Central High School - Cog N Pen Yearbook (Newark, NJ)

Page 19 text:

THE TELEGRAM By HERBERT SHAPIRO It is not generally realized that mail communica- tions while being transmitted over railroads to quite nearby points consume twenty-four hours, or one day. This means that while that letter is on its way the transaction to which it relates is at a standstill and its ultimate consummation is retarded by twenty- four hours of dead time. It is obvious, therefore, that such means of com- munication will not do for important matters such as negotiations, offers, and orders. Aside from this a letter has not the attention-compelling properties of the telegram. Hence, in such classes of service the telegram is used instead of the mail. Twenty years ago a telegram would cause one to tremble with apprehension for fear it portended sick- ness or death. “Today, it means action the same day. The telegram is a live, husky method of communi- cating your views to the length and breadth of the United States, in from fifteen minutes to one hour. As a practical illustration, let us write out a tele- gram. If we have no telegraph forms a plain sheet of paper will do. We have a mutual friend in Cali- fornia—a very likable girl who will be married this evening at 8 o'clock. Let us send the following: Newark, N. J., May, 1921. Mr. and Mrs. A. Moore, 26 White Street, San Francisco, Calif, May all good fairies watch over you. May they keep far from you all care and sorrow and brighten your path with sunshine and happiness. 25 words. You AND I. Because of the difference in time (three hours earlier), she will receive this telegram before it is sent, When this telegram was handed to the telegraph office in Newark it was placed on the desk of the New York wire. An operator immediately typed this message on the printing telegraph and it was repro- duced in the New York office. That office took the message in tum and placed it on the desk of the California wire, where it followed the same course as from Newark. , This wire between San Francisco and New York City is connected by instruments hundreds of miles apart. These instruments are necessary in order to maintain a balance throughout the long distance of three thousand miles. In San Francisco the operator takes from the type- writer this telegram after it is printed from the New York end. It is then copied with damp impression paper, run through a motor wringer, numbered to identify it, enveloped and handed to a messenger for delivery. Telegrams of this nature are never tele- phoned at the distant end. When the messenger secures a signature for this telegram the transaction is completed. The senders, You and I, have caused to be conveyed a sentiment that will be cherished, let us hope, to the end. One need not become wedded to receive a tele- gram. You and I can send a New Year's greet- ing, an Easter greeting, Thanksg iving Day greeting, Christmas, birthday, messages to school or college graduates, and, best of all, greetings on Mothers’ Day. Let us send one on Mothers' Day. Newark, N. J., May 8, 1921. Mrs. James Jones, 1046 Jones Street, Forestville, N. J. On this Mothers’ Day the opening of flowers and the awakening of Spring speaks to me of you. May happiness attend you always. 22 words. You or I. It is the same with money. You do not have to take into account time, delays or uncertainty when you send money by telegraph. You simply deposit the cash at the telegraph office and in almost a mat- ter of minutes the amount is paid in cash to the person you have named to receive it. No one away from home should be long without funds. A simple matter of a telegram. Over the lines of the Westem Union, one hundred million dollars is transferred annually. One of the recent advantages of the telegram is recognized by merchants who keep a daily check on all stock and telegraph small orders for goods run- ning low. You can figure it out for yourself why he does this. On the upper left-hand corner of a Western Union telegraph blank there are listed four classes of service, as follows: TELEGRAM This is the standard service, which takes precedence over other classes of traffic. Code language may be employed. DAY LETTER A deferred day service at reduced rates. Takes fifty words at cost of one and one- half times the cost of a ten-word telegram. Code language not admitted. (Continued on page 48)