The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-07-21
WESTERN UNION CHARGES
THE COMPANY WILL CONTINUE TO
COLLECT DELIVERY FEES.
A Citizen Thinks the City Council
should Take Up the
Question.

| NJ d. Butler. manager of the local Office
of the Western Union Telegraph Company
announced yesterday that the company will
continue to charge an extra fee for the de-
| livery of messages more than a mile from
the telegraph Office This, he said is In ac-
| cordance with the state law which provides
| that messages must be delivered free within
| the limits of town or city, or within a mile
| from the office of delivery The mile, Mr..
| Butler holds, is the outside limit 1t is
| pointed out that the Western Unions char
| ter was not obtained under the state law,
| but under the city statute which provides
| that 1t is unlawful to charge an extra fee
| for the delivery of a message within the
| citys limits. A well-known citizen yester-
| day remarked the point should be urged
| that the American District Telegraph Com
| pany, which now delivers the Western
| Unions messages, and charges for the serv-
| Ice too, has not received a franchise from
the city, and has no right to operate. The
Western Union has turned over to this COM
pany the business of collecting and deliver
ing messages. and calls from the boxes be-
longing to the Western Union all register
in the office of the American District Tele-
graph Company
1T should be urged on the City Council"
said the citizen, mot to allow the Ameri-
can District Telegraph Company franchise
until the Western Union Company obeys
the law. The other company is only the
creature of the Western Union
1t is said that the Western Union is the
only telegraph company here that does not
obey the law. The Postal Telegraph Com
pany has, for several months delivered
messages anywhere within the city without
charging for the delivery.
1t may be said for the benefit of those
who have dealings with the Western Union
that it dare not refuse to deliver messages
when the patrons refuse to pay the unlaw-
full fee asked. The Western Union simply
begs the fee, and though it may make a
bluff at its patrons that it has the right to
collect the fee, it is not probable it will
push the matter so far as to refuse to de-
liver the message without the fee.
One citizen yesterday said to the Journal:
of course the sender of a prepaid message
counts on its delivery without any collec-
ton of charges at the other end of the line.
Where person offers to prepay a message,
1T is understood 1t is his intention to put
the telegram into the receivers hands free
Of all charges. The company acts in bad
faith when it gives him to understand he
has prepaid the message when he has only
paid part. The telegraph company is re-
quired by Section 5513. Revised Statutes, to
make delivery of messages promptly and
without disclosure. BY this new method of
introducing an intermediate corporation be-
tween itself and the receiver of the mes
sage the chance of loss or disclosure is in
creased However, as the company is re-
sponsible for its agents, this is at it's own
risk. This delegation of 9. part of the bust
ness, for which the sender of a message
pays in advance, might find an exact coun-
terpart in the business of express compa-
cOrnOra finnG might their
delivery business over to other companies,
leaving them to collect payment for deliv-
cry
The Western Union made arrangements
with the American District Telegraph Com
pany for the collection and delivery of its
messages early in June. John F. Wallick,
district superintendent of the Western
Union, is vice president of the American
District Telegraph Company. II. D. Bennett.
of Columbus, o., is president. 1t appears
plain to those who have looked into the
matter that the latter company is simply
a tool for the Western Union TO aid It in
violating the law and audaciously begging
from its patrons.