Female couriers on roller skates. Western Union, as an industrialized monopoly, dominated the telegraph industry in the late 19th century. In 1914, Western Union offered the first charge card for consumers; in 1923 it introduced teletypewriters to join its branches. Singing telegrams followed in 1933, intercity fax in 1935, and commercial intercity microwave communications in 1943. In 1958, it began offering Telex service to customers in New York City. Western Union introduced the "Candygram'"in the 1960s, a box of chocolates accompanying a telegram. Roller skates are shoes, or bindings that fit onto shoes, that are worn to enable the wearer to roll along on wheels.