Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!cs.utexas.edu!rutgers!netsys!vector!telecom-gateway
From: dricejb@drilex.dri.mgh.com (Craig Jackson)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.telecom
Subject: Telegrams in the 1980's
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Date: 26 Sep 89 13:39:34 GMT
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Somebody asked what 'telegrams' were used for today.  I don't believe that
true telegrams exist in the U.S. anymore, meaning written communications
handled on both ends by Western Union, but 'telegrams' still have a special
place in U.S. legal usage.  Twice, I have sold houses when I was out of town
when I accepted the offer.  In each case, the real-estate agent instructed
me to send a telegram indicating acceptance.  In both cases, I actually
called the telegram in to the 800 number; in the most recent case, the
telegram was actually delivered by mail, WU no longer having any messengers
in this area (Boston).

I've never checked this usage with a lawyer; it could be that the real-estate
agents were just using old practices.  But some of them hadn't been in the
business long enough to be familiar with real telegrams.

Craig Jackson
dricejb@drilex.dri.mgh.com
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