The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-05-26

number of calls or messages per capita
and low number per intrumeEt.
uC1aplo dw-esopdcaiebr brho
The distribution Of telephones, the use
of each instrument, and the number Of
messages percapita do NOT depend solely
upon density of population. Among the
other factors are the kind of population
the nature of the prevailing industries,
the tariff, charged for telephone service,
and the assiduity with which the tele-
phone habit has been cultivated by the
managers of the companies supplying ser
vice.
During the past ten years there has
been very rapid and wide extension Of
telephone service in the rural districts,
but the industry has shown the greatest
growth in the states having the largest
population, and has reached its highest
development in the leading cities,
In 1900 there were 1,157 Incorporated
urban centers with 1000 or more inhabi-
tants. Of these, 1909 were provided in
1902 with telephone systems of some de-
scription. San Francisco, with l <tele-
phone to 8 persons. was the best tele-
phoned city in the United States in 1902;
while Cleveland ranked second, with 1
telephone for every 16 persons; and Bos-
ton was third, with ! telephone for every
10 inha bitants.
The average revenue per telephone
amounted to $3.50 and the average per
message, to Ii cents; while the average
operating expense was $24.56 per tele-
phone and Il cents per message.
The introduction of the telephone in the
United States was followed by its adap-
tion almost Immediately in all the coun-
tries of Europe and more slowly in other
parts of the world. But while in the
United States the development of the
telephone has been left to private enter
prise, in Europe the telephone, along with
the telegraph, has remained almost ex-
clusively subject to governmental control.
In the report table is given showing
+a1a +, 4
1905. for the United States and Europe
The number of telephones for the Unit
ed States was 3,400,O0 and the number
for Europe, 1 1,4S5, ,7S4.
The effect Of the telephone in reducing
or checking the amount of telegraph bus
stituting the long distance telephone call
for the telegraph message between two
widely separated points. and by OBJ
waiting to very darge extent theneces-
sity for using the telegraph within city
limits
The rates of the two systems for me-
dunn distances do not differ greatly. and
for very long distances htey are over
whelming in favor of the teleraph. if the
message be taken as a unit; but if the
number of words exchanged be taken into
account as we'll as the time required for
getting into communication. the tele-
graph is at disadvantage in case of a
large amount of traffic.
Frequently the brief message will suf-
fee and the written telegram serves as
record; but where swift interchange is
thoroughly established its superiority for
social matters and for business. The
public employs the telegraph at the rate
of only little more than once year
per capita,s whereas the number 0 tele
phone messages is already Go per capita.
The telegraph systems are divided into
two general classes-the commercial land
including all systems organized primarily
telegraph and the ocean cable systems,
for the transmission of messages for the
general public; and the railway tele-
graphs, including all wires owned and
operated in connection with railway sys-
tens.
The commercial telegraph Estems of
the country owned and operated 1,31S,
$50 miles of wire in 1902. In addition
there were 16,6T7 nautical miles of sub
marine cable. The % systems had an
investment, or capitalization of stocks
and bonds, Of S162, ,946, ,525; total reye-
nue. of $40,93OO3S; and total assets of
S195, ,5O3, IT'S. A sum amounting to $15,-
039,673 was paid in calaries and wages
to 800 salaried employees and 26, 79S
wage--earners.
The railway telegraph systems were re-
ported by 6S4 companies. They employed
30,336 operators and dispatchers. to
whom s20,040,T30 were paid in wages.
The number of messages sent during the
year for railroad business only was 201,-