Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1892-03-05


bling spectators. As an inevitable
consequence. the Western Union COM
pany, that mas swallowed more than
sixty dig ana small competitors, is
periodically overstoeked with needless
wires between great commercial cen
tiers which usually Oder the most
tempting field for enterprising men
who build lines TO sell out while there
has always been lamentable lack OF
telegraph facilities Mt small cities and
towns that are made dependent entire
ly upon the congested railroad wires.
Our telegraph companies never main
tain an office where the receipts 90
not Offset the expenses. Such pol
icy is not pursued in countries that
possess postal telegraph facilities, oe-
cause the government is at no addi-
tional expense for rent ana postmast-
ers in small towns and cities are re-
quired 10 perform the duties OF tele-
graph operators.
Nothing has impressed upon me
more forcibly the dangerous tendencies
OF telegraph imitation ana over capital
ization than the comparative exhibit
OF the worlds telegraph system sub
mitted to congress last winter by the
president OF the Western Union Iele-
grapn company. According 10 DR.
Green this country has lS5, 600 miles
OF telegraph pole line as against $40, I
600 miles possessed by all other coun-
tries in the world. There are $4,000
miles OF wire in the United States as
against l, Ill, 9GS miles in all other
countries, and there are in America
I Is. 600 telegraph stations, against %,
/ OQO in all other countries. Mr.. Green
/ computes the aggregate number OF
/ kilograms handled annually IN this
I country at u fraction over 60 600, COO.
/ while ne credits the rest OF the world
| with handling LIS, COO 600 kilograms.
/ As d matter OF fact the aggregate num-
per OF kilograms handled in European
countries alone. computed officially
/ for the year 1889 is 204, 935, 600.
What do these figures show With one
nalf OF the worlds telegraph line mile
age, American telegraph companies
should have handled one-hali OF the
business, Instead OF handling l0-
600, 900 kilograms. they only handed
90. 600, 600 With Oue-nali OF the tel
egrapn lines in country that boast:
two-thirds of the railway mileage o.
the world, America should have hel
full quota OF the world telegraph sta.
tons but out OF $4,000 we only have
Is, 900, including railroad Offices,
which comprise nearly three-fourtns
OF our telegraph stations. On tht
other hand, Great Britain, with les:
than one-tniri OF the wire mileage o
the United States, handled 81, 4O3. 30,
kilograms in 1890. DO not these fig
ures demonstrate that the periodic ac
, QUESTION OF lines built for speculation
! prevents the economic working OF on
: system by clogging it with useles:
: wires ana will always operate Is ;
| barrier to a material reduction TO on
= telegraph tolls? Our telegraph com
! panies adjust these tolls on the oasi
= OF 4 Capitalization which at this tim
: already includes from $40. 900. 600 /
: $50, 600. 900 OF stocks and bonds issue
/ for speculative plants.
: GOVERNMENT TELEGRAPEs OF EUROPE
4 Let US now take cusory survey {
? the government teiegrapns abroad.
Y trust that ! violate no confidence
Il stating that before embracing for Fl
K rope last summer | procured letters {
n introduction from Postmaster Gener;
n Wanamaker TO the postmasters ger
: eral OF England. France, Germany an
C Austria, coupled with a request tn;
e their respective departments extend
II me facilities for making inquiry int
i the practical operation OF their syt
= TENS OF telegraph. This investig
IT ton was q seli-im posed task. | hay
for more than a quarter OF centut
y been an outsDoKen advocate OF t
I. postal telegraph and desired TO see 4
Y myself how il worked in foreign coul
10 tries, Upon presentation OF my or
to dentials, / was everywhere accordt
IS the most courteous reception. III
It chiefs the telegraph bureau, telegraI
al engineers and superiLteudents TOE
N pains to exhibit the operating room
i. instruments. batteries and applianc
g in use, explained to me the mCtho
s. pursued in handling dispatches, al
a freely answered all inquiries COucer
e. ing construction OF lines. subway
IN office regulations. number and qua
ne fication OF employees, working not
of wages, etc. Tney also furnished !
he sample telegraph blanks. and ofIici
n documents. relating to the managemei
nd extent Of plants an6 business done.
us GREAT BRITAIN's SYSTEM.
n The first step toward merging I
IL telegraph system Of Great Britain w
It's the postal service was taken in 1St
lrt when parliament passed an act autht
izing the purchase or leasing OF
ed lines operated by private compani
pa The proposition TO establish pos
'ld telegraph had been vigorously oppo:
asst by the telegraph companies at eve
ne step, ana when the transfer finally v
.ge made the government came into D
: session OF congiomerate system
ts lines which had been allowed to i
10 down by the companies from the ii
z 80. ~. 4