Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 48, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 December 1887 — CHEAP TELEGRAPHY. [ARTICLE]

CHEAP TELEGRAPHY.

Senator Cuilom’s Bill to Establish a System of Government Wir». Four Million Dollars Asked of Congress to Constrnct the First Ten Lines. • Senator Cullom of Illinois has introduced a bill to establish the “United States Postal Telegraph” as a part of the postal system of tne United States. Following is a summary of the measure: It call* for an appropriation of 51,000.000, and provides for the construction of the following trunk lines : One from Washington to Portland. Me., via Baltimore, Wilmington, Philadelphia, Jersey City, New York, Brooklyn, New Haven, Hartford, Providence, and Boston; one from Washington to Minneapolis, via Pittsburg, Cleveland, Toledo, Chieago, Milwaukee, Madison, LaCrosse, and St. Paul; one from New York City to Cleveland, via Albany, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo; ODe from Pittsburg to Topeka, Kan., via Columbus, Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis, and Kansas City; one from Toledo to Detroit; one from Washington to Oalveston, via Richmond, Charlotte, Columbia, Augusta, Atlanta, Montgomery, and New Orleans; one from Chicago to New Orleans, via Indianapolis, Louisville, Nashville, Memphis, and Vicksburg; one from Chicago to St. Louis, via Peoria and Springfield ; one from Chicago to San Franoisco, via Des Moines, Omaha, Cheyenne, Salt Lake City, and Carson City; and one from Cheyenne to D’enver. I Postal telegraph offices are to be opened at the places named and at all intermediate points at which first, second, or third class postofflees are established. Branch lines are to be constructed from time to time, the intention being to connect the lines with all cities where the postal free-delivery system prevails, hot no additional facilities are to be provided in States a ready connected with the trunk lines until postal telegraph offloes have been established in every State and Territory. The system is to be constructed in straight lines, as near as practicable, but regard is to be taken of cities that Will afford the best telegraphic facilities to the public. The lines are to be constructed by the Engineer Corps of the army and then transferred to the custody of the Postmaster General. Th» poles are to be of iron, the wires of oopper, and all other materials of the best character. Eight wires are to be strung on the line from New York to Chicago, and four upon other lines. The Secretary of War is authorized to use the military service lines of the United States as far as expedient, and also to make all necessary condemnations of lands or buildings at a fair compensation. All disputes as to what is fair compensation are to be settled by the Court of Claims. The Secretary is further authorized to oonstruot, take, and use all machinery and devices, not including telegraph lines, whether patented or not, as shall be deemed necessary, the compensation to be determined in the same manner as condemnations of land. A rate of 10 oents for each twenty words and 5 cents for o&oh additional ten words is fixed for distances of under 500 miles and an additional rate of 5 cents for each 250 miles over 500. A night rate of 85 oents and a day rate of 75 cents is fixed for eaoh 100 words transmitted for newspapers, except that where the same dispatch is dropped off at more than one office the rates shall be 25 cents and 50 cents respectively for eaoh dropped copy. The office of Director General of Telegraphs is created as a part of the Postoffloe Department. It is made the duty of the Postmaster General to report to Congress, after the passage of the act, a plan for the complete organization of the postal telegraph system, with detailed estimates of men and money needed. Before the system is put into operation and employes selected examinations are to be held by the Civil Seryice Commission to determine the fitness of applicants.