Omaha Daily Bee Newspaper, December 7, 1891, Page 5

THE [ET THE PEOPLE CONTROL. Fditor Rosswater's Viows on the Government Oontrol of Telegraph WHAT HE SAW ACROSS THE SEA, ‘fi Tells the Electric Club About His Observatic America’s System Inferior to Those of Other Great tions, New York Times, December 4: Not since Jts ¢ ization has the Electric club had athered within its spacious parlors at 17 E:;m Twenty-second street such a number of Ristinguished practical electricians and teleg- Paphers ns assemblod there last night to listen o and take part in a discussion of the question Pf government coutrol of telegraphs, By reguest of President Samuel Insul, Vico Presidont Erastus Wiman, §who was Puce an operator, presided. Among those resent were: A, B, Chandlor, president of ho Postal Telegraph R W, Pove, secretary of the J of Elec- brical Kngineers and editor of Elec- tric Power: C, W. Price, edivor of fho ; John A. Scely, Allen R. Ioote, special agent for electrical indus- kry in the Census bureau; Joseph Woetzier, oditor of tho Kicctrical Engineer; H. L. Btorko, general manager of the Hudson River Telephone company; George G. Ward, general munager of the Commercial Cablo company; Alfred S, Brown, superintendent f construction of the Western Union Tele. graph company: W. J. Dealy, manager of the Western Union Telegraph offico; H. ‘Ward Leonard, G. H. Usher of the Postal Tolegraph company ; George M. Phelps, T. C. Martin, W. D. Sargeut of the Brooklyn tele- phono system, and B. A. Leslie, Manhattan Electric Light compan The discussion was opened by Mr. . Rose- water, editor of Tur Osaua Brr, in a paper entitled “I'he Government Telographs of Europe.”” Mr. Rosewater recently made ® semi-official 1nvestication of the govern- ent telegraph systems of England and the continent, and he came home a firm believer §n governmental and postal telegravhy. Mr, Rosewater spoko as follows: Postal History Reviewed, The founders of our republic conferred upon congress the power to estublish post- oftices and post roads. It 1s scarcely con- ceivable that it was their intention to limit the npational legislature to the conveyance of tho mails in post coaches runuing over wagon roads. The manifest scope of the constitu- tion touching the exercise of the power to estaslish and maintain a postal system is to facilitate commercial and social intercourso between the people by the use of every device that will insure the speedy and economic trunsmission of intelligence. The century that has elapsed smce Benjamin Jeraoklin assumed charge of the first post- oftice in the United States bas witnessed the transition from the postal stage coach, tho pouy express and the carrier pigeon to the *fast mall” train drawn across the conti- nent at the rate of a mile @ minute; from the ‘“sixty days across the Atlantic” packet sail” boat 1o the “six days from New York to isouthampton or Liverpool’ twin screw steamer. But our postal system cannot attain its full measure of usefulness and efficiency until the electric telegraph and long distauce telephone have been made an integral part of our postal fa- cilities, with the pueumatic tube post as an auxiliary for conveying letters and messages in our great population centers. Everybody familiar with the history of the telegraph knows that Prof. Morse offered his invention to tbhe governmeat for the paltry sum of $100,00v and urged the post— master general to construct and opevate tele- graph lines as an adiunct of the mail service. It 1s also nistoric that the monumental moss- back who occupied the position peremptorily declinea the ofter of Prof. Morse on the ground that in his judgment such a thing as transmitting messages from one point - to another over a wire was preposterous and impossible. In due time Prof. Morse prevailea upon con- gross to appropriate $30,000 for the construc- tion of an experimental line of telegraph, and ‘With this money the tirst wire built and op- erated ic America was erected between Bal- timore and Washington. So the telegraph at its very mception owed its successful in- troduction in America to the munificence of the government, and by rights it should have been operated as 4 part of our postal system from the outset. In 1862 congress was again 1voked to aid in the extension of our telegraph facilities, At that time the most rapid communication botween the people east of the Mississippl and those on the Pacific const was by the overlaud stage aud pony express. A bonus of $100,000, payable in ten annual install- ments, was voted to the company organ- fzed to build the Pacific telegrapu line. This extension of the telegraph across the continent from the Missouri river to Sacra- mento involved the construction of about 1,700 miles of pole line. The bonus of $235 per mile not only paid for the whole line, but oft a very considerable margin, The pro- motors of the enterprise within five years realized § for every 15 cents they had actu- ally invested. 1 have recalled these historic facts merely to disabuse the minds of many who labor under the delusion that our telo- graph system, unlike that of other countries, has peen built up entively by private “capital and individual enterprise, Results of Stock Jobbing. It is not my purpecse at this time to indulge 10 un exiinustive history of our complex sy; tom of telegraphs under corporate ownership, Suftice it to say, it is the uatural outgrowth of promiscuous construction, wasteful competi- tion and reckless absorption. A birdseye view of our telegraphs would present a dense jun- glo of poles planted and transplanted, and a bewitdering notwork of wires strung and ro- strung by a succession of stock jobbing spec- ulatora. As an inevitable coasequence, the Western Union company, that has swallowed more than sixty big and small competitors, is periodically overstocked with needless wires between great commercial centers which u:«uu\lf‘ offer the most tewpting field for enterprising men who build lines to sell out, while there has always been o lamenta- ble 1ack of telegraph facilities at small cities and towns that are made dopendant entirely upon the congaested railroad wires., Our tele- graph companies never inaintain an office where the receip.s do not offset the expenses. Such a policy is not pursued in countrios that possess postal telegraph facilities, be- cause the government is at no additional ex- pense for rent and postmasters in small towns and cities are required to perform the duties of talegraph operators. Nothing has 1mpressed upon me more forcibly the dangerous tendencies of tele- graph inflation and over-capitalization thau the comparative exhibit of the worla's tele- graph system submitted to congress last winter by tho president of the Western Uulon Telegraph company. According to Dr. Norvin (ireen this country has 185,000 