The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-15
POSTAL TO INVADE
TELEP HONE FIELD
It's Telegraph Lines Will Be
Made to Do Double
Duty.
flight ON WESTERN UNION
Automatic instruments to Be In
stalled in Western
Cities.

New York. June l4.-Announcement
was made MONDAY at the executive
offices of the Postal Telegraph Com
pany. asa Broadway. that 1t Is to enter
the telephone field AS result OF
experiments that have Just been COM
pleted between Salt Lake City, Utah,
and Reno. New, and between Reno
and San Francisco. its trunk telegraph
lines are to be used for telephone
messages between those cities.
The Postal has put into operation
between Salt Lake CITY and San Fran
cisco two new lines which cost So
900, 600. The wires are thicker than
q lead pencil and weight AS pounds
to the mile instead of 21o and 800
pounds. the standard weights hereto
fore. This new wire is eventually to
suDplant the lighter size on all trunk
lines OF the Postal system. and MS its
mileage is increased the Postal's oper-
alton in the telephone field is to ex.
tend in pace.
When the telephone experiments
were made the wires were being used
for the transmission OF Geographic
messages between Chicago and San
Francisco. Four operators were at
work, furthermore. two In each direc-
Lake City and In San Francisco were
in conversation with Reno. talking
through" the telegraphic messages
Experiments Astontsh OmcInIs.
The first success OF the experiment
was so complete that officials of the
company couldn't help being Suspicious
In spite OF themselves They tried
again when .6he wires We're fairly
singing under a torrent of Morse
Voices were carried 100 miles over the
wires so clearly that doubt remained
no longer. Tho perfecting of plans
for installing telephone service was
Immediately begun.
A new power plant is being COM
pleted at Reno When it comes into
use through telephone service over the
500 miles OF wire between Salt Lake
and San Francisco will be esta blished.
In the former city local service will be
offered even before that time with au-
tomato instruments. The service will
be put In along the line to the West
and North TO Billings and Great Falls,
Montana
From these Montana points the plan
is to extend It westward to Spokane. AS
soon as possible Spokane and San Fran
cisco viii be connected in the same
way, giving belt line around the
Northwest. a business rate with a
maximum of $50 year and minimum
of S4s is proposed when the service is
fully established. The residence rate
Will have maximum OF $40 a year and
O minimum of SIS. :.
No statement was made concerning
the companys purpose of extending
Its telephone service through the Mid
die West and the East 1t was not
denied. however. that this extension
was In contemplation as soon and as
rapidly as proved practicable.
Fight Is Frankly Admitted.
This venture of the Postal interests
is frankly directed against the West
ern Union. The Western Union is now
owned by the American Telegraph and
Telephone Company tthe Bell system),
and in the last year the service of the
two companies has been made a near
ly one as possible. G
Within a fortnight the Bell system
has acquired the last independent tele-
phone concern in the intermountain
West. the Independent Telephone Coz
pany of Utah. This went into bank
ruptcy In May. and at the sale of It's
establishment was bought in by the
Bell Company. Immediately an increase
In rates was announced.
1t was this circumstance that led
to the selection OF Salt Lake ms the
city where the Postal should carry out
It's experiment of invading It's rivals
field Stations will be opened through
out Salt Lake City this month Be-
fore the summer is over 1t is expected
that automatic instruments viii be In
place in stores and residences