The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1909-01-08
1t Got the Plum for Prompt
News Service at the
Recent Election.


With the presldentiaf election
nearly two months past the excite
nent attending thereon Aas died
kaway. But there are stoF5es ana an
eedotes With the campaign mat win
not die Tor many years.
Many OF these stories. or perhaps
4 maioritg Of them. have to do with
the getting OF returns Every instru-
ment every news getting agency aua
every being who IS directly concern
ed IN getting results on election dayl
and night are kept on the qui viye.l
Press associations. newspaper GORE
spondentsf news tIckers and every
other news getting agency make SUI
pyeme efforts n being first to get
returns before the public. The sx-l
tent this competition reaches, the in
tensity OF the rivalry aud the means
employed to set the results first are
hardly bellcvable TO one who has not.
directly or indirectly been partici-
pant,
IN the presidential election OF ! sos
this rivalry was unprecedented. The
utmost efforts were put forth and ua-
usually large Expenditures Of money
were made to score what In neWspa-
per parisnce arc known as beats. !"
In the late campaign the plum for
the most efficient. feasible and satis-
factors. way Of getting complete and
authentic returns. went to an agency
which a few years ago was consider
ed impractIeable and too expensive.
This agency was the telephone.
Some years ago the telephone COM
panles gave out their bulletins direct
in the larEe cities. In the last cleo
ton they gave them to the newspa-
pers. who in turn, gave them TO the
public over the telephone or on
screens. In the large cities extra
stations ana lines were Installed IN
newspaper offices without extra
charge. The completeness and ac-
curacy OF the telephone companies
bulletins taken In conjunction with
the smooth manner in which they
handled the rush or extra business
have prompted the various newspa-
pers throughout the country. who en-
Joy the benefit Of the service. to give
liberal credit to the telephone COM
panles.
The Philadelphia Times. new
evening paper. in expressing its ap-
probation says: "ThIs is the first
time we have received anything with.
out paying for It since we have been
In business"
The baltimore World says: THE
tteiephone) service was perfect and
enabled Us to put a more compete
extra" on the street by $ o'clock
than ever before
Although the bulletins OF the tel
phone company were first at hand in
nearly every instance. the accuracy
Of the reports was not sacrificed to
obtain the result. In so FAR AZ pos-
slblo every bulletin was rigidly cen
sored. Wildcat guesses. prophecies
based on hearsay. etc, We're elimin-
ated. Consequently the bulletins
had real value.
iepdTlIUeHt menus anu Lrat1c ont
ials OF the telephone companies are
elated Mt the highly successful out
come Of this rigid test OF their sys-
tenn. As result % the work It per-
formed, stacks Of letters are carefully
nled in executive offices COMPLIMENTS
r. TO the efficiency Of the organiza.
ton.
Other tests The telephone has been
subject TO would make interesting
reading For Instance. during the
pennant winning games at Detroit
last fan the city was baseball mad.
During tho last two weeks OF the sea
son the enthusiasm Of the fans was
hubblinE over with every game. Tho
Climax was reached on the pennant
winning Tuesday. however. The tel
sphune exchanges We're besleged vita
enquiries.
To prepare for the emergency the
telephone companies organized buIlc-
tin squads whose only duties we're 10