miles of telegraph pole line as against 875,000 miles possessed vy all other countrie of 'the world. There are 613,000 miles of wire in the United States, as ugainst 1,111,968 miles in all other countries, and there are in Amorica 15,000 telegraph sta- tions, against 53,000 1n all othor countries. My, Green computes the aggregate number of telegrams handled annually in this country at a fraction over 60,000,000, While he credits the rest of the world with baundling 175,000,000 telegrams. As a matter of fact the aggregato number of telegrams handled 10 Buropean countries alone, computed offi- clally for the yoar 1850, {8 204,435,055, What do these fijrures show! With one-half of the world's telograph line mileage, American telegraph companies should have handled one-half of the business. Instead of handling 102,000,000 telegrams, they only handled 60,000,000, With one-balf of the world's telegraph lines 1n a country that boasts two- thirds of the railway mileage of the world, America should have her full quota of the world's telograph stations, butout of 53,000 we only have 15,000, inciuding railroad oftices, which comprise nearly three-fourths of our telecraph stations. On the other hand, Great Britain, with less thav one-third of the wire mileage of the United States, handled 62,408,370 telegrams in 15%. Do not these figures demonstrate that the Foriudw acquisition of lines built for speculation pre- vents the economic working of our system AYS Operato as a barrier to s materfal reduction of our telegtaph tolls! Our tele graph companies adjust th tolls on the basis of a capitalization which at this time alroady includes from #40,000,000 to £0,000,- 000 of stoe tion plants. s and bonds issued for specula- b{ clogiting 1t with useless wires and will I alw | | u of | Government Telogra Europe. Let us now take a wovernment telagraphs | 1 violate no confidence in stating that before | ombarking for Buropo iast summer, I pro- | cured lottars of introduction from Postraster | Genoral Wanamaker to the postmasters gon- | cursory survey of the rond, I trust that eral of Engiand, Frauce, Germany and Austria, coupled with o request that their respective aepartments oxtend to me fa ties for makiug inquiry into the pra operation of their systems of telegraph This investigation was a self-imposed task. I have for more than a quarter of a contury been an outspoken advocate of the postal | telegraph and dosired to sce for myself how | it worked in foreign countries, Upon pre- entation of my credentials, 1 was overy- where accorded tho most courteous recep tion. ‘The chiofs of tho telegraph burcais, telegraph engieers and suporin tendents took pains to exhibit the operating | rooms, instruments, batteries and appliances in use, explained to me the methods pursued in handling dispatches, and freely answered all inquicies concerning construction of lines, subways, office regulations, number and qualification of employes, working bours, wages, ete. They also furnished me sampla tologram blanks, and official documents ve- Iating to the munagement, extent of plant, and business done. Hon. J. Cameron Lamb, general manager of postal telegrapus for Great Britain, favored me with an official letter to the postmastors of Manchester, Birmingham and Swansea, which enabled me to 1nspect the telegraph overating rooms and investigate the operation of postal tolo. graphs in thoso so-called provincial cities 1 will read you Mr. Lamb's letrer, which [ was pormitied to retain as a souvenir of Brit- ish official courtesy To R. M. Johnson, Es postmaster and sur yor, Munchester Wight, osq., post- master and surveyor, Birmingham: 1 Oukden, postmastar, ' Swansea—Dear Sirs Tho beurer of this note Is Mr. Edward Rose vater, Omuha, United Stu The postmns- have full in- regarding the telezraph worl in your . und T am to ask that you will be good htoallow him to se the opera- tions actually l["'”"””'"l nd to afford him all necossiry facilities. 1 am, dear sirs. yours very truly, J. C. LAwB, Similar courtesies wero extended to me by the director general of the German postal wlegraphs, Dr. Haake, and Dr. Neubauer, director general of the postal telegraphs of Austrin, Great Britain's System. The first step toward merging the tele- graph system of Gireat Britamn with the postal service was taken in 1863, when parlia- ment passed an act authorizing the purchase or leasing of all lines operated by private compnics. The proposition to establish a postal telegraph bad beon vigorously op- posed by the telegraph compauies at every step, ana when the transfer finally was mado the government came into posséssion of a couglomerate system of lines which had been allowed to run dowu by the companies from the time parliament had voted to take them out of their hands. The act of 1368 fixed tho uniform rate of 1 shilling (25 cents) for & mes- sago of twenty words, exclusive of ad- dress and sigeature, and 3 pence (6 cents) for cach adcitional five words to all parts of the United Kingdom. This was a material decrcase from the thon existing rates, and as a natural consequence, the postal telograph lincs, in thoir wretched condition; wero for a time in- adequate to handle the iucreased business. ‘This defect was, however, remedied as soon as the tumble down lines had been recon- structed and the old plant had been thor- oughly overhauled, Tn [570-71 the number of messages handled by the British postal telograph was 9 In 1874-5 the number had increased to 19,’ 120. In_ other words, the number of tele- grams handled had doubled within five years. In 1880 1 the number of telegrams handled was 20,411,082, an increase of 55 per cent in five years, and in 1885 the number of messages haiidled had reachod 30,146,253, By the act of October, 1885, the rate on tele- grams to all parts of Great Britain was re- duced to 6 pence (1215 ceats) for a messago of telve words, including addross and sig- uature, and nalf penny (1cent) for each ad- ditional word. This réduction was followed by an enormous increaso of business. In tne year 1856-7 the number of telegrams handled was 50,243,630, and in the year 1800-91 62,403,300, Work of Pneumatic Tubes., This vast volume of telegrams is handled by the British postal telegraph with prompt- ness and marvelous accuracy, so faras I was able to observe. In Londou the city messages are transmitted exclusively by postal pneu- matic tube. The pneumatic tube department in the great central telegraph station handles the bulk of the letters, dispatches and cards that are delivered within the city of London. Outside of the London exchange, which is supplied with an independen, system of di- rect commercial wires, all communications within the city of London proper are dis- patched by pneumatic tube. Thousands of dispatches, letters and postal cards are liter- ally