The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-11-18
B-TELEGRAPH OFFICES
Outlying Dot and Dash Stations in
the City of Washington.
Not Many In Number, hut Important
Communications Their Employees
and Patrons-The Two Great Com
panies of the American Continent.

To many persons telegram is synony'
nous with bad news, and the mere sigh
of the blue or grey-coated boy bearing
in his hand a yellow strip Of paper has
been sometimes known to brighten nerv-
| Gus people of both sexes almost into con-
| vulsions.
Nevertheless, according to the manager
of one of the two large telegraph COM
panies In this city, by far the greater
| proportion, even of social kilograms, are
| of an undisturbng or even a joyful ma
| ture.
AS an illustration, guest at one OF
the principal hotels sends to his friends
at home the welcome intelligence that he
has arrived at his destination safe and
sound; congratulations come to newly
welded pair over the electric wire, or a
gentleman who has been made a parent
for the first time enthusiastically COM
municates in like manner the startling
news to all his relatives and friends.
The telegraph is, in fact, becoming more
and more of a boon to any community,
and Washington people may congratulate
themselves upon ha-ing such a. excel
lent service. To business men it is. in
these days, an absolute necessity, and, OF
course, to such telegram is not the
rara avis it is to the average citizen.
Should the latter, however, desire to send
all urgent communication to a person
at the other end OF the city or the other
end of the world Ut is all the same to
the company, except in the matter OF
charges). he need not walk very far from
lis home to reach one Of the sub-sta-
tiops, from which the message may be
sent.
IN the residence quarters of the city
these sub-statiOns are, for the most part,
located in drugstores, and, in outlying
districts, the business transacted at them
scarcely pays, says the company mana
ger. for the expense of maintaining OPP
orators. However, as one official OBJ
serves, the public. in these times, de-
mands thoroughly adequate service. and
emergencies must be provided for in the
case OF the suburban resident. as we'll as
the ordinary requirements OF the bust
ness man. Some of the outlying stations
are maintained at an absolute loss to the
company, but then such deficits are am
ply made up for in the receipts derived
from the stations located in the business
centres. OF course, Washington is not
prc er1inentIy a mercantile city. and To-
cal telegram are seldom sent. the tele-
phone genera, ly answering all such re
quirements.
A consider Ole amount OF tact and /,
judgment Is required in selecting the 10 |
cation OF city suD-stationS. A telegraph |
Office. like an undertakers establishment. |
cannot successfully solicit patronage, and !
in the case of the former, the nature of |
the community in which 1t Is located /
should be first studied. Hence 1t is that |
much ingenuity, to say nothing of great |
EXPENSE. has been used in providing this
city with its present very complete and
efficient system. The two companies. the
Postal Telegraph and Western Union,
which now control the entire Geographic
business of the country, with the excep-
tton - 6ide. wires. to a certain ex-
tent work together in the ihannei sl ~
amicable rivals. In the Government de-
partments the wires of both companies
run into the same office, and the opera
tors. who are Government employees.
cqualze the business between the two
services. The principal hotels are pro-
vided with stations of either one of the
and these, from their Local
tons, are of great convenience to out
5iders we'll as to those residing In the
building.
The sub-stations Of each company are
divided into circuits, and each office has
is own district Of receipt or delivery be-
-ond which Its province does not extend.
rhe receiving and delivery u kilograms
ire combined in sorle Of the larger sub
tations which have also in some in
tances direct wires 10 all he larger cit
es. The majority OF the inor stations.
However. communicate. in t2e sending of
messages, arFt with the
main office.
The books of telegraph, company are