Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-06-30
Grand Jury Probing Delayed
Earthquake" kilograms.

Is malicious IN its insiignation. and the
true facts viii be presented TO the
public in due time, We propose 20 can
upon some public body possibly the
chamber Of commerce or the Mer-
chants association, 10 make an I'M
biased investigation Of all that the
Western Union has done since and dur
luc the disaster We wish 20 call at
teniin Co the prompt action Of the
company IN placing the facilities Of the
company at the command Of the relief
organizations Of every class through
out the whole country We point out
the fact that. without solicitation, we
have been. and are stlll. handling an
immense volume Of free messages re-
latIye t0 the relief work
also realizing the condition Of
complete decentralization which ensued
Immediately after the earthquake and
FIRE. and the great anxiety Of relatives
and friends for those residing IN San
Francisco. this company Immediately
commenced preparing for the Issuing
~ bulletins containing the latest ana
most reliable information ohtainable,
and these bulletins were transmitted
free of an charge and were delivered
m every one of our 23,00o Offices ln the
country. This Information was com
tinued until the great fire was subdued
and the extent OF the damage approx
malc'y known
I'm answer TO- the charges ] win
state that all OF our Offices were IN
uructed % accept messages Tor the Pa
,dc COST subject 20 indefinite delay.
Tho large amount Of business which
W8s offered Notwithstanding this re-
sriCiion. was handled On the manner
calculated 10 serve the best Interests
~ the hubble according 90 the expert.
cnce aud judgment Of all our operating
officials.
TOO BUSY TO TALK.
eat th, present time We are too busy
restoring our service 10 It's normal
condition go give much attention 10
the slanderOus statement promulgated
by the grand jury. The company be-
lieyes that the law Is ample TO protect
10 and ln due time the matter will re-
ceiye attention.
we no not believe that any lntelli-
gent citizen ~ San Francisco believes
the eNtrayagant and malicious state.
mtuts contained in the report prepared
by the secretary ~ the grand jury. We
went before that committee, believing
tina, the charges would De Investigated,
iuasmuCh as they mad been made
against the company
ut is true however that before our
facilities had been fully restored, and
owing 90 the congestion Of the tew
lines u working order. messages Were
accepted az eastern points subject 20
indefinite delay and with the under-
standing that We would get them
through TO Oakland OF San Francisco
as soon as possible Upon one occa
sion messages We're sent by special
messengers from Chicago with the
idea OF dropping them on az stations
cnrouta as fast as wires could be re-
covered.
Several thousands ~ these mes
sages were taken TO Oakland by Soe.
cial messengers. but 10 prevent any
mlsconceptiou ms 10 how they reached
their destination. each message was
stamped across its face with the words
Forwarded by train from Chicago
This was done in order that the adj
dresses might know the reason Tor the
delay
HOW SOME WERE MAILED.
After the earthquake and FIRE
great number Of messages were re-
teiNed here by wire from points both
on the Pacific coast and from places
IN the east addressed 10 places I'm the
burned district. or, in some cases. 20
places In The unburned district which
could not possibly be reached by mes
sengers. After the most careful con-
sideration by the officials Of the COM
pluy u was decided 10 place a postage
stamp ON each 81 these messages and
drop them~in the postofflce al San
Francisco, with the expectation that
the parties 90 whom they were ad-
dressed would call there daily for their
mall ln this manner many Of these
messages reached the addresses. This
is The only foundation for the state
mCnts that messages were mailed.
ON view Of the fact that the FIRE
destroyed am the property OF the COM
pny iu The city OF San Francisco. IN
GLIDING its power plant. supply depot.
main office and warehouse. we were
left without any instruments or appn-
ancls necessary 90 the operation of
our wires.
THE celebrity With which these "a
Clities were restored has been COM
mentei upon Boo the most favorable
terms by everybody connected with
the telegraph service or having knoWl-
clge OF the great difficulties which
were surmountel. our main operai-
ing station temporarily located in
Yves, Oakland. was constructed. fully
equipped with power ana with COM
piete facilities FOR handling business
by automatic qu8druploX and duplex
Morse systems. within six days.
on the Saturday following the be-
ginning of the work $50 operators were
OF work while This building was in
process ~ construction n large force
az men was al work testing out and
repairing our submarine cable under
the hay and oar underground system
On san Francisco.
Whenever message has been
brought Go us and 70 appears that ade-
gu8te Service has not been rendered
hy the company we have returned the
charges. and we viii continue 90 do 50
wherever the matter Is brought 20 our
attention. ~ course we will not re-
fund Iuy money 90 the addressee at
thIs point upon which charges were
paid 90 distant points. that is % say,
unless the claim Is made 40 the sta
fI,r r.Nfra tho money WAS Maid "