shot by air pressure every hour in the day from tho twenty postal tube stations located at points most accessible into tho central telegraph station, aud there they aro redistributed and fired pack to other stations, delivered by carrier, or forwarded by tele- «raph or telephone to points outside of Lon- don. Tho longest of these tunes is that from the Westminster parliament building, through which the proceedings of parliament are shot, to the central telegraph office, and thence rotransmitted by wire to provincial cities or delivered to such Liondon papers as may order duplicates, The tubes have not only enabled the postal authorities to trausmit the dispatches and city letters in London more rupidly than_they could ve for- warded by wire, but they have done away with the costiy and inefficient local wire vice, and in a measure the polo and wire nuisance, £ But to the public, the greatest benciit of the tube system is its cheapness. In New York or Chicago, a city message of ten words orless costs you 20 cents. In London you can send as many words as you can writé on the blank card, which varies from 100 to 1,000 words, for ~ 6 pence (12 cents) and what Is also important, your message will have been deli- vered almost before the girl that usually acts as oporator in the hotels of local oftices 1n our cities has had time to copy it. By tho tube system, no copying is done—tho original message is dolivered to the party to whom it 1s directed, unless it is.to go by telo- graph or telephone o points beyond London. Best System in the World. While London was the first city to utitize poeumatic tubes for tho rapid transmission of muil matter and telegrams, the cities of Paris, Vieona ana Berlia have for years been servod by pneumatic tube post. During the year 1830 the pneumatic tubs post of Vieuna handied 2,603, lotters, tolegrams and postal cards. ~ Of this number, 1,541,647 were telograms. But the city of Borlin can truth- fully boast the most perfect and best served system of postal pnou- matio tubes In the world. While Lon- don has only twenty puoeumati tuoe stations, Berlin now has fifty-one, distributed not merely over the entire erea of the Germaa capital, but reaching out into the suburbs. You may deposit your message i oue of the pneumatic tube stations, and 1t will reach any point within the radius of ten miles within six minutes, including a retrausfer at the central tube station. For 61 cents your messaga or letter enclosed in one of the red Robr post envelopes, will be fired through the tubes from- Berlin to Charlottenburg, and delivered by postal carrier. Berlin has about the same population as New York, but New York does four or five times as much business by mail or telegraph. But It takes from oue hour to balf a day to transmit aud doliver a message by mail or wire from the city hall to Harlem, Convenier ses Patrons Enjoy. The postmaster general of Great Britain was empowered by the act of 1868, which authorized = the acquisition of tho telegraph liues, to facilitate tne collection and transmission of dis. patches by designatiog places for devositin telegrams in lotter boxes and other dopos tories, and telegrams deposited therein are, if written oa stamped paper of propor value, conveyed by letter carriers to ofifcos of trans. mission by wire or to the tube station free of charge. This 1s & convenience that we can- not secura so loug as our telegraph lines ro- main under corporate ownership. But the postal telograph facilities in London, even without this special convenieace, = could scarcely be improved on. At the preseut time there are 533 st tions In London from which telegrams may be forwarded. Of this number 451 are branch postofices and eighty -seven are rail- way static ofMces, Inasmuch as the tele graph tolls are uniform throughout (sreat Britain, parties simply purchase stamps covering the cost of any message, and the stamped biank is rashed through the tupe to tho central station and thence transmitted by wire to its destination. A telegram with tne proper stamp attached, drovped into a post office box in any eity 1n great Gritain, will be wired from the nearest telegraph station just the same as if the sender had gone through the tedious formality of handing it directly to the receiving clerk at the telegraph office For the accommodation of business men aud other patrons who tho telegraph fre- quently, stamped tolegraph blanks aro sup plied ata tritiing extra charge for naper. Similar couveniences are enjoyed bv the people of I'rauce, Germany, Austria and other countries of Europe. Improved Methods of Transn It would be impossible within the scopo of this lecture to describe in detail the great operating rooms of the capitals of Europe The largost telegraph oftice in the world is iu the Britist_metropolis, employing an aggro- gate of over 3,400 operators and clerks in one building. Of this number two-thirds are wen. ‘The fomnie operators oceupy a large and well lighted hall, in which the Morse in- struments, with registers and paper reels, aro used exclusively. Nobody is permitted to receive by sound; and this is also the strict rogulation on all telegraph lines where Morso instruments are used in France, Austria and Germany, The malu operating room in ioudon is like a great machine shoo although not half as noisy as the main office of the Western Union in this eitv. All the most Improved telegraph appliauces i utilized. ~ The Knglish Wheatstono, with modern improvements, appears to have the proference. The Hughos printing instru- ments, perfected 10 EBogland, are receiving greater appreciation in Iurope than they do in America, In Berlin the Hughes printing instrament has the preference and 100 of theso are used in tho central telegraph station, Delany’s sextuple, an American invention, has been in active use in London for several years, and ssion the inventor and patenteo receives £2,000 ($10,000) royalty per year from the Britisn government. This fact affords sufficient proof that the sovernment telegraphs in Ku rope utilize all the inventions us ravidly as do the American private companics. Latest Inventions Us:d. The operating room cf the central Paris telegraph oftice is a rectangular hail with gothic arch ceiling. The operating tables are placed to insure convenience for retrans- missons. The Morse instruments are in use on short circuits and the Hughes printing machines are operated on several lines, but the favorite instrument on tho French tole- graph is the Baudet. This is a vrinting tele- graph operated by synchronic movement The only skill required is in transmitting. The receiving is automatic by paper rolls, three-fourths of an inch wide, on which the message is printed. These printed slips are pasted on telegraph bianks delivered as they are received. The Baudet instrument