Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 211, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 September 1919 — TELEGRAPH HAS RAPID GROWTH [ARTICLE]

TELEGRAPH HAS RAPID GROWTH

Government Report Shows I>888,793 Miles of Wire Used by 21 Companies. BIG INCREASE IN MESSAGES Last Five-Year Period Shows 45.7 Per Cent More Telegrams—Par Value of the Capital Stock Is $106,360,237. Washington.-:—According to a report just issued by Director Sam L. Rogers of the bureau of the census, department of commerce, the 21 commercial land telegraph systems in the United States In 1917 operated 241,012 miles of pole line, comprising 1,888,793 miles of wire; sent 151,725,238 messages, and employed 47,227 persons, to wjiom were paid salaries and wages amounting to $36,392,140. This report, which is issued under the title, "Telegraphs and Municipal Electric Fire Alarm and Police Patrol Signaling Systems,” was prepared under the supervision of Eugene F. Hartley, chief statistician for manufacturers, and is the fourth of a series of quinquennial reports on the telegraph systems of the country. The pole-line mileage in 1917 was less by 2.6 per cent than In 1912, but was greater by six-tenths of 1 per cent than in 1907. The wire mileage, however, showed an Increase of 4.1 per cent as compared with 1912 and of 19.7 per cent over 1907.

The increase in the number of messages was much greater—4s.7 per cent during,the last five-year period and 53.1 per cent during the ten years from 1907 to 1917. The number of employees Increased by 39.2 per cent between 1912 and 1917, and by 84.9 per cent during the period 1907-17 and the corresponding percentages of increase In their salaries and wages were 59.2 and 124.2. The number of telegraph offices in 1917 was 28,865, a decrease of 6.2 per cent as compared with 1912 and of seven-tenths of 1 per cent as compared with' 1907. The total income from telegraph traffic was $91,312,567, an Increase of 74.5 per cent over 1912 and of 140.8 per cent as compared with 1907; the income from all other sources was $1,641,803; .the total expenses, Including charges for depreciation and sinking funds, were $80,828,970, an increase of 52.9 per cent over 1912 and of 111.4 per cent over 1907, and the net Income was $12,125,400, an Increase of 253.4 per cent as compared with 1912 and of 113.7 per cent over 1907. The* par value of the outstanding capital stock of the ,companies was $106.360.237. a decrease of 1.7 per cent as compared with 1912, but an increase of 4 per cent over 1907. Printing Telegraph Comes In.

The foregoing figures relate only to commercial telegraph companies, and thus exclude the wire and pole line wholly owned and operated by railroads, ajid also exclude the equipment and telegraph business of the various press associations which lease and operate wires for dispensing news. During the five-year period 1912-1917 the printing telegraph came into extended use by telegraph companies, press associations and railroads. The printing telegraph consists essentially of a sending instrument equipped’ with a keyboard similar to that of a typewriter, electrically connected with a receiving instrument in such a manner that the latter automatically repro duces what is typewritten on the sending instrument. • Without the printing telegraph it would have been difficult or impossible to handle the increased telegraph business during the great war.