The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-18
THE TELEGRAPH BUSINESS.
Capital invested, Mileage, Employees,
Income and Outgo.
(Omaha Bee.)

The present strike Of telegraph oper-
ators and the disturbance of business
caused thereby sharply emphasizes the
close relations of telegraphy TO the
activities of the world. TeIegraphy
grips the heart of industrial life. Its
current and mechanism register the
pulsatiOns of business; its clicking hum
denotes commercial progress, as well
as individual relations, and links ma
tlons and communities. A business
'ramifying the activities of modern life,
lts suspension is bound to cause great
inconvenience and positive damage.
To understand the extent to which
telesraphy is linked with present day
affairs, its vast extent, capital employed
and army of workers, a few figures
from the census report of 1906 will
prove illuminating. The report covers
! the business of 1902. Doubtless there
mas been some expansion since then
but not enough to affect the substan-
tial accuracy of the figures.
The telegraph systems of the coun-
try operated 1,31S,350 miles of wire In
1902, to which should be added 1857
nautical miles of submarine cable
They had 1882 employees; an invest
ment, or capitalization of stocks and
bonds. of 1852, $40, 525; a total revenue
of $40, 1906 OBS; and total assets of
| S195, 5O3,7 75. They paid $6,256, 500 in div
| idends and 81, $50 2S2 in interest on
bonds. The number Of telegraph of
| fees in 1902 was 27,377, an increase of
1857, or 11S.S per cent over 1880. Of
the total number in 1902, 2O,S0S were in
railway stations.
Between 1880 and 1902 the number Of
salaried officials, clerks, etc, increased
| from 337 to 629, or 146 per cent; the
total number of wage earners, from
1851 to 26,79S, or 1871 per cent; the
number of telegraph operators, from
| 1861 to 1908, OF 35.5 per cent, and the
amount paid in salaries and wages
from s4,SS6,12S to $15.OSS, 67S, or 2O7S per
cent.
OF the total authorized capitalization
of commercial telegraph systems, cap
| ital stock constituted 71.2 per cent and
bonds and funded debt 2S.S per cent. Of
the total authorized capital stociA S117,-
| 069,525. or 95 per cent, had been is
sued and was outstanding at the end
of the year covered by this report. Of
| this amount SO per cent was common
and i per cent preferred stock
The dividends paid on the capital
stock outstanding amounts to $6,256, $685.
| the average rate being SO per cent
| Dividends amounting to $6,193, 500 were
| paid by ten companies on COMMON
| stock, having a par value of 113913,-
/ l25. so that the average rate was "a
| per cent. Only one company was au-
| thorized to issue preferred stock, and
the entire amount. $4,000 was out
standing. This company paid on its
preferred stock dividends amounting to
| $4,000, the rate being So per cent. Ten
| companies. having capital stock to the
amount Of s., 939, 500, paid no dividends
! during the year covered by this re-
| port.
The total receipts of the commercial
| telegraph companies amounted to
| $40 $50, 03S. OF this total s35, 800. see, or
| S6.2 per cent, represents the gross re-
ceipts from operations, including all re
ceipts from operations, including all
receipts for messages sent over the
| lines of the telegraph systems in this
/ country, whether originating in this
country or forwarded for other systems
under traffic agreement. The Income
from other sources" amounted to s., 1929. =
1863. or 1873 per cent of the gross rev.
enue.
| OF all operating expenses. salaries
and wages together amounted to s15,-
039 673, or 56.5 per cent; the other prin-
| cipal item, operation and maintenance
amounted to S9,229. 94S, or 34.7 per cent;
and the remaining items of expense
! legal expenses, rentals, telegraphic traf-
| fc paid or due other companies, etc
amounted to ST. 331, 1870, or SIS per cent.
! Fixed charges, which consist of
| taxes interest and payments for leased
lines, amounted to 81, 355, 623. Deducting
this from s14.337 ,627. shown as gross in
come less operating expenses, there re-
mains net income of So 1882, 004 De-
Quoting from the net income the $685.
| 693 paid in dividends on the preferred
and common stock. there remains net
surplus of s3725,311.
In addition to the cost of repairs and
renewals, included in the item oper-
alton and maintenance. an expenditure
of S4, 776,763 for new construction was
reported by seven of the twenty-five
telegraph systems.
of the total amount paid to salaried
officials, clerks. etc, $3.50, $50, or 1873 per
cent, was paid to corporation officers;
| S255. 40, or % per cent. to general Off
GERS, and s676,642. or 5S.2 per cent, to all
other employees in general offices.
In addition there were employed. on
an average, during the year 26,79S wage
earners, to whom $13.s77 041 was paid
| in wages. Of this amount, managers
and assistants received S2,S98.5SS or 20.9
ger cent; male operators. $7,454 .909, or
| "a per cent; female operators, 1851. 440,
or SO per cent; inspectors. s579.0SS. or