has been perfected so as to operate duplex and quadruplex — that is, sending and receiv- g two or four dispatches simultane- ously ovor one wiro. ‘The operating force in the main office at Paris consists of 550 men and 450 women. The day operators worlk seven hours and the uight men ten hours. The night men receive larger pay, and extraordinary pay after midnight. in France, as 1n England, the postal telegraph employes are allowed two weeks' vacation each year with full pay. At the central telegraph station in Vienna about 500 instruments are i use, largely composed of Morse's registers and Hughes' printing machine. The Hughes instrument has been perfected by an ingenious Austrian olectrician and is now operated on several long wires as a quadruptex. The American plug switches, with wires separated into divisions, are in use in Vienn: At London Paris and Berlin the switches are altogether on a different pattern. At the Berlin central telograph station no duplex or quadruplex 1n- struments are in use, the government having supplied an abundauce of wires for the volume of business done. Oune of the novelties introduced at Berlin is the use of an accumulator buttery. This battery contists of 120 cells, divided into three sections of forty each. Ouly two of these soctions aro in use at any one time. ‘They overate a steady current and no varia- tion has been noted during the ten months they have been in use, The German gov- erument pays the Berlin electric light com- pany 16 marks, or less than $1.00 per month, for mamtaining this battery, from which 300 wires are steadily supplied with electric current. The managers of the Bertin office pride themselves upon the fact that they nave worked divect with Teheran, tho Per- sian capital, a distance of 3,500 miles. A through line from Berlin to Rome over bronze wires works admirably, and is now in constant use. The most commodious and magnificent tel- egraph office in all Furope at the present time may bo found at Birmingham. The operating room in Birmiugham is a new building recently completed by the govern- ment. The roow is a quadrangle, 206x42 feet, lightea from all sides and equipped witlrthe most modern appliances and the finest test board switches in all England. Cheap Rates for the Press, This rambling survey of the groat tele- graph stations of the European capitals muy bo somewhat disappointing, but it is impos- sible within the limit of time at my command o enter 1nto greater details, ‘The impression has pravailed in this coun- try that the postal telegraph service of Surope does not afford as good facitities and cheap ratos to the press as do the telegraph lines of America. This I bave found to be orroneous. While the British postal tele- graph does not permit preferenco in the transmission of dispatches to any patron, the press dispatohes are transmitted over spocial wires. The efliciency of handling press dis- patches in London sirpasses anything I have ever seen. Reporters and corraspondents file their dispatches, enclosed in special en- velopes, directed to tho intelligence depart- ment. hoy are immediately shot into the contral postal telegraph build- ing and transforred through a pueumatic tube iato the press bureau. There the envelopo is opened, the dispateh checked and at once transmitted by special wire, or by teleplione, as the sender may direct. Press dispatches may be duplicated to any number of papers, and parhamentary pro- ceedings and other general news is often wired simuitancously to from 200 to 800 papers. Tho Intelligence bureau supplies leased wire service to leading dallies, and one may lease a wire for all nignt or for short periods at very reasonable rates, The London Times, Manchester Guardian, Liver- pool Courier and dmlies in Edinburgh, Glas- ®ow and Dublin receive the bulk of their teiograms by a leasod wire. Churges for any distance i (ireat Britain for press messages are as follows: Kor every hundced words be- tween 6 p. m. and 9 a. m., 1s (25¢c); for every seventy-five words between 9 a. m. and 6 p. m,, 15 (25¢); for prass dispatches sent to moro than ono address, 2p (4c) for evory 100 words in the night, or seventy-five words 1 the day, for each additional paper. Computed for a service of 1,000 words a night, a special dispatch airected to one paper wonld cost #2.50; the samo dispatch transmitted 1n the aay to one paper would cost §.33. But sup- pose that this service is to go Lo u press asso- ciation of ten papors, then the service would be for 1,000 words a night, §.50 to the ten papers ; in the day to the same papevs, #5.13. If tho service is to go to twenty-five papers, then the cost of 1,000 words 1n the mght would bo $12.10, and travsmitted in the day §14 I'bis Is less than 1 cents per word night work and 115 cents for day work delivered to twenty-five papers. In other words, each paper in an association of twenty-five dailies would pay only 45 conts for 1,000 words of night report, and 50 2-5 cents for 1,000 words of day report. while 10,000 words of night re- port would cost $4.54 and 10,000 words of day report £.03 per day for each paper. ‘TLis 13 cortainly & lowor rate than the most favorablo contract any taleeraph company has ever granted to the Associated press or any other association. Teassd W ire Service. Tho rate charged for leased *wires in Great Britaiu is £500 (§2,600) per aonum for a line extending to any distance within the United Kingdom, the service beginving a: i p. m and terminating at 9a. m. for six nights in tho week. The goverament fur- nishes the operators and 1instruments, Loased wire messugos are aelivered free at unewspaper oficessa distance of one mile frowm tbe main office. Special wires can be ex- tonded into newsppar buildings by the pay ment of additional rental, computed on @ distinet basis,* which would bo very trifling. In this country, tho wire rental is comruted at $10 per mile, A liny 20 wmiles long would rent for $2,000 a year, and the paper leasing the sume would have o pay for the operators, which would incur an additional OMAHA DAILY BEE: MONDAY. 