Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1848