Pole mileage. Wire mileage.
62,033 137,190
In 1882 131,060 374,368
” 1892 189,576 739,105
” 1902 196,115 1,029,984
In 1872 it had 5,237 offices
” 1882 ” 12,068 ”
” 1892 ” 20,700 ”
” 1902 ” 23,567 ”
In 1872 it transmitted 12,444,497 messages
” 1882 ” ” 38,842,247 ”
” 1892 ” ” 62,387,298 ”
” 1902 ” ” 69,373,095 ”
In 1872 its receipts were $ 8,457,095 77
” 1882 ” ” 17,114,165 92
” 1892 ” ” 23,706,404 72
” 1902 ” ” 28,073,095 10
In 1902, 2,506 miles of poles and 57,218 miles of wires (of which
28,767 miles were copper) and 329 offices have been added to its system.
The increase in the number of messages transmitted in 1902 over 1901
was 3,717,834.
This increase does not include messages sent by brokers, press
association and others over wires they lease from the Company, nor
railway messages under contracts.
The receipts for the transmission of regular commercial messages
increased in 1902 over the previous year $1,348,531.34 and from leased
wires $451,749.64.
The maintenance and reconstruction of this enormous system cost the
Company in 1902 $3,591,069.17, and $2,188,101.03 were expended in the
construction of new lines during the same year.
Through the re-arrangement of the operating forces and substitution of
direct working circuits for repeating or relay offices a reduction of
$388,746 has been effected and the service besides greatly improved.
In 1903 contracts were made early in that year with various railway
companies for the building of 16,800 miles of line.
The capital stock of the Company is $100,000,000, on which a dividend
of 5 per cent. per annum is paid, payable quarterly.
The Company has had the good fortune to have secured men of conspicuous
ability to direct its affairs from its inception to the present time.