4 The Gift When subseribing mention this paper. outluy of £,000 ver year. New York and Clevetand, a distance about the same as that between London and Glas- gow, would cost $6,000 a year for wire rental and #2000 for operators, us against §2,500 charced for the same service in Gireat Britain, The press service receives special care at the Paris central ofMice and the leased wire servico is even more liborally arranged in France than in England. You ean lease a wire for an hour and even for five minutes. ‘The rate for one hour over a wire oxtending any distance within the repuolic of France is ) francs (86,00) including oporators’ service t both euds, or 2l frances (50 cents) for fivo minutes, The averaco transmission 1s 2000 words an hour, and often with expert operators 500 words in five minutes. [oternational wire service is unecessarily dearer. There are, however, several international wires leased to news- papers and press bureaus, The New York Herald has a_leased wire for certain hours between London and Paris, and tho Reuter and Havas correspondent burcaus have sev- cral wires leased, which are operated by them for the transmission of international press news analogous to the Associated Press re- D The French Postal telegraph grants a rebate to the press for tho time during which 1 leased press wire is 1n uso for commercial purposes. When the press bas leasod wires and tho government uses them in the interval when they are not in use for press dispatches, the expenses aro shared iu propertion to the service, Long bistance Telephoning. In Austria tho bulk of oll press dispatches is transmitted by long distanco telephone. which is part of the postal telegraph plant in that country. This is also true of Ger- many. Al ihe press dispatches between Vienna and PPrague, a distance of nearly 300 miles, are transmitted by telephone at ratos compited according to the time consumed. At Vienna the press’bureau occupies rooms in the central telegraph building and its messages are given precedenco over other business. A reduction is made for all papers that contract for 500 words or more daily. At the central telegraph station at Vienna boxes are placad for each daily that trans- mits special aispatehes by telograph or telo- phone, Correspondents- simply drop their letters or clippiugs In' these boxes, mark them “‘telegraph” or *telcphone,” and the postal officials forward them to their destina- tion. Desks aro also ‘conveniently placed at toe central telegraph station for the press correspondents, The German government is not quito as livoral as that of Austria as regards tho press. No rebatos aré allowed. The rates aro the same for ail ciasses of dispatches, but o newspapers are afforded a . the hour at reasonable rates. Tho Hamburg and Cologne papers have aay and night wires, and daily papers in smaller cities, including Dresden, - Magdeburg and Leipsic, are sup- plied with dispatches by long distanco tele- phone, for which they pay 1 mark (23c) for overy threo minutes. service by Salaries of Embloyes. Tho salaries of postal telegruph employes in Great Britain will compare favorably rith thoso paid for the same class of operators i tuis country, barring perhaps a dozen officials of the of the highest rank. The pay roll British postal telegraph embodi Annunl 1 Enzineer-in-chie 1 A ant and ele 1CHAN .. el s .. 059 (34,750) 25 (3129) abmaring suporin- tondent at Wool- wiel .ol 700 B4500) 25 (8125) 1Superintending engineer............. 700 B4500) 2 (3125 1 Assistunt superin- tending engincer 450 812500 25 (3125) ng 13 Superintend ongineers. 600 (83,000) 280 (81,400) 210 (31,050) 58" Inspec- tol ki LONDON CENTRAL TELEGRAPI STATION. Mule Stafi— 1 Comptroller. 1 Deputy. 2 Assistants 10 Chiof operitors Assistant chiefs. 48 Second cluass ehiy 400 (3 810 (31 200 (31,500 100 (8 650) 160 (8 800) 110 3 55) 230 (31.130) 180 (3 000) 140 (8 7000 10 3 & 88 (80.50) 1 Matro i 9 Supervising opera ond class operators r5t Clss ODErALOrs(POr W 521 Second elass operatoraiper w'k) 305 (87.50) 53 Pneumatic tubs attend chiefly boys (per weok). L 305 (3L ‘This salary list should allay the grounales fears aroused among my former associates in tho telegraph service that postal telegrapn would reduce them to starvation wages. Annuities For Retired Operators. Another feature of the British telegraph management is the retirement of aged em- ployes on an allowance that places them veyond dependence. By the telegraph purchuso act or 1868 all telegraph employes who had been in the serviceof tho companies twenty years or more prior to the purchase and falled to secure re-ewployment in the postal telegraph service, wero to receive an- nuities equal to twqg-thirds of their salary, and if less than twenty ‘years, the annuity was to be reduced by one-twentieth for every year . under twenty, but no annuity was granted to any employe who had served less than five years in the tele- graph companies’ employ.” In 1801 thero wero on the postal telegraph pay roll the fol- lowing ex-employes ‘of - the telegraph com- panies: Seven chief, officers and suporin- tendents, twenty-five inspectors and line- men, thirty-seven clérks und one messenger, orin all seventy persons, There were also the following employes rotired on account of old age or disability : Que engineer-in-chief, £800 (84,000) 5 one comptroller, £555 (#2,505) ; 108 male operators, 2,672, each £50 (§445); sixty-seven other employes, including line- wen, messengers and laborers, This is certainly liberal treavment. The samo policy is pursued, In Frauce, Austria and Germany. In the latter country postal telograph employes share with all other gov- erument employos thébenefits of the system of ufe wsurance and anuuitles after a long term of service, Promotions and Discharges. But the most strikiog feature of tho gov- ernment telegraphs in 1ts relations to em- ployes is the impartial promotion of every person according to capacity and merit, and the assurance of employment during good be- havior. The tenure of office, or rather em- ployment, coustitutes one of the most commendable features of govern- mout telegraphs aud is the most potential safeguard acainst political nterference with persons employed in this brauch of the public service, “The greatest troublo woe have," said the dircctor general Jf tolegraphs for Germany, *is to gt rid « man that makes bimself offensively disagres- | able, We cannot discharge & wan who bas been placed on tho permanent employment roll after two years’ probationary service, til be has been convioted of a criminal offeuse before a court under the same process that is DECEMBER 7, I ‘A Christma: Nine Illustrated Serial Stories. Articles of Practical Advice. Railway Life and Adventure. 