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the preceding chapter. At various times discrepancies arose between a local branch and the general association. On one occa- sion the Western Associated Press withdrew from the general association and tried to maintain an independent and rival news- gathering organization. After a short period of competition, however, the differences were compromised and the Western Associated Press came back into the fold. With a develop- ment of new telegraph companies, and with the foundation of new newspapers unable to secure the news service of the Asso- ciated Press, came a more formidable competitor known as the United Press. Competition between these two organizations became extremely keen until an agreement was reached by which they worked in harmony and refrained from competing with one another in gathering and distributing the news. In 1892 the Western Associated Press again withdrew from the organization with headquarters at New York and the New York Associated Press was absorbed by the United Press. In the period of rivalry which followed, both associations had the co- operation of the Reuter News Agency of Europe. In their serv- ices they divided the United States along geographical lines. The United Press furnished news to practically all of the lead- ing daily papers east of the Alleghany Mountains, the newspapers of the South, and a few newspapers in the West. But in the sec- tion last mentioned the Western Associated Press supplied most of the newspapers. Later, the Western Associated Press suc- ceeded in obtaining the exclusive use of the news gathered by the Reuter Association and the United Press was put under a severe handicap in the gathering of European news : so much so that several of the New York, Philadelphia, and certain New England newspapers left the United Press to join the Western Associated Press. The depletion was so great that on April 8, 1897, the United Press was forced to discontinue its services and between two hundred and three hundred of its members joined the Western Associated Press. Other members formed a bureau, headed by The New York Sun, which practically supplanted the old United Press. The Western Associated Press was incorpo- rated under the laws of Illinois and had its headquarters at Chicago. Its general manager was Melville E. Stone. In 1900