Year.

Miles of Poles and

Cable

Operated but not

Owned.

Miles of

Poles and

Cable

Owned.

Miles of Wires.

Offices.

Messages.

1335................

2,811

23,587

260

1,428,630

1897................

16,011

21,098

178,438

9,875

13,628,064

1903................

21,319

27,482

276,245

19,977

21,600,577

The aggregate mileage of telegraph lines which carry varying numbers of wires, according to the business requirements of the localities through which they run, in the United States open for public business exceeds 210,-000 miles, besides railways, Government, private and telephonic lines; the length of the latter not being ascertainable.