700 Large Pages. A line botween | prescribed for violator: We can pend him dismissed Ii: Ame ject to th often the 19 redress is afforde injust con republic 1 intense th constituti party electoral aro limited monarc tries the unifor: concerning political interfevonce graph em ig with The chief office dect a radical ent conse also ticket we 0W A WOr postal tclagraph ance, Austria und Germany that that o number of the oftice were either radicals or liverals, but *if the postmaster who has supreme control of tho telegraph 1 The Youth’s Companion, The Double Christmas Hollday Number of The Companion and the beautiful picture, Wil be sent In time for Christmas to New Subscribers who send of the eriminal code. ine him for nog | OF sus. for a short tim nuot rom the se hims and caprice of oficials, feriors in point of ability, and for the most glaring ) Politics Don't Connt, about the political influences My investigations to four countries—England, ifined ike ours, and party here tha onal in Amorica, monarchy, governed holds its supremacy majoritics. Germany and ies. [n all thoso response to my through with tele- ployes, or abuse of power in tamper- messages, was uniformly the same. operator of tho Swansea (Wales) red most emphatically that he was and decidedly opposed” to the pres- cvative party in power. He said operators in his force dared to dictate should vote, or undertook to inter- fero in any way with our rights as citizens we should and the p dismissed 1 disgra In Paris M. Magne, director general of the aphs, expressed g teleg question postal _telegraph rights our, said he. allowed t 1 Soon have parliamentary inguiry ostmastor would soon find himself eat surprise at my aboutpolitical interference men. “We all exerciso citizens untrammelled,” telegraph men are not n active part in campaigns s “*Postal o tako orin public meetings, but all vote as thoy please. political v Franc ich o thing as try n never been heard of in “The attempt, if made, would cause a revolt and overthrow the party that was in power at The dir was equa are quite telegraph the next election.’” ector general of German telograph lly emphatic. He said: *“Ihere a uumber of social demacrats 1n the service. Thesomen are virtually committed against our form of government, but we cannot interfere with them so long as thoy do not conduct themseives treasonably.’ In all European countries the laws agaiust delaying or destroying telographic dispatches are much more severe than thoy are in this country. Tribute to Amer| It gives me great pleasure to be in a pos- { tion to pay a high compliment to American tolegraph tion of the postal teiggraph in the British metropolis, in Paris, Berlin, Vienna, Bir- Praguo and other Kuropean cities, I can truthfully graphers are mingham, assort t n America, does fuily as much work in a given time us is done in London, Paris or Be operators. telugraphers as a ol tion and late inst but to supe service, fied from can Operators. operators. After caroful inspec , Manchester, Ha mburg, at the most skiliful tel Ono of our first: 1ass operators . On the other hand, the European aro fitted, ruments not only and transwit dispatches, 50 other branches of the postal In Germany telegraphers are classi- the outset 1nto two classes. The fivst class is made up of men who have ro- ceived a k ing lowe: the se high schoo! education before enter- ce. This The second outset and are in line of promotion, as elec- trical engineers, superintenden postmasters in tho larger citio: nas made tho telegraph a stepping stono towards servico that are directly or indirectly con- nected wi In conci no grievance against existing ‘telegraph com- I have always been on the best of pabies. terms wit and finally important positions in the civil ith the postal systom. 1usion let me assure you that I have h the ofticers of the Western Union, The paper in which 1 own a controlling in- terest is o member of tho Associated Pross, uand we have leased wires and receive special dispatche: zating from $15,000 to §20,000 a year. the West = by ern Union, aggro- I am an advocate of the nostal telegraph because I believe it body of to be in the interest of the great the American people, who are entitled to better and cheaper facilities. 1 am in becanse favor of the postal telograph I believe 1t is necessary protection and preservation of our govern- ment n time of war, and has become a neces- sity for our commercial and social intercourse n time of peace, material reduction or under the mora top stocked with useless wir Wo canuot hope for any increase of facilities {!rusenl system, wkich is getting hoavy every year, and 15 o 3 and capital for many millions of worthiess plant and watered gtocks. 1 realize e that there are two sides to this question and will now yield the floor to gen- tlemen who desire wo present their views in opposition At the ¢ dress, whi bate was half. graph_co agent for bureau, both of whom opposed postal graphs. Electri afirmativ | Nomiz Y TinE EniToR—A reps interestin aown 10 s| tho club, will be published o dings, 1 to the postal telograph. nclusion of Mr. Rosewater's ad- ich was heartily applauded, a de; indulged in lasting au hour and a It was participated in by Commodore Erastus Wiman, vice pre: and a director of the lent Vostern pany, and Allen I electrical industry of the club Union Tele- Foote, special in the census telo- Mr. Samuel Insul, presiaent of the club, and Mr. Rosewater spoke oly. t of this & discussion, whioch was taken horthand by the stenographer of with the oro- Tue Bek will rovrint the discus- sion s 500n as the copy reachos us, | Arrest The rep rests durig which 109 —— d i vimber, ore of the eity jailer shows 449 ar- the month of November, of were for druukenness, 73 suspice ious characters, forty arunk and disorderty, thirty-nin ers, and thirty-five bad no vocation. teen were There were 334 males and ( Eloven o vagrants, There were 167 labor- Four- under the age of sixteen years. fomales. cases were sent to the digtrict court under bouds aggregating 5,100, There were 151 sals, 5 mea The pat and suicide: affray, 78 84 lodgers to the m parents, i there convictions and 266 dis- Prisoners were furnished with 5 At & c0st of §155,2 rol wagon was called out 254 timos, were 25 fire alarms, 2 shooting affrays, | stabbing prisoners takea to the county jail, accommodated, 3§ dead bodies taken orgue, 2 lost ehildren restored to sick persons taken home, 3 taken 10 hospital and 4 taken to station, Policemen lost 107 days during the month, of which property d, o fr amounted ‘The on} that is wi the usel Pozzoul's, 101 woro on aonual leave, amounting to #1,042.65 ud §48.95 was rocovered, om and rveturned o $1,028,50, - y complexion powdor in the world thout vulgarity, without injury to und without doubt s beautiiier, is Stolen was re- Money prisoners operators hold their places sub- France is a feeling is moro ngland is a by the Austrin couns inquiries what with ng to delay a ssage or tamper with it or divulge its contents has in by two s have a higher educa- to_manipu- class receiveo the t pay and can only aspire to promotion within tho telegraph service, class is made up from graduates of univer- sities, who ave paid a_ higher salary from tho his featuro for i The Volume for 1892 will Contain | Many Notable Features. Among them are the following. | [ 100 Stories of Adventure, Sketches of Travel. Charming Children’s Page, Weekly Supplements. Subscriptions sent at once with §1.75 will obtam The Compamon Free to January 1st, and for all of 1802, _THE YOuUTH'S COMPANION, 41 Temple Place, Boston, Mass. bo Present that comes every week in the year."” At once. NEBRASKA WITH THE NATIONS