Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-10-05
wEsrERN UNION TO NEW ORLEANS
Response from gen. EcI<ert 10 Com
pInint of Cotton Exchange.

NEW YORK. October 4.-President
Eckert. OF the Western Union Telegraph
Company. to-day tclegraphed the follow
ing statement to President Parker, Of
the New Orleans Cotton Exchange, in
reply to the communication OF the latter
official published this morning:
New York, October 4, lS99.-John NJ.
Parker President Cotton Exchange, New
Orleaus-Dedr Sir: / am in receipt Of
your message OF yesterday afternoon, in
which you charge that the quotation SER
vice Of last Friday was no less criminal
than if IL had been the result of wilful
and corrupt deception and in which you
demand that the official or officials whose
neglect Of duty permitted such condi-
| tons, and the operator or operators who
sent the dispatches without notice Of
change. should be known TO the world
and promptly dismissed
In answer thereto, and with all re-
spect TO the members and officials OF
your Exchange, and with every desire 10
give TO them assurance of precaution
against the possibility of q repetition Of
the circumstances of last Friday. l beg
TO say:
Il. That we cannot admit that any
criminality can be attributed to the ac-
ton or omission of any official or opera
tor of the company. The explanation al
ready sent TO you frankly ana exactly
states the cause of the confusion in the
reports. and that cause must be free
from any imputation Of the charge Of
intentional neglect or wilful misrepresen-
tation i'm any form or degree.
so. II is the purpose Of the Western
Union Telegraph Company and its OFF,
Cials 10 ensure TO the New Orleans Cot
ton Exchange and all other exchanges.
the most efficient and reliable Geographic
service possible. Your long experience
makes you cognizant Of the intricacies
Of that service. and will also confirm
the fact that for more than twenty years
it has been performed with eNactness.
reliability. and promptness. This result
has only been reached by the education
of men especially adapted 10 il.
''3. The instant dismissal Of the men.
or any Of them. who were on duty last
Friday would not accomplish any good
purpose. but might on the contrary. by
the necessary substitution OF ineXpe-
rienccd men. put the correctness Of the
service I'm peril 10 the equal disadvantage
of the Exchange ana the company. In
the absence. therefore. of any possible
suspicion Of dishonesty Of motive or ac-
ton, ana because or our WISH and pur-
pose TO preserve the high quality Of the
service that has always been rendered.
with the one accidental exception last
Friday we must request you and the
members Of your Exchange 20 believe
that We have already applied such dis
ciplnc 20 the officials and operators I'm
the Commercial News Department us
viii best guarantee the impr0bability NJ
any INTERRUPTION I'm any way to the eX-
.cellence Of the service.
a. This decision has been reached after
the most careful examination of all
concerned I'm the service of Friday. and
with due consideration Of the Importance
Of the. service TO your Exchange While
approaching the conditions which die
tated your message. we cannot but believe
that your own reconsideration Of the sub
iect will lead you 10 coincide with MS.
(SigneD THOMAS ECKERT.
president"