Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-11-21
TWO TELEGRAPH
LINES MERGED
BY u. S. ORDER
Union and Postal to
Be Operated As One and
Same Regulations to Gov
ern Both Organizations,
t.r aons,se ,ouHsAl sr-e,.l 4-.-rO wHs,

tBY MORNING JOURNAL SPECIAL lEAsEu wIREl
Washington, Nov. 20.-Consolida-
ton of the services of the Western
Union and Postal Telegraph COM
panies, under government control was
announced today by Postmaster Cen
eral Burleson, effective December l
next.
The following order was issued:
"In order that the telegraph facili-
ties may be used TO the fullest extent
and the transmission of messages ex-
pedited, the telegraph systems shall
hereafter be operated as one, and eff
fective December /, 1918, all tele-
graph offices shall accept for trans
mission all classes of messages now
accepted by any of them at the pre-
scribed tariff rates"
No physical consolidation of Of
fees and facilities of the companies
is planned for December !, amalga
nation for the present being limited
to the interchange of messages. Re-
ports are on file, however. recon-
mending the merging of telegraph,
telephone and postoffices and officials
indicate that steps along this line
might be expected
1t was announced that after Janu-
airy l, employees of telegraph COM
panies in service continuously two
years will be given annual vacations
with pay of two weeks, and those in
service one year will be given one
week.
Washington, Nov. 20.-Postmaster
General Burleson announced today
Cot 20 - op1snanlnl1f
with the Postal Telegraph and Cable
Company upon compensation to be
paid for it's lines during the period of
government control he had made an
award, which would be enforced,
though the department would facili-
tate a suit in the courts to determine
final adjustment.
The postmaster general asserted
that the Postal company in sworn
statements to the wire control COM
mission had represented its net OPP
Grating income in 1915 to be $4,l57,-
$40 while the net income reported by
it's component corporations to the in
terstate commerce commission during
the same period was but S332,343.
This, he said, made it impossible for
the department to accept the COM
pany's proposal.
The Postal company had asked 3d.
500 900 and interest as the annual
compensation, during control of its
land lines. The amount awarded by
Mr. Burleson was not announced.
Mr.. Burleson also said the Postal
company was unable to furnish the
department any approximate valua-
ton of its property and that his own
award had been made from the best
information available, ON the prin-
ciples used in making an award to the
Western Union Company. He denied
assertions which he said were made
by President Mackay of the Postal
company, to the effect that compensa
ton awarded the Western Union com
pany was greater than that COM
pany's earning for 1917. and said that
the amount in question was $780,
900 less than the income.
Washington. Nov 20.-An order
making effective government posses
sion and control of marine cable sSs-
TENS of the United States, proclaimed
! by President Wilson, under date OF
November 2. was issued today by
Postmaster General Burleson. 1t di-
rects that until further notice cable
companies shall continue operation
through regular channels, and asks
| the cooperation of officers and en-