At one time telegraph companies were closely affiliated with the railroads in the regions they served. They often had offices in the railroad stations and placed their lines along the right of way. Some rented space on railroad poles, and some used their own poles.

The Western Union started with a line along the Delaware & Hudson Canal even before railroads began putting the canals out of business. The canal eventually became property of the Erie Railway, and J. Gould of the Erie also was influential in the telegraph company.

The other major telegraph company was the Postal Telegraph Company. Like the railroads of this time, the telegraph business was very competitive, and each company sought to increase its share. From 1881 to 1903 the Western Union had a contract for poles and wires along the Pennsylvania Railroad. About this same time the Erie (really the New York, Lake Erie & Western Railroad Company now) sought to increase its penetration into P.R.R. territory.

In retaliation the P.R.R. did not renew its contract with Western Union. The Postal Telegraph Company took up the contract, installing their own equipment. The railroad removed all of the Western Union wires, crossarms and insulators, leaving them along the right of way.

It is not recorded whether or not the Western Union ever collected their equipment, but the reason given why the P.R.R. removed W.U.T. Co. crossarms was that the telegraph company refused to do the job themselves. All was forgiven in later years, however, as new contracts were let and the Postal Telegraph Company was taken over by the Western Union in 1943.

This information may provide a starting point for finding turn-of-the-century W.U.T. Co. insulators. More information may be obtained from the following books:

The Growth & Development of the P.R.R. by H. W. Schotter

Main Line to Oblivion by R. Carson

The Centennial History of the P.R.R. 1846-1946 by Burgess & Kennedy