The proposed union of the telegraph and postal systems / Statement of the Western Union Telegraph Company
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The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
STATEMENT
OF THE
WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
CAMBRIDGE:
WELCH, BIGELOW, AND COMPANY,
PRINTERS TO THE UNIVERSITY.
1869.
In the second session of the Fortieth Congress, 1868, a bill was introduced and a paper submitted by Hon. E. B. Washburne, of Illinois, relating to the “Union of the Telegraph and Postal Systems” in the United States, which has naturally attracted public attention, and especially of that large class of our citizens who are identified with the Telegraph interests of the country. The paper bears upon its face such evident marks of care, and the case is presented with so much earnestness and apparent sincerity, notwithstanding the frequency of its errors and the illusory character of its appeals to the practice and experience of foreign nations, that it cannot fail to produce upon the public mind an unjust impression that the usefulness of this great invention is injuriously restricted, and its operations unfaithfully managed, by the organizations having it in control.
To correct these erroneous impressions by calmly and respectfully criticising the statements thus presented, and proving the honesty and fidelity with which the Telegraph service is performed in this country, is the object of this paper.
In the acknowledgment made by Mr. Washburne, in the opening of his paper, that “the world is indebted to the genius of a citizen of the United States for the practical development of the electric telegraph as a means of communication,” we heartily concur. That citizen is still a member of the Company to which his great discovery gave birth, and on whose success he largely depends for support. To it he gives his ripened genius and matured wisdom, justly priding himself upon the success of his invention, and desiring for it the largest and widest use.
Western Union Telegraph Company
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CONTENTS.
A MERITED COMPLIMENT TO PROFESSOR MORSE.
CONGRESSIONAL AID.
ERRONEOUS CHARGES AGAINST THE AMERICAN TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.
BRIEF STATEMENT OF FACTS.
THE COMPLAINT OF INDIFFERENCE TO PUBLIC CONVENIENCE WITHOUT FOUNDATION.
THE ASSERTED UNION OF THE POSTAL AND TELEGRAPH SYSTEMS IN EUROPE AN ERROR.
THE SHORTCOMINGS OF BRITISH TELEGRAPHS.
THE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES UNPARALLELED FOR ITS EXTENT AND EFFICIENCY.
ASSERTED EFFECT OF GOVERNMENTAL CONTROL ON BELGIAN TELEGRAPHS.
EARLY BELGIAN RATES CONTRASTED WITH AMERICAN.
NATURAL INCREASE IN TELEGRAPHY.
UNFORTUNATE EFFECTS OF LOW RATES AND COMPETITION.
AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN RATES COMPARED.
THE PECULIARITIES OF THE BELGIAN TELEGRAPH SERVICE.
BELGIAN OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGE THE IMPERFECTIONS OF THEIR SYSTEM.
INSTRUCTIVE HISTORY OF BELGIAN TELEGRAPHS.
SINGULAR IDEA THAT A SMALL TELEGRAPH SYSTEM IS MORE DIFFICULT TO MANAGE THAN A LARGE ONE.
NECESSITY FOR THE UNIFICATION OF THE TELEGRAPH SYSTEM.
ESTIMATE OF THE COST OF BUILDING TELEGRAPH LINES.
DOUBTS REGARDING THE ESTIMATES OF TELEGRAPH EXPERTS AS TO COST OF CONSTRUCTING LINES.
INCORRECT ASSERTION THAT AMERICAN TELEGRAPHS ARE NOT CONSTRUCTED ACCORDING TO SPECIFICATIONS.
COST OF AMERICAN TELEGRAPHS ESTIMATED BY EUROPEAN DATA.
VALUE OF WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH PROPERTY, BASED ON EUROPEAN DATA.
ERRONEOUS ESTIMATE OF THE VALUE OF THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY’S PROPERTY.
THE ORGANIZATION OF THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
STATIONS, LINES, AND EMPLOYEES OF THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN TELEGRAPHS COMPARED.
ACKNOWLEDGED SUPERIORITY OF THE EARLY AMERICAN SERVICE.
REMARKABLY LOW TARIFFS OF THE EARLY AMERICAN TELEGRAPHS.
NO SIMILARITY BETWEEN THE TELEGRAPH AND POSTAL SYSTEMS.
COLLECTION AND DELIVERY OF TELEGRAMS BY LETTER-CARRIERS IMPRACTICABLE.
