IN NOVEMBER OF 1899 the Western Telegraph Company was created, incorporating the Western and Brazilian Telegraph Company and the Brazilian Submarine Telegraph Company. It continued to provide telecommunications services to South America and the company embarked on a policy of establishing telegraph links between the main South American centres. Working conditions were quite different from those encountered by the Eastern Telegraph staff; tropical storms, excessive heat and insects often made life very uncomfortable.
The Western therefore developed a reputation as the poor relation of the Eastern and Associated group of companies. The company remained in existence until it lost its concession in Brazil in 1973. For many years after this, Brazilians still called a telegram a ‘Western’.
