The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-11-12
American Telegraph and TeIe-
phone Company Seeks Con.
troll of Independent Lines in
Middle Western States.
THIS DISCOVERY MADE
By TELEPOST COMPANY
New Concern Is Being 0p-
posed in Its Efforts to Use
Independent Long Distance
Lines for Its Service.
palladium Specially

indianapolis, Ind, Nov. 1o--Develop-
ments in the telephone circles OF In
diana, during the last twenty four
hours indicate that there is now 60
ing on the greatest deal in that line
that has ever been known in the state,
and which threatens the very life Of
the independents in both the telephone
and the telegraph field. 1t h said now
that the American Telegraph and Tel
ephone company now owns the West
ern Union Telegraph company and the
Postal Telegraph company. and that l.
is seeking to get control of the inde-
pendent long distance telephone lines
in the middle states SO as to break the
back OF the independent telegraph
movement and create for itself q gi-
ant monopoly of the telegraph and
telephone business of the country.
This development came to light yes
terday when H. Lee Sellers. of New
York. president Of the Telepost COM
pany. came to this city to investigate
the conditions of the deal by which
James s. Bradley. of Toledo. obtained
control OF the New Long Distance Tel
ephone company in this state.
10 Extending Lines.
The Telepost Company is the inde.
pendent new telegraph company which
is extending it's lines all over the
country. 1t recently established an
office in this city and il has lines i'm
a. -SA.~ &c
Louis. and several other cities west of
here. II is arranging to extend its
lines to Chicago. Louisville and to cit
les in the east. and II says II will have
this done within the next few months.
II 1t is not hampered by the combina-
ton of the other companies into 4 e.
eantic wire trust.
The Telepost company has q system
of sending messages at the rate OF
from one thousand to three thousand
words a minute over q telephone wire.
distance conversation. II has been
planning to use the lines of the inde-
pendent telephone companies until IL
can get its own lines constructed. IL
is using independent lines now i'm
many places. and President Sellers in
tended while here yesterday to make
a contract for the use Of wires to ex-
tend its lines to South Bend. Fort
Wayne and other places in the state OF
Indiana. but Bradley. the man with
whom he would have to deal. slipped
out OF town before he had an opportu-
nifty to talk with him on the subject
Sellers said. however, that Charles s.
Norton, the general manager OF the
New Long Distance Telephone CON-
pany. informed him that the relations
of the New Long Distance TelepA00.s
company and the Telepost company
would remain the same as they were
before the sale of the New Long Dis
tance company was made to Bradley.
Has . Lower Rate.
The Telepost company sends mes
sages for a much lo~er rate than eth
er the Western Union or the Postal.
and the rate Is the same no matter
what distance the message In carried
Sellers says that by working In con-
junction with the independent tele-
phone companies and using their
wires the Telepost company will be
able to get its service into many plac-
e much quicker and also be able TO
make connection with many small
towns in which there are Independent
telephone exchanges. but where 1t
would be q good while before the Tele-
post company would be able to ex-
tend its own lines- Therefore. be
does not wish to lose the cooperation
of the independent telephone compa-
MES
Information from New York IN that
the Could family, the Russell Sage es-
tate and John T. Terry have sold thei.
Western Union Telegraph company
stock to the American Telegraph and
Telephone company. which II the Bell
company. Through the Mackays.
who are heavily interested In the Bell.
the Postal Telegraph company also has
been taken into the fold. thus forming
a great trust composed Of the two
telegraph companies and the greatest
telephone company.
Thorn in Their Side.
But now comes along the Telepost
company. the independent telegraph
competitor. to give the telegraph CON-
panies as much trouble - the inde-
pendent telephone companies gave the
Bell company. and IT seems 70 Be mp tn
the wire trust to head 1t off. This.
according to dispatches. It II seeking
to do by buying mp the independent
long distance lines 20 - to prevent The
Telepost company from making con-