Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-06-23
POSTAL TELEGRAPH.
Argument in Progress Before Judge
Seeds-Interesting Facts.

The argument of one of the most i'm
portant questions ever presented to
court in New Mexico began before Judge
Seeds in chambers this morning. Refer
ence is here made to the petition of the
Postal Telegraph Cable company, Of New
York, for an order upon the receivers of
the A. T. & s. F. railroad to compel them
to furnish trains for the distribution of
poles and supplies, water for the men en-
gagged in constructing the lines of tele-
graph along the right-of-way, and such
other assistance as lie usually furnished
telegraph companies by railroad corpo-
rations.
In 1866 congress granted the right to
all telegraph companies to construct
lines on all post and military roads in
the United States and the courts have de-
cided that all railroads are post roads.
Yet, in spite of the act of congress and
the subsequent decision of the courts,
the Western Union Telegraph company,
under its contract made with the Atchi-
son, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad COM
pany in 1888, claims the exclusive
right to maintain telegraph lines on the
right-of-way of the railroad named. and
for that reason now comes
BEFORE JUDGE SEEDS
for the purpose of resisting the right of
the Postal Telegraph-Cable company to
build its lines upon the Santa Fe right
of-way.
The Postal-Cable Telegraph company
claims that the alleged exclusive right of
way of the Western Union Telegraph
company is void, because it IS contrary
to the act of congress mentioned as well
as the decisions of the courts. This is the
essence of the controversy now pending
before Judge Seeds. 1t has arisen since
the receivers were appointed. F. j..
Loesch, of Chicago, and F. W. Clancy, of
Albuquerque, are the attorneys for the
Postal Telegraph Gable company. F. B.
Esterbrook, of Omaha, and I. B. Catron,
of Santa Fe, represent the Western Union
Telegraph company.
The Postal Telegraph-Cable company
was organized under the laws of New
York number of years ago and has
since constructed and is now operating
$4,000 miles of telegraph in the United
States and Canada, besides three Atlantic
cables, known as the Mackay- Bennett
cables. Its lines reach every important
city east of the Missouri river: extends
from New York City
ALONG TIE CANADIAN PACIFIC
to Victoria, San Francisco, Los Angeles
and San Diego with branches to all the
cities and watering places in California
reach Denver, Colorado Springs, Pueblo
and Leadville in Colorado; have beer
constructed eastward from San Francisco
as far as Mojave; have been completed
from La Junta to the top of the Rator
Canoncito working northward from AL
buquerque and Mitchell about 1875 mile!
west of Albuquerque.
The company has 1872 miles of wire
strung in this territory.
Its aim is to reach every railroad sta
ton in New Mexico and the southwest
including Santa Fe, as soon as possible
The lines it has constructed and is con
structing are the most substantial eve
built The heaviest copper wire and thu
stoutest kind of poles are used. Its cap
ital stock is about $20,eOO,OOO, but nom
OF it is on the market. 1t has $500 Off
ces.
| OFFICIAL STAFF.
The officers of the company are: A. B
! Chandler, of New York, president AM
general manager; W. h. Baker, vice presi
dent; E. G. Bradley, assistant genera
manager; L. D. Parker, of Chicago, gen
eral superintendent of western lines E.
McNally, Of Chicago, assistant genera
western manager; C. Dougherty, of st
Louis, in charge OF the territory west o
the Missouri river. G. M. Baker, who i
now in the city, is general superintendent
of construction.