Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-07-05
POSTAL DEAL IS RATIFIED
Western Union Must Give Up $500
Pennsylvania Offices.
THE RAILROAD DIRECTORS ACT
Essential Features Of New traffic Agreement
Outlined BY Competent Authority-Wh
Rebuild Pike Lines-large Loss
to Old Company in Mileage
and Equipment.

$3.50 49,
to Old Company in Mileage
and Equipment.
Thee directors of the Pennsylvani'
Railroad have approved OF tae argee
nent whereby The Postal Tele0raDh
Gable Company will %supplant TIM
Western Union on the entire Pennsyi
vania system east Of Pittsburg ant
Erie on December /. with the exceD
tion of that portion OF the I q
Allegheny Valley division REPRESENTED
BY the Western New York 81 Pennsvl-
vania and several smaller lines. The
arrangement will nov he submitted
10 the directors of the Postal Teie-
graph. CahleCompanv for their formal
approval. The contract, which is 70
continue for a period Is years from
July /. will then be signed by the
officials of the controlling corpora
fions.
TERMS 0f THE CONTRACT
From source that is perfectly Ielia-
RE the more Important features OF
t1e new contract were ascertained TO
be as follows: For the right OF way
over the Pennsylvania lines and the
privilege of doing business at the 1900
telegram offices upon tho system the
Postal Telegraph Gable COMPANY CON
tracts to pay a YEARLY rental OF $40,
900 on a basis of 12,t0) miles OF wire
and a yearly Preferential of SIS per mile
for each additional mile. In addition
to this revenue the Pennsylvania
Railroad is to receive 80 per cen of
the cash receipts from nll commercial
business. Tue Pennsylvania Railroad
is also to be entitled to free telegraph
service amounting in the aggregate to
500, 600 per year, aud all service ever
and above that aggregate is to be paid
for at the rate Of half a cen a word.
The Pennsylvania Railroad beside nc
cording the telegraph COMPANY the
rights and privileges above mention
ed is to furni, N all poles cine tele-
graph company to supply the wires)
and maintain and keen in renair Tia"
telegraph lines.
WHAT WESTERN UNION PAID.
Under the present arrang ement
with the Western Union the Penn
sylyania Railroad re ewes u YEARLY
compensation of SO, GEO tor the rights
and privileges OF operating the lines
over the company's night of II OF
tins amount the West ern Union re-
ceives q rebate of $40 0C0 in lieu Of
free telegraph service of the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad. but which as a mat
ter of fact approximates in value.
measured by the standard of tele
graphic charges, about $3.50. COO. Ia
addition the Pennsy vania Railroad
secures anon commercial business the
cash recelpts of the business origina-
ting on the lines. which it is stated
Is equivalent to only about 20 per
cent. OF the value of the entire bnsi-
ness.
THOUSANDS OF MILES OF WIRE.
vi the Miles of poles and wires
strung along the Pennsylvania Rail
road system the Pennsylvania Rail
road owns about 5000 miles of poles
anu -, 600 miles of wire and the
Western Union 1900 miles of poles and
o. 900 r,,F1oZ, AY x~Frn Whr1a nnVhrpn
has been said officially, the logical
inference is that arrangements will
be ent cred into between the three
companies whereby the W estern
Unions poles will be purchased by
the Pennsylvania Railroad and the
wires by the Postal Telegraph.
RICH TERRITORY AFFECTED.
The territory included In tue new
deals takes in all of the Pennsylvania
Railroad lines under the Jurisdiction
OF the general manager. among which
Is the PENNSYLVANIA main line. the
Northern Central. tine Philadrplhia,
Wilmington d Baltimore, Phlladel-
Dhia & Erie, United Railw avs Of
New Jersey, West Jersey & Seashore
and various branch lines. The only
execution as above stated being that
norton OF the Bufai4 q Allegheny
VALLEY division of the Pennsylvania
Railroad division represented bv the
lines of the Western New York and
Pennsylvania, where the present con-
flact with the Western Union does
not expire until 1907.
TAX ON WESTERN UNION.
In addition to the tual cost o.
obstruction and maintenance 1t vii
cost the Western Union at least S40C
u mile for the rights Of way tha.
mast be secured before its many aban
conea pike lines can be cons. ructed
arge gangs of men are already Of
ne road marking out routes for the
proposed new lines. Actual recon