MR. WASHBURNE’S PROPOSED EXPERIMENTAL LINE.
LONDON DISTRICT TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
TELEGRAPHS UNDER GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE CONTROL COMPARED.
THE TELEGRAPH AND THE PRESS.
ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS RELATIVE TO BELGIAN TELEGRAPHS.
BELGIAN TELEGRAMS DELIVERED BY POST.
WANT OF UNIFORMITY IN RATES.
ASSERTION THAT COMMERCIAL MESSAGES ARE TRANSMITTED AT A LOSS.
CORRECTION OF ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS.
TARIFFS NOT INCREASED BY CONSOLIDATION OF THE LINES.
ERRONEOUS ASSERTION THAT A LARGE PROPORTION OF THE OFFICES ARE AT RAILROAD STATIONS.
AMERICAN AND EUROPEAN TELEGRAPH TARIFFS COMPARED.
RULES OF THE EUROPEAN TELEGRAPHS.
RULES OF THE WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
MORE ERRONEOUS STATEMENTS.
SINGULAR NOTIONS OF PRACTICAL TELEGRAPHY.
ABSURD THEORIES REGARDING THE WORKING CAPACITY OF TELEGRAPH LINES.
IMPOSSIBILITY OF UTILIZING THE TELEGRAPH LINES BY NIGHT AS WELL AS DAY.
PROPOSED INCORPORATION OF THE UNITED STATES POSTAL TELEGRAPH COMPANY.
MESSAGES DELIVERED WITHIN A MILE OF THE OFFICE FREE.
EUROPEAN CHARGES FOR DELIVERING TELEGRAMS.
TELEGRAMS TO BE PLACED IN THE STREET BOXES.
PRIVILEGED PERSONS TO HAVE PRIORITY IN THE USE OF THE WIRES.
PROPOSITION TO OPERATE TELEGRAPHS AT A LOSS, AND MAKE MONEY BY IT.
SPECULATIVE TELEGRAPH SCHEMES.
MORE STARTLING INVENTIONS FOR RAPID TELEGRAPHING.
ERRONEOUS TABLE OF EUROPEAN STATISTICS.
ERRONEOUS TABLE OF EUROPEAN STATISTICS.
EUROPEAN TELEGRAMS COUNTED SEVERAL TIMES.
LABOR THE PRINCIPAL ELEMENT OF EXPENSE IN OPERATING TELEGRAPHS.
PREVAILING ERROR OF ALL THEORIZERS ON THE BUSINESS OF TELEGRAPHING.
THE UNITED STATES.
PROPORTION OF TELEGRAMS TO LETTERS.
EARLY HISTORY OF THE TELEGRAPH IN AMERICA.
EVILS ARISING FROM SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS.
THE UNIFICATION OF THE TELEGRAPH ACCOMPLISHED.
TELEGRAPH COMPANIES IN THE UNITED STATES.
DOMINION OF CANADA.
AUSTRIA.
TABLE C.
BELGIUM.
TABLE D.
TABLE E.
TABLE F.
TABLE G.
TABLE H.
TABLE I.
BELGIUM.
GREAT BRITAIN.
UNITED STATES.
BAVARIA.
DENMARK.
ENGLAND.
FRANCE.
DECREES REGULATING THE USE OF THE TELEGRAPH IN FRANCE.
PECULIAR CHARACTER OF THE FRENCH TELEGRAPH.
TABLE J.
INCREASE IN TELEGRAMS NOT DUE TO LOW RATES.
TABLE K.
GREECE.
PRUSSIA.
TABLE L.
RUSSIA.
SWITZERLAND.
NO ANALOGY BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND SWITZERLAND.
TABLE M.
SPAIN.
ROYAL DECREE RELATING TO TELEGRAPHS IN SPAIN.
TURKEY.
POLITICAL REASONS WHY GOVERNMENT SHOULD NOT CONTROL THE TELEGRAPH.
THE POST-OFFICE DEPARTMENT NOT COMPETENT TO MANAGE THE TELEGRAPHS.
GOVERNMENT ASSUMES NO RESPONSIBILITY.
THE PROPOSITION TO ERECT COMPETITIVE GOVERNMENTAL TELEGRAPHS UNFOUNDED IN PUBLIC NECESSITY, UNJUST AND DELUSIVE.
THE TELEGRAPH BILL PROPOSED TO BE ENACTED BY CONGRESS WITHOUT NATIONAL EXAMPLE.
APPENDIX.
