Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 14, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 December 1883 — POSTAL TELEGRAPHY. [ARTICLE]

POSTAL TELEGRAPHY.

Provisions of Congressman Anderson’s Measure. [Washington Telegram.] Representative Anderson, of Kansas, has revised the Postal-Telegraph bill introduced by him at the last session and again introduced it in the House. By its provisions the Postmaster-General is authorized to construct, maintain and operate three main linos of telegraph, the northern line to extend from Bangor, Me., to St. Paul, the central line from New York to Topeka, and the from Baltimore to San Antonio. The northern main line will be 1,720 and the branches 1,661 miles, a total of 3,381; central line, 1,437 and branches 978, a total of 2,415; the southern line 1,896, branches 1,418,.. a total of 3,314; grand total, 9,110 miles. Ata maximum cost of S4OO per mile the coat is $3,614.000. Tt is provided that all telepraph lines which since 1865 have been or shall be constructed by the Secretary of War for the use of the army shall be, when no for military purposes, transferred to the Postmaster-General for the use of the postal telegraph and be part thereof; also,.where a junction can be made with the wires of any railroad or telegraph company which has received a grant of public lands, or bqpds, or credit of the United States, the. Postmaster may in his discretion cause the connection of the postal telegraph therewith, and all postal-telegraph messages may be transmitted over said wires at Government rates and in the manner prescribed toy law. The bill provides for the issuance’by the Secretary of the Treasury of $6,000,{)00' in 8 per cent, bonds of SIOO each, redeemable at option in ten years, not to run more than thirty yearA l to be offered for sale in the open market at New York, the proceeds of the sale to be applied to the construction and equipment of the postal telegraph by the Postmaster General, who shall hold* a sufficient reserve of said bonds as a surplus over the cost of construction as may be necessary to meet the interest for five years. Ample provision is made for the redemption of the bonds, the capital thereof to be reimbursed by the profits, and all fiscal details are properly arranged in consonance with the rules of the Treasury Department. The local offices are to be under the eon trot of the Postmaster, and stations are to be established onlyin Government postoffices.