The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-16
POSTAL ISSUES
 ANNUAL REPORT
Completes New Trans-COn- tinental Lines and Ocean
 Cables

New York, February 15.-tSpecial,,
 The annual report of the Mackay com
 panies was issued this afternoon. |
 states that new trans-continental lines
 have been completed by construction | from Reno. New. to Salt Lake City Utah, and by construction from Seattle
 to Spokane. Wash. These lines en'
 able the Postal Telegraph company tS | give the best of service between tha
 Pacific coast and the east. The heavy copper wires on these lines were trans
 posed when erected, so that they are
 now used for telegraphing and tele.
 phoning simultaneously.
 | In the ocean system a new addi-
 tional submarine cable has been laio from Waterville Ireland, to Weston
 England, with underground connec- tions to London. The eastern ends Of l two of the Commercial Cable com panys cables from America to Europe | have been replaced by new heavy cables | to withstand the action of the fishing trawlers off the Irish coast, and a long section of the cable from Water vile to Havre France, has also been renewed The replaced cable in both cases has been in use over quarter of a century.
 On the land line system the night letter has been in use for some II months. Much of the day business has passed into night letters--notably over one half of that to and from the en- tire Pacific coast. The advantage to the telegraph companies is doubtful. to say the least. It necessitates the trans- mission of 50 words instead of 1o and transmission is expensive.
 In February. 1907, the Postal Tele- graph company abolished free passes, although it's competitor, the Western Union Telegraph company, continued to issue them. The Postal Telegraph company has not regretted it's action. The free pass system never did pre- vail on the ocean. but from the very beginning of land line telegraph free | telegraph passes were given profusely and at times even recklessly to friends, patrons, persons who might influence telegraph business. public officials and on a great variety of pretenses, until the free pass system became a men ace, nuisance. and a disgrace. All this has now been eliminated as to all telegraph companies by their being
 
 law, as amended by the act of Congress of June IS. 1910. and under the public service commissions law of New York state by the act of the legislature of June 25, 1910. Free passes, discrim- nations and Illegal practices are by those statutes rigidly prohibited under heavy penalties. The trustees are very glad indeed that such is the case and that they anticipated by three years the policy of these statutes. Now that these practices are prohibited by act of Congress and state law 1t Is believed that more business like methods will prevail in the obtaining and handling of telegraph business. It is also be- lieved that the statutory prohibitions against discriminations and favoritisni of all sorts will have a very wholesome effect upon the telegraph business in the United States.
 The report proceeds to state that no bonds, notes or stocks have been issued and no debts incurred during the year. and vet there has been substantial growth of the ocean and land line sys- tems. It's policy Is Pay as you go.'' During the present year important ex- tensions and improvements to the sys- tenn will be made on land and sea.
 The employees of the Commercial Cable and Postal Telegraph system con : tinue to invest their savings very largely in the shares of the Mackay companies, their holdings being over S2, 00O, ,000 par value.