How She Will Exuibit at tho Great World’s Fair, WORK NOW BEING DONE AT HOME Views of the State Commissioners a8 to What Should Be Done to Make a Grand Display. R. R. Greer of Koarney, commissioner gencral of the World's fair for Nebraska, in response to @ query from Tie Bie as to what hias been dono by way of preparation for that event, writo: follow: “I'he amount of the appropriation vy our logislature, ns you well know, was only £0,000, with a marked condition that only £5,000 could be axpended in 1801 “When [ aceepted the position conferred on me by Governor Thayer I felt keenly the necessity of the economy we must practice to enthuseso large and grand a stato as ours on 80 paltry a sum of monoy: and while we expect, and, in fact, must have more money to carry on the work, we shall adnero to the proviso laia down for the prosent vear and keep within the margiu of the §.000 above roferred to “With this view the commission pended as little in mileage as possible. bave held two general meetings. Bach mem- ver of the commission has had his special worlk to do in preparation for the work. We shall push forward with vieor, ““I'ie office of commissioner goneral being a salaried one, I have put in my full timo. I bave visited several cousties and have been 1n direct communication witth tnem all. Whoile we have already organized many counties since tha November election, wo have been delzyed on this line, by the changes that are so soou to take place in the county boards. A% early as possible after the begiuning of tho new year each county in thestateshall nave its own ‘World’s fair organization.’ The general commission, at their last meet- ing, held in Lincoln, adopted a design for a grain case, which has already been describea in Tne Bek, Wo have mailed a photograph of the same to each county with a_ lottor ot instructions, and have the satistaction of knowing, as far as heard from, that not a county has refused to adopt the same. In adopting it'they have ordored o warrant pay- ablo to the treasurer, Mr. A. L. Strang of Omaha, for payment for the same. “Since the close of the state fai stored over two carloads of grain, cerenls and grasses. It was expertly handled, se- curely packed for shipment, in case of a shortage in the crop of 1802, We have ar- ranged to secure and preservo the cutire corn exhibit to be held in Lincoln in Jauu- ary. T have thus briefly told you somo of the work already accomplished, without men- tioning the communications and correspond- ence we have held with archologis dermists, fossilists and with private citizons of Nebraska, who have foryears beon colloct- ig relics. “Now for_the futuro. Director General Davis of the National Columbian commission bas called a meeting in Chivago for Decem- ber ). The Nebraska commission will be represented at that moeting. We shall gain all the information possible s to to how far- reaching our priviloges may boin the way of oxhibitions for competition as a state, and will roport in full at the next meeting of the Nebraska general commission to be held in Lincoln in Docember. Notice of this nicet- ing will bo given_ lat “Every enterprising citizen of Nebraska must readily seo that £0,000 cannot place her where she belongs. Nebraska's resources, possibilities and advantagos are equal if not superior to any. Supposing wo oxpend only £20,000 in & building, the remainder of tho appropriation would scarcoly meet tho ox- ponse of maintaining and caring for the suid building during tho exhibition.” Yet I have feit that 1o commence to boom this part of the work s0 carly, by the fall of 1502 we might find ourselves without wonoy or friends just when we need them most. [ firmly believo the next legislature will give us additional $100,000 without a dissenting vote. We, as 4 commission, with Nebraska's futuro at stake mtend to win. Weappreciato and welcome any ana all_communications, suggestions of interest aud cncouragement, and will at any time cheerfully give pub' licity to an account of our progress in tho wor e question bas been asked: ‘What knd of an exhibit should Nebraska have? “Your commission aesires to display every industry carried on within her borders—tho agricultural, horticultural, floral and dairy, educational, the fine arts, woman's handi work, and all manufactured industries, Wo do not intend to even miss the ‘broom shops,’ because we are zolng to mako a clean sweep. We would also add u histovical do- partment and a display of relics, etc., etc, “There will be n committee of four ladies uppointed to take churgo and look after wom- an’s work. 5aid appointment will bo an- unounced during the wonth of December, In short, an army of energetic workers will be in the field during '92 and thy domonstrate the fact that when the great exposition opens in 03 Nebraska will ba in it." Commissioner Mobley. Seth 1. Mobley of Grand Island, a com- missioner of the World’s fair from this state, writes as follows: “In reply to your inquiry in regard to what kind of an exhibit, according to my opinion, Nobraska ought'to make at tho World's fair. I will say that in the first place the state should make an effort to make the best possible showing in every depart- ment of the Columbian exposition, proper, illustrating the progress made in manufac: tures, in the arts, in educational develop ment, in the apiary, the dairy, horticulture ana in woman's work. Iu short, carnest fort should be mado to securo the best pos- sivle ropresentatives in every branch -cal has ex- We we have culated to give the stato promine by illustrating its progress. Such a general in- terest should bo worked up among thoe people us will insure & fine ex- bibit in each of the dopartments of the gen- eral exposition “This desired result cannot be attaived without the hearty co-operation of the pooplo of tho state, and that I know the Nebraska mbian commission will strive to secure, ‘As the World's Columbian commission has adopted rules and regulations limiting special stato oxhibits to products illustrating the natural resources of the state and pro hibiting manufactured products and articles of every character, our stato exhimit will necessarily ho a strictly agricultural and horticultural one, and cousequently every energy should be made to put it up in tho most attractive form possible. We should sacure an ample supply of the very choicest products of Nebraska soil putupin such a way as nust attract the attention of visitors wo should show Io grains, grasses, eLc A Yard of Roses,” . Xmas Presents an "A Yard of Roses.” 50,000 Copies Extra of “A Yard of Roses’ Ordered for Christmas, The Full Prospectus will be sent on Application. The Best Short Stories. Hints on Self-Education, Household Articies. Five Holiday Numbers. 