The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1897-07-02
TEIEGRAPHING


Vary with the Distances.
Telegraph rates vary greatly "a
this country, owing to the immense
distances. In many Of the smaller
countries OF the old world a uniform
rate is,made for any point within the
given country, but it would be manis
testify unfair to the American tele-
graph companies If they were COM
PEELED to send a message from New
York to San Francisco for the same
rate that they charge for message
from New York to Jersey City or
from Chicago to Evanston.
AS rule, the minimum rate for 9
day message of tenwords in this coun-
| try is 25 cents. Agreat many points
| in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Penn
sylyania, Wisconsin, Iowa, and other
states in the Mississippi valley may
be reached from Chicago for this
rate. Any point in Illinois may be
| reached for 50 cents. 4 message to
Boston costs so cents, while New
York, Philadelphia and Baltimore
have a decent rate. The highest
rates from Chicago are those for
points in southern Florida So cents.
Lit costs only IS cents to telegraph to
California or Oregon, and the rate for
New Orleans is so cents.
Few persons who have not expert
! mentcd with telegraph tolls appre-
ciate the expense of cable communica-
ton. Cable rates are so much per
word, instead Of per message OF ten
words, and the figures are very much
higher. Messages to England. France
and Germany cost 81 cents per word
from Chicago. Belgium's rate is 36
cents; Holland and Italy, So cents;
Austria, 40 cents; Greece, Al cents;
Egypt, GO cents; Switzerland, SO
cents; Sweden, As cents; Turkey, 40
cents and 50 cents; Russia, 40 cents.
The Cuban war has greatly in
creased the volume of Geographic
business Of the West Indies. Thelow-
est rate is 40 cents per word for mes
| sagest to Havana. Other Cuban points
are higher, and no towns in the West
Indies outside of Cuba canbe reached
| for less than $1.05 per word. Mes
sages TO Porto Rico cost $1.S5.
Central American rates range from
so cents (Guatemala) to IS cents
| Costa Rico and Nicaragua. South
American rates take a big jump up
ward. Brazilian messages cost $1.35l
to $1.S7 per word; British Guiana
costs $2.17.
Communication with Australia is
expensive. Queensland reaches the
highest figure, $2.G2 per word, while
south and west Australia rates are
| S1.47. Messages to China cost So. OF
per word, and the same figures apply
| to Corea. japanese rates are $2.27
per word; Java, $1.53; Formosa,
$2.a7; India, $1.29; Madagascar,
| $40; New Zealand, $1.5s;; Philip
pine islands, 1921; Siam, $1.51. At
rican rates are lowest for points along
the Mediterranean and highest along
the west coast. Algeria can be
reached for 35 cents per word, the
minimum rate for the Dark CONT
nent. East African rates are $1.54
and $1.64, while South African
points range between $1.5s and 81. 10.
| West African points, as rule, range
above So, while it costs 49, s to send o
| word to Mossamedes from Chicago
| more than to reach any other tele-
graph station in the world direct.
However, a message to Bassidore or
Lingah costs the Chicago sender
SLID per word to Jask, Persia, and
$11.76 extra for special dispatch boat
line from that point. - Chicago
Times-Herald.