Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1917-04-14
PLANS
PHONE SYSTEM
Telegraph Company TO Ini-
fate NatiOn-W Wide Scheme
in Chicago
TWO SERVICES WILL BE
ORGANIZED INTO UNIT

CHICAGO, April 1.-THE Postal
Telegraph Company is about TO estao-
fish a telephone system. which. from
all present evidence. promises to be
nationwide. Il will be initiated in
Chicago, and contracts already have
been made for equipment Ii looks
from the preparations that are being
made to execute the contracts as II
something big were TO be done even in
! the face Of obstacles which now con-
| front all new industries. II is a fair
guess that for the present the work
will be confined to the larger centers
of the country.
The Western Union and the Ameri-
can Telephone and Telegraph Com
pany have co-operated for some years,
so that in sending or receiving dis
patches a person needs only TO be
at a desk where there is a telephone
instrument. In Offices whore there is
private-wiTe service Of the Postal
/ Company there can be at any time a
conversation from telegraph to tele-
phone, and vice-versa. The wires OF
the Postal Company are capable Of
| transmitting the voice as well as those
of the telephone companies. The
change. therefore, will consist in the
installation of its own telephone in
struments by the Postal Company.
TWO Services to Be a Unit.
The advantage TO the Postal will
consist of having the two kinds of
service centered in one company and
virtually a unit OF course. the advan-
tage of the Western Union system
will be the same as heretofore, that
is. that the two cooperating compa'
MES serve a much larger number OF
people, reaching many points which
their competitor does not touch al all
For a time the Western Union and
the American Telephone and Tele'
graph Company were combined, but a
dissolution was ordered by the gov
eminent. One is justified In the opin
ion, however. that the excellent ser
vice that was initiated by the cOmbi
nation has been a boon to the country
and is perhaps as good as it was be
fore the antitrust law laid its hand
upon these two great concerns.
The service of the Western UniOr
Company in telephoning messages tC
. the address has long been known
The Postal. however, commonly sends
. by messenger as both formerly did.
The Postal Telegraph Company hal
an application before the Public Util
tiles Commission Of this state for per
( mission to engage in this business
The new plans require a certificate o
, convenience and necessity. AS mos
OF the States have similar public scu
tators of corporate affairs. II is pre-
sumed that the sfQe action will b
requ.Isd in nearly every part OF ID
coA&y. The Opposition" to the oil
! and larger telephone and telegrap
companies has not been conspicuous
! tsuccessful in these many years {
l competition, and one cannot prediC
anything as 10 the success of this III
g dertaking. 1t Is largely a matter {
Q financial means which are not con
: monty considered so abundant in tn
i opposition as in the Old-line compS
MES.
That the demand for additiona
4 telephone facilities is greater thai
e the companies have been able to NEE
is well known. II is certainly true Il
this city. The Chicago Tclephon
Company. an admirably manage
concern. has its troubles. Evidence O
the enlargement of its functions
seen in the construction now going o
! OF q large downtown building in ad
dition to the huge structure contain
ing its Offices and its central Operai
= ing rooms 1t is likely, therefore, ths
. anything the Postal can do will
!, needed. Nor Should it create an
n hurtful competition with existing con
y panies. and the moro closely relate
r. telegraph are the better for the con
ir munity.