[GreenKeys] Western Union film

[Jim Haynes]

On Fri, 19 Jun 2020, Russ Miller wrote:

> In addition, WU would lease capacity from AT&T when the need was there. AT&T
> would also lease capacity from WU from time to time.
> 
One could argue that Western Union's fate was sealed in 1877 when they 
decided not to buy the Bell patents.  It seemed like a correct business
decision at the time, but Bell was destined to have copper wire running
to nearly every home and business in the nation, while W.U. had a much
more limited distribution plant, both local and long distance.

Later on AT&T bought a controlling interest in W.U. when Jay Gould was
forced to divest.  But then AT&T was forced to divest, and the nation
lost its last chance to have an integrated voice and record wired
communication system.  After that it seemed to be government policy
to keep W.U. with exactly one foot in the grave at all times.