The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-24
WESTERN EAJON WAS READY.
Not Crippled by the Work Of Pennsyivania's
Axe Army.

John F. Dillon said yesterday that there
we're no now Developments In the legal dis
pute between the Western Union Telegraph
Company and the Pennsylvania Railroad
Company. Steps were being taken for the
INNS iiats preparation OF an appeal to
the United States Supreme Court. no said
and the apps1l would be prosecuted as
rapidly as possible.
Col. r. c. Clowry. president OF the West
ern Union company. said that the stories
Of the damage done by the Pennsylvania e
action had been much exaggerated His
company was little affected In the matter
of the transaction Of it's business by what
the Pennsylvania had done, he said, as
most Of the lines along the Pennsylvania L
road were practically dead lines any way
The Western Union had done what any
business man would do with the knowledge
that contract was about to expire-it
had taken precautions.
The company had moved it's Offices from,
the railroad stations to the towns, where
this " o. ne &C ssary, and had cut out alto
gether some Offices where the communities
were not Of enough importance to require
the m. In still other places, where an Office
was not needed all the time, the company
had put it's Instruments into hotels and
arranged with men In the place who could
telegraph. but were engaged part Of the
time at other business, to operate them Ia
certain hours.
Most Of the lines along the railroad. he
said, were paralleled on the highways.
and where this was not the cas-. thu tele-
graph company had arranged with the tele-
phone company for tn. delivery Of its mes-
sagts. This 1t was able to do through
friendly relationship between the two
companie 8, owing to community OF inter-
st on account OF certain contracts which
thy ntsrchanged.
Col Cowry said that the Western Union
was not crippled and that he had heard of
very little delay with mt ssages, although
In some instances Il was necessary to send
them by roundabout rout y. All business
was being accepted by thu company. which
had some 1000 contracts with main railway
lines and 1000 covering branch lines In the
country, and Ia had heard Of nobody failing
to gst nv ssages. -,
Schaeffer, Superintendent Of Telegraphs Of
the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, said
to-day, In reply To charges Of vandalism
mode by the counsel Of the Western Union
Telegraph Company, that not only had the
tract with the telegraph company TO tear
the wires down. but that the company
had vainly offered to purchase the lines
10 save the telegrap phi company the ex-
pense end loss incident to the ir removal.
Mr. Schaeifer said The Pennsylvania
Railroad Company, In order to save the
company the expense and lose
incident to the removal Of the poles and
wires, had offered to purchase the lines
at a fsir valuation. but the Western
Union T.legrsp phi Company Ind evidently
preferred to allow the Pennsylvania Rail.
road Company to tear them down and re.
mo We them at its expense.
THE Pennsylvania Railroad Company,
having entered into a contract with the
Postal Telegraph Company TO provide
it with facilities on it's lnes, was compelled
to proceed to remove the poles and wires
Of the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany.'