapers
win follow The seceders organized
the National Associated Press with the
following officers: c. A. Dana, presi-
dent: NJ. NJ. Laffan, vice president,
and George Bell, superintendent The
association begins operations at once
with adequate capital and facilities
for transacting business on a scale
equal TO the Associated Press The
new association is the outgrowth of the
attempt of clique OF small news
papers to desert the Associated Press
which curtailed its scope and service.