The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1915-06-04

telepost committee of the United
States senate in its report of March
4, 1915, recommends to the consid-
Grafton of the postmaster general,
means a telegraph service throughout
the United States in conjunction
with the United States post office.
The rates at which the telepost will
give this service are one cent word
for 10 words and one-half' a cent a
word for SO words or more. The
electric mail service will differ from
the present telegraph service in rates
and in that the postal facilities would
be used to collect and deliver mes
sages sent at the reduced rates. In
case special dedlivery OF cessenger
service is desired an additional pay
ment of ten cents would be required.
This service is made possible by
the telepost automatic system of tele-
graphing by which as high as 1000
words per minute can be transmitted
over a single wire.
From the point of view of the post
office, the electric mail means let
ter or card handled by the post office
just as any other letter or card is
today handled, with the single ex-
ception that instead Of being carried
by train the contents of the letters
or cards are transmitted by wire be-
tween the two post offices.
From the point of view of the tele-
post, the electric mail means mes
sage sent by telepost, just as any
other telegraph message is sent, with
the difference that the collecting Of
the message at one end and the de-
livering Of it at the other is done by
the regular collectors and carriers of
the post office.
Where message is delivered on a
postal card it will be called tele-
card, which means 10 words for 10
cents. When it is delivered in a
sealed envelope, the message is call
ed telepost, which means SO words
or less for 25 cents, and 5 cents for
each additional 10 words or less.
These rates will be uniform, regard
less of distance, between any two
points connected by telepost.
The electric mail will be far quick
er than a letter-much cheaper than
a telegram.
By this service several communica-
tions may be exchanged during bust
ness hours between the business sec
ton of all cities having frequent post
office collections and deliveries.
The telepost is now ready to intro
duce the electric mail between st.
Louis and Chicago and to extend It
as rapidly as it's lines are built, or
leased.
The Origin of the Electric Mail
Postal officials to whom the plan
for an electric mail was originally
submitted were most enthusiastic
about it because they Immediately
recognized that the institution of
such service would be the greatest
forward step ever made in the his
tory of the post office department.
Therefore, to give the subject the
fullest possible consideration, it was
decided to ask the United States SEN
ate to appoint a special committee to
look into the matter. This commit
tee was composed of the following
senator's:
John H. Bankhead, Alabama,
chairman; George e. Chamberlain,
Oregon; Luke Lea, Tennessee; Miles
Poindexter, Washinton.
Its report submitted to the senate
on March 4, 1915, is as follows:
The Report
Mr.. Chamberlain submitted the
following report of theselect commit
tee appointed pursuant to senate
resolution number 405 to Investigate
the use of the telepost in connection
with the post office department.
The telepost, through it's president,
Mr.. H. Lee Sellers, submitted the
only system of rapid telegraphic
transmission for consideration by the
committee. The resolution did not
authorize the committee to incur any
expense in Investigating the general
efficacy and economy of the sys-
TEN, and, therefore, 1t was confined
to statements by representatives of
the company, to personal inspection
of a demonstration exhibited in
room at the capitol, to certain data
gathered by letters from customers
of the system now in operation be-
tween Chicago and St. Louis, certain
reports by the Franklin Institute of
Philadelphia, and certificates of
awards by number of international
and national avnncst;anz Co,o4o.