The improved Western Union lines, Brooks mentioned

Those Improved Western Union Wires.

GEN. SUPT. T. T. ECKERT and Dist. Supt. D. H. BATES, whose improvement (?) of the New York and Washington, D. C., Western Union wires we have frequently had occasion heretofore to notice, have lately had quite a resting spell, the weather having been such as to enable wires to work with almost any insulation. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week have terminated this season of comfort and the beauties of glass insulation, and the benefit of the large expenditures made upon these wires, under the management of these officials, has again been developed.

On Wednesday Nos. 26, 27 and 11 Washington wires could not be worked further than from New York to Philadelphia, breaks could not be felt on the signal service wire with a repeater in at Philadelphia, and for a good part of the time business could only be got off on any through wire by repeating at Philadelphia and Baltimore. Another, railroad line, less than thirty miles long, with ten relays, with the ECKERT-BATES favorite glass insulation, could not be worked on account of the rain. We could afford the brilliant telegraphists mentioned much additional information in regard to the condition of their pet wires, but the above is sufficient to assure them that the dry season is terminated, and that they may now look for frequent and interesting reports of their failures in the columns of THE TELEGRAPHER. These are the wires which, some months since, were declared to be in such excellent condition that no further necessity existed for the employment of repeaters! And these are the telegraph managers who decry Brooks and his paraffin insulators, and consider glass insulation as the height of telegraphic wisdom! The present condition of these wires is a sufficient commentary on their telegraphic and electical [sic] electrical experience and reliability, and their adherence to exploded telegraphic fallacies.