The herald., 1897-08-07
FORTUNES I'M rE1rdRApnx
When Rates Were High the compa1
les Grew Rich Rapidly

ACS 6ACW 4sAS44 xA1Rx42y |"
In the Post of January IL was an 20
count of the building of he first tele
graph line in Texas by Houston capital
'sts, away back in 1858. Also. the man.
viciseitudes attendant upon the venture
and how, after lingering few shor
months, the wire was appropriated b.
the farmers for repairing fences, balm
hay and for many other purposes. unit
the company owning this "streak
rust" gave up all hope OF maintaining
communication through the wilds
Texas and abandoned the enterprise
with the exception of that portion Of th
line running from Houston to Galvesto
and from Houston to Beaumont.
These connections proved of incalcu'
.able service to the confederacy,
through this means Sabine pass AM
Galveston could be watched by the gen,
eral commanding the department
Texas, whose headquarters was at Hous
ton.
During the war Col. D. P. Shepherd
still living in Houston, built one from
Crockett to Shreveport, thus establish.
ing communication with General Kirb1
Smith, commanding the transm ississipp
department.
The close of the war extinguished thu
old corporation, as all of the lines were
absorbed by the Western Union. A won.
derful change in telegraphy at once en-.
sued. A corps of federal military teleg.
raphers Immediately took possession Of
the lines in Texas. They, wonderful tt
state, employed most of the old confed.
crate operators, paying them each sal.
ary of $125 per month in greenbacks
which was a great advance over $1l
Confederate money! and rations. Cap.
tain Lou Spelman was in charge of these
military telagrapSers and he proved ia
be a clever gentleman, and, although
a that time we were not in love with the
Yankees, we soon learned to have great
regard for Spelman. In fact, his whols
crowd was composed of jolly good sci
of fellows.
Very soon the Western Union relieved
the government of the lines, placing Col.
D. p. Shepherd in charge, and he APP
pointed the writer as manager of tn.
Houston office. The managers about that
time, to use an off expression, had tha
world by the tail. Greenbacks were
quoted at from $3.50 to $3.50 for 81 III
gold. There was very little greenback iii
circulation. People had to pay theif
taxes in gold, not being able to obtain
greenbacks Most of the gold was OF
Mexican mintage. The Western UnioA
recognized no money but greenbackss
and the managers made no difference
whether tolls paid on kilograms were in
gold or greenbacks, consequently IL q
message cost 81 the sender generally
paid 81 in gold, which the manager took
to the bank and deposited for it's face
value in greenbacks, thus making $150
for himself and 81 for the company. My
receipts in the Houston office generally
ran up to $4,000 or $4,000 per month, and at
least half of it was gold, which made my
income amount to what would be con-
sidered in these dull, prosaic times enor-
nous. When l took in $4,000 in gold per
month 1 made for myself $4,000. But
greenbacks soon became plentiful in
Houston and nipped this mine of wealth.
After some time as mayor of Houston
1 accepted the terminus of the Houston
and Texas Central railway, where
found absolutely no paper money in cir
culation, and 1 almost blush to think of
my profits as margin while at Bryan,
Calvert and Kosse. Great quantities OF
cotton were hauled from all parts OF
the upper country to the terminus for
sale, and an immense telegraphic busi-
ness was done. nearly every dollar of
which was paid me in gold. At Calvert
on Black Friday excitement ran high and
the wires were kept redhot. Gold went
up to $2.95 and catching the contagion.
bought and sold like any other custom
er of the Wetsern Union. Many will
wonder why 1 didn't make fortune. l
made three or four of them, but they
came easy and went just as easy. Money
was as plentiful a the terminus in 1863
So as in California in 1S49. Major j. E.
Carey once brought about 300 Cinnamon
to build the Houston and Texas Central
from Bryan to Calvert, and these pig
tails were particular as to where their
food came from. The boss Chinaman
would send to San Francisco each week
a long order for rice and other provis-
ions His telegram would generally
come to $3.50 to $3.50, all of which he paid
in 500 gold pieces. He was a source Of
wealth to me, and we be-
came fast friends.
But times have changed. No such con-.
dition of affairs ever existed previously
or subsequently to the period imme-
diately after the close of the war. Every
one is familiar with the network of wires.
reaching everywhere. What a COM
parison between now and 1858, or even
1867!
For the edifcation of many who yet
think telegraphy comes high, will give
the difference in tariff between 1867 and
1897. Then message to San Francisco
cost $40 for ten words; it costs now only
81 for ten words. To New York it was
$3.50; now it is rs cents. To New Or
leans, $1.25; now 40 cents. A cable to
SIS per word; now "a cents.
How is this for a reduction? At this
rate telegraphing will soon be cheaper
than the mail.
When H. E. Gushing and, afterward.
Gen. Webb, were editors of the Houston
Telegraph the telegraph bills of that
paper averaged from $500 to $1,000 per
month, and Theodore Bering had to
hustle to raise the maney.-Houston.
Tex, Post.
Catalina Island Trims
On the Southern Pacific, making imme-