550,000 Copies Christmas Companion. of the Year. samples of the best of the orops of both 1501 and 1502 and thus prove that prodigious pro- ducts are the rule and not the excention In Nebraska. We should show samples of tha soil from every section of the stato and specimens of timber, illustrating the rapidity of growth. “Originality of idea and art should be ccme bined 1n the arrangement of the display. This exhibit should then be sunplomented by a carofully proparod general write-up of tha stato, sotting forth in & concise and yer forcible way all its varied rosources and id- vantages, and this again should be supple- mented by similarly prepared printod mattox setting forth the resources and navantages of particular localities. All this matter shoula ve in conventent form for distribution. Ta do this work proverly requires both time and great cave, aud it can be satisfactorily ace complished only by thorough organization of local auxiliary “boards throughout the state, In accomplishing this organization, the news- s of Nebraska can and will be of groat , and, in fact, their mssistance is in dispensable 1o success. Iigat Lore, I desire to personally thank T'ne Bk for the interest it has manifested in the work, “At the Nebraska building, stato head- quarters should bo maintained in such a way as would save money and time te every Nobraska citizen visitiug the great fair. All informution reasonablo for any one to expeet, should be constantly on tap, without money and without price to wll comers, No semblance of churlishness shoula be tolorated aund there should be no drones in the hive. In this feature, as well as in her special exhibit, it should be Ne- braski's aim to excel. There is but one way it which to accomplish this, and that is to work with a will. Time, thought and labor must be devoted to the cause, and the idea of rest must be abandoned until the work has been accomvlished. Let us show to the world that there is more vim, pluck and on- ergy in Nebraska than in any half dozen of theold fogy eastern states, as well as more Promise in our sol s not pattern after anybody, but for everybody. My faith in Nebraska and Nobra ns is such that [ no feur of failure if the people of the state onca gat nroused to the point of put- ting on a little stato pride. Wo can beat the world 1n raising the products and we can beat tho world in displaying thom, too, if we just make up our minds to say we will." Commissioner Strang. Commissioner Strang of Omaha writos as follows “Your favor of tho 23rd inst. has been ro- coved. Immedintely after our meeting, Decomber 15, wo will give such datos as will bo of interest. Weo will also give our views relative to the World's Columbian cxposition and shall be pleased, at all times, to roceive such assistunce as Tuz Bep can give to further the cause which is progressing fincly up to this dato. Very respactfull “A. L. Stiaxa, Prosident.” PROMI) nE Edison conceived his idea of the phouo- graph from a close inspection of the indenta- tious ou the tape of a Morso recorder. Eddie Gould s the taliost of all the Gould family. Ho is of slender physique and fonder of tho enjoyments of life than Georgo is, though not given to dissipution. Bismarck {s what in Germany they call & “chain smoker,” that is, he smokos from morning till night without a brouk, lighting ono cigar with the end of the other. A full-blooded Iudian of the Omaha tribe, Hiram Chase, bas been admitted to practic inthe Federal court at Omaba. This is Nebraska's first and only Indian lawyer. Colonel John S. Mosby, tho ouce famous confederato guerrilla, now an attorney of the Southern Pacific rond and a resident ot San Francisco, is in Washington ou law business. His hair is suow-white, but lis oye is as plercing as a gimlet. Honry T. Oxnard, who is doing 5o much to establish the beet-sugar industry in Nebras- ka, whero bie has erectod very oxtensive re- fineries, is o young man of thirty, cight years out of colloga. He is a little man physically but full of the vim and vigor that win suo- coss. It has been positively assorted that an ap- prociable number of Mr. Gladstone's collars disappear annuaily fu the wash, wsteacted, iuis beliovod, from’ tho basket of the laundvess by devotecs determined to possess thom- selves, avuny cost, of a memorial of their idol. William Watson, tho venorabio keoper of the old “Shakespeare Inn” of Albany,” died lust woolc at tho age of 8% The lato Daniol Manning, that other infiuential politiciu, Poter Caggor, and many members of thé legislature for'years were wont to patronize nis place. Joha L. Blair of Blairsville, N. J., 1 ro- puted to b worth all the way from '$0,000,- 000 to £100,000,000. He has nevor sold a shure of stock in any enterprise with which he hue boen assoclatod, aud has munoy invested in scores of railroads, some of which Lo abso lutely controls. Lieutenant Governor Chaso of Indiana, who succeeds Governor Hovey, 18 & native of New York and 57 yoars of ago. He was edu- cuted for the ministry and onee ran for con- gross from Indiana, W bo defeated by Mr, Matson, Ono of his ancestors, Samuel Chas was 4 signer of the Declaration of Indepen enco. General Perxotou, the new Brazilian presi- dent, is & soldier-like man, past the middlo age, of dark or swarthy complexion, and wearing bis gray hair closo cut. Courteous and pleasing in munner, b 1s courteous and nervously polite, and has a good sympathetio voice. As asoldior his record has been re- spectable rather thun brilliant. Goneral E. Kirby Smith loaves his univer- sity chair {n the Tonnesseo mouutains to mix now and thon with his olu friends at Nashs vilie, He has bocome a patriarch in appe ance, with gray hair and a long, flowing white board. But thero is no sign of physical breaking in him, for his eyo is bright and he walks with a firm stop and erect carriage. . A Preve tive for Ceaap Wo waut overy mother to know that croup can be prevented, True croup never appears without & warning. The first symptom is hoursencss: then the child appears to have taken a cold or a cold may have accompanied the hoarseness from the start. After that a peculiar rough cough is developed, which is followed by tho croup. ‘Ihe time to uct is whon the child first becomes hoarso; a few doses of Chamberlain's Cough - Itemedy wili provent tho atacis, ven aftor a rough cough hus appearod the disoaso may be preventes by using this remedy as directed. It hay never boen known to fail. 25 cent, 50 cen aud 81 pottles for sale by aruggists. s “Whut did you do on carth?" asked St. Petor of the latost arrival. 1 ownod severai tlat houses and lived off the Income from them.” “Then I'm afrald you wouldn't ba bappy In heaven. You see, wo tako children hore.” Please step fnto the olevator. It is about to go down.'' L Small In size, great 1o results; DoWitt LittleEarly Kisers, Bost pil for constipa. tion, best for sick headache, best for sour stomach.