New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-24
INFLUENCE OF THE TELEGRAPH.

TWO COMPANIES DIVIDE THE BUSINESS. WITH
NETWORK AS THE CONTROLLING CENTRE
THOUSANDS OF OFFICES AND MILL
IONS OF MILES OF WIRE.
The controlling centre OF the great telegraph
systems Of the United States is New-York City.
The North. South. East and West are here
brought into immediate connection with each
other Myriads Of wires string out In every
direction which are kept hummng from one'end
of the year TO the other with messages or life
and death failure and success. peace and war.
The great advantage Of having one central
management for the whole country is clear at
a glance. for we're there several different COM
panes the delay in transmission OF messages
would be vexing, and in many cases would no
doubt defeat the end for which they were In
tended.
between the Western Union Telegraph Company
and the Postal Telegraph-Cable Company. Inc
former began business about thirty-twO years
ago and has the advantage of its rival In this
respect by nearly twenty years Both OF THESE
companies have cable connections with Europe.
the West Indies and South America As re-
suit OF the late there will soon be. II IS
expected a cable line between this country ana
Asia one of the most exasperating features or
ths naval battle off Manila the delay in
getting news from the conflict. and even then
ii had to come by way OF London:
ness can best be shown by quoting some fgureA
Thirty years ago there were only 800 tee-
graph offices and little more than loVW miles
of wire strung throughout the length ana
breadth of the land At the present time there
are about 5000 Offices and over lDO,oO miles
Of wire. The annual number OF messages
handled thirty years ago was o,SI3.2SZ; to-day
it Is sOOOO0o The average cost to the sender
thirty years ago was 81 OH; the average cost
to-day is 500 cents. At the start the cost 70 the
company was more than twice what IL Is To-
day TO The sender
In the world Of speculation the telegraph plays
an important part From the STOCK, produce,
Cotton Coffee and other exchanges direct wires
run to all the leading cities, and so great are
the facilities Of the service that business is done
almost as if from mouth TO mouth There. are
thousands Of brokers all over the United states
who have their private wire to the great centres
OF trade. The big newspapers in every large
city and even in smaller ones have their spe-
cial telagraphic departments and depend on tho
service for giving their readers the news OF the
day The headquarters OF the western Union
company are in its OWN building. at tho
corner Of Broadway and Dey-st Ii also owns
a large and capacious building FOR its offices
in Chicago The principal uptown once OF the
company is at Fifth-ave. and Twenty-third-st
between which and the main once there ID an
elaborate system OF pneumatic tubes. through
these messages are shot at great speed mus
saving the time Of repeating them at the all
ferent offices ,,, -.
The operating room at the main building. at
Broadway and Dey-st. occupies two entire
floors and covers a space OF thirty thousand
square feet Inc SWITCHBOARD Dy WHICH 'puHcS~
,ion is made with the different parts OF the
country is one Of the most wonderful mechanical
in the city.
The telegraphc service in the city Is q great
convenience. and IL used by thousands. The
cost Of city message Is only 20 cents, ana
where there is need for urgent information this
is quicker than a messenger boy. The telegraph
has eliminated the question OF time from dis
lance The news from corner OF the globe
is flashed 10 the other within a few seconds.
II is one 81 the great financial systems OF the
Nd a
with its constant effort to render the highest
form OF servio