The San Francisco call., 1896-05-30
CALAMITY MET THE TEST.
In QuickneSs and Accuracy the
United Press Triumphed.

HA RTFORD, CONN, May 29.-The
Hartford Times yesterday said editoriaIly
Yesterday and again this morning the
press associations of the country were put
to the test in striking way. The terrible
bridge disaster at Victoria, B. c., result
ing in loss of over fifty lives, was covered
by the United Press in a dispatch which
occupied nearly column in all the morn
ing newspapers receiving its service in the
East. We find in the Baltimore Sun
ASSOCIATED Press) OF yesterday morning
eleven lines of rather indefinite reference
to the awful event at Victoria. The
Philadelphia Inquirer went to press with
out any mention of the news. The Phila-
deIphia Times covered it by means
of special dispatch. The Boston
Journal, in its later edition, man
aged to publish an account, which
in. the United Press papers. 1t was a re-
markable failure for the Chicago concern
in field where it is supposed. TO have
great advantages for collecting tie news:
but its failure is almost eclipsed bv that of
this morning in dealing with the great
disaster at st. Louis. Last night, if ever.
the Western Associated Press should have
demonstrated its ability to surpass and
overwhelm the rival association. The
fact that it was unable to prepare and
transmit to the morning newspapers a
satisfactory story of the disaster, while
the United Press papers were supplied
with graphic account crammed with
facts and details of the ini Jury done, should
settle finally any question that NAV have
been raised in the mind of any newspaper
reader regarding the comparative eff
cheney and value of the two press asso-
Citations.
TORONTO, ONTARIO, May 29.-The To-
ronto World, one of the most enterprising
newspapers in Canada, has an editorial
this morning lauding the United Press
ne ws service. 1t says in part:
The capacity of the United Press
agency for handling live news may be
seen from its report of the terrible disaster
at st. Louis. The catastrophe occurred
late Wednesday afternoon, and every line
wired by the United Press agency had to
be carried 10 a telegraph Office two miles
outside of st. Louis, all the wires in that
city having been disabled. The World
must congratulate the United Press on the
splendid and complete reports under such
difficult conditions. As il was the details
of the catastrophe came along as fast as
the operator could take them from the
wire, and the World was consequently en-
abled to present its readers on Thursday
morning with the whole story of the great
St. Louis disaster.
COLUMBUS, ONO, May 29.-The Even
ing Press to-day says: The superior tele-
graph facilities of the Evening Press have
been demonstrated On various occasions.
With its magnificent United Press service.
but never more thoroughly than in the
and reliable reports OF the St.
Louis disaster in last nights edition. The
was certainly without ival in
this city.
TOLEDO, OHIO, May 2s.-The Bee says
editorially tO-day: The sunerior raDcr+
in yesterdays Bee OF the st. Louis storm
tragedy cannot have failed to escape the
notice of the most casual reader, If he took
the pains to make mparison. In eyerv
way was the United Press report far better
than that of the Associated Press, which
was beaten at every turn from the details
10 the grand summing up.
COLORADO SPRINGS, CoLo., May o.
The Gazette tomorrow will publish the