The evening times., 1896-08-13
'g0NPllEs NllT s[PlRlTE
WarL likely Between Telegraph
and Telephone Corporations.
FUTURE FULL OF DOUBT
Awaiting Supreme Court Decision.
May Mean right between the
Western Union and He'll Telephone.
With Many Side Issues, OF 1t May
Mean a Most Powerful combine.

<AAs sAsN . hSut tctcBfdyu duu teNepuOue III
terests OF the United States are yitally inter
ested in the Supreme Court decision us re-
CARDS the Berliner patcnt case, and the
termination ON November 1. next. OF the
contract which has for years past existed
between the Western Union Telegraph CGln-
panyo on oneside and the Bell Telephone Com
pany on the other.
Indications point 10 lattle for business
supremacy between these corporations, the
QUE representing 100000 900 nf capital
and the other SOC. 900. 900.
Theofficials aud employees Of these organi-
zutions a every city and town in the country
ute thoroughly conversant with the pending
situation, and are making calculati on
pussing events for the purpose of deterinin-
ing, if possible. the manner In which their
personal interests would be affected by re-
organization.
The working agreement at present cx-
isting bet wcen the telegraph and telephone
companies was first formed in 1s79.s At
that time the Western Union Company
owned the patent on the Edison carbon
transmitter and tie Bell Company had to
have It, SO the two companies struck
bargain by which the Bell became the own
paid the Western Union $500 600.
AGREEMENT BETWEEN COMPANIES.
The Western Union at the same time
agreed not to enter the telephone business.
and 1t is claimed by Ecn IN en- that IL was
agreed that the Bell Company should hot
enter the telegraph business. That agree
meDt terminates November /.
II the Supreme Court decides to sustain
the Berliner patent, that will give 1t a fur
ther lease OF life until 1910, and the Bell
Telephone Company viii tie secure in its
monopoly of the carbon transrnitter, secure
against everything but the invention of
another trausmitter that will work.
But IL the Supreme Court should de-
| eide against the Berliner patent. this
| throws the invention open to the world
and, the agreement with the Bell ex-
piripg In November, would leave the
| Western Union free to go into compe-
titon with the Bell in telephone work.
There are other powers in this pros
pective war The Western Union, with
| possible capital OF 100000. 900, the
| Bell, with $28 600 600 capital and the
| right to increase It TO 10000 900, are
| two.
/ Next COMES Tue IOstal Ittc6iGHh NbiI-
! paDy with it's ne wer plant. later and bet
| ter wiring. better adapted to telephone
| work, and this company has long been seek
| ing workable telephone to combine with.
Besides these three giants in the field that
/ may be thrown open to battle there is
the new Standard. in whose directory
the presence OF Mr.. Gill of the Western
| Union, is much talked about.
POSSIBLE CONTINGENCIES.
Ifanew deal is made. the rule of aRdeais
will work, and the combination of the
| strongest will be made. So II becomes in
I teresting To study what advantages and
franchises and capital and considerations
each one may have to trade On.
A combination between the Bell mi the
Postal against the western Union ha been
discussed. II the carbon transmitter is
made free tothe world blythe Supreme Court
the Standard Company. in which Mr. Giil Of
the western Union is a director, has its
qualifications throughout the country and
has secured many franchises, such as that
in Philadelphia, which franchises are i'm
portant considerations in auy new scTam-
Bile that must be made.
The Long Distance Company is separate
corporation from the Bell, hnt there is q
fight between the Western Union and the
l Long Distance Company which may have its
bearing nn the matter. The Western Union
has had a suit against the Long Distance
Company for $4,000, 900 or 1000 900
pending In New York for many years. aris-
ing from a dispute about the royalty that
the western Union was to receive from
them.
| INTENTION OF THE POSTAL.
Under the present regime the Western
Union Telegraph operator and the teie-
phone operator may be fond at manypiaces
in the country, occupying the same office,
dividing tile rent OF the office and making
themselves useful in relieving each other
at lunch time. In emergencies now the
Bell loans the Western Union telephone
wire for kilograms.
But once a war starts the fur will fly
| Competition will begin The offices woul
be separated and each would do its bcs
to heat the other in business.
The Bell people claim that they can cas-
lily use their wires for telegraph purposes
| while the Western Union cannot use itl
wires for telephone purposes. On the othe
hand the Western Union has $4,000 of
| fices In the country and covers an ares
which the Bell could not possibly cac!
except by combination with tie Postal
The Postal people are working in the ii
rection Of an independent patent transmit
ter having an option, IL is said, on the Bas
sett patent, issued last January, which. !
is claimed, will work as well as the Ed
isen carbon transmitter.
After tremendous stir, according |.
some, the Bell and the Western Union Wi
renew their present agreement, each (