The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-11-16
CABLE COMPANIES
ARE OVERWHELMED
Western Union Refuses to Ac-
cept Private Messages I'm
til Congestion Ends.
OTHERS WARN OF DELAY
Storm Wrecks Land Lines and
Influenza Depletes Oper-
ating Forces Abroad.

A congestion Of messages such as inc
cable companies never before have ex-
perienced has forced the Western Union
Telegraph Company to refuse for inc
time being TO accept any more private
cablegrams for transmission TO Europe
The Commercial Cable Company Is &C
cepting messages, but only foi future
transmission, and the French Telegraph
Gable Company Is accepting them SUD
Ject to heavy delay"
A combination of causes is responsible.
In the first place the international situa-
ton has necessitated tho transmission
OF an unusual number of Government
messages which must receive preference.
although this phase OF the situation Is
RAPIDLY clearing up. Also the signing
Of the armistice. as Newcomb Carlton,
president Of the Western Union e1-
planned, has occasloned deluge OF BUSH
ness messages, as concerns are relying
upon the cables to a great extent to AID
them In the resumption OF their foreign
business.
Private messages, such, for instance
as congratulatory cablegrams over the
allied victory and inquiries from rela-
regarding the welfare OF the latter also
are numerous.
To make matters worse the cable
companies are all moro or less crippled
either by curtailment OF their mechanical
facilities through one cause or another
or by the depletion of their working
forces due to the Spanish Influenza
epidemic. The Commercial Cable Com
pany, which claims TO have all the
wire facilities 1t needs to handle the
situation, has been particularly hard hit
by the epidemic. Sixty per cent. OF the
employees In its cable station at water
VILE. ireland, alone are said to be laid
up with influenza.
The Western Union, on the other hand,
complains chiefly OF an impairment in its
mechanical equipment. A heavy storm
in the vicinity OF Moncton. New Bruins
wick, played havoc with the company
wires on its supplemental route via sgd
ney. Nova Scotia. From 7 o'clock Thurs
day morning until yesterday afternoon
not single cabiegram could be relayed
over this route.
Late yesterday II was announced that
one wire on the route had been cleared.
our facilities have been reduced to
the lowest point in several months" said
. President Carlton yesterday. chiefly as
the result OF natural causes over which
We have no control There Is a regret
I table lack of facilities in force. and on
top OF this we have an inordinate
amount of traffic over our wires Every
body is starting In business again and Is
endeaVoring to reesta blish commercial
r, Ationships. Then there are the Gov
ernment messages and the newspaper
cableSrams. which must be handled
some way or other.
I'VE have also had trouble with de-
livery over our Irish lines as we'll as our
,.land lines here. In fact we are so heav-
ily burdened with messages from Europe
that we cannot accept any more at
present We hope, however. that the
! congestion will, be cleared up over the
week end"
At the Offices OF the Ere. III Telegraph
Cable Company. rs Broad street tho fol-
lowing announcement WIS pasted up:
Owing TO an abnormal traffic conges-
! ton the French Telegraph Gable Com
pany can accept messages subject only
to heavy delay until further notice"