Insulation, Eckerts insulation

Insulation.

OUR remarks on the wretched condition of the wires on General Superintendent T. T. ECKERT'S Southern routes, whenever the rains descend and the floods come, is calling out an expression from correspondents, and an exposition, not only of the Southern but of the Western wires on his division, anything but complimentary. We understand, also, that the insulation of the wires east of this city is but little if any better. As Mr. ECKERT has made a special point of decrying paraffin insulators and compound wire, it is but just that the results of his policy should be exhibited to his masters and the public. If he were an electrician, the condition of these wires, after all the money that has been spent upon them, would suffice to convince him that his theories were wrong and his policy ruinous. As, however, he is not an electrician, and in such matters is governed entirely by his prejudices against individuals and improvements, it is, perhaps, useless to expect anything better at his hands. It may be said that if the Western Union Company can stand such management others have no right to complain. We most decidedly dissent from this position. The operators whose comfort is destroyed, and who are subjected to unnecessary labor and worry to make good in part the blunders of telegraphic charlatans, have a right to complain. The public, whose business is delayed so unreasonably, have a right to complain of the wrong and damage suffered; and THE TELEGRAPHER, as the advocate of improvement and progress in telegraphy, has a right to complain that a person holding a high telegraphic position, however incompetent and unreasonable he may be, should be allowed to obstruct and delay this progress and improvement on the lines of the principal telegraph organizations of the country.

The Western Union Company sets the fashion, which is followed as closely as possible by the smaller telegraph companies, most of whom appear to consider that if they keep within sight of that company, telegraphically, they are doing remarkably well.

A person so stupid as to suppose he could, through his position, kill THE TELEGRAPHER, may be expected to commit almost any other folly. We do not, therefore, make these expositions in hopes of working any change in the management of the General Superintendent, but to exhibit to others the damaging results of such management, that his errors may be avoided, and the blame attached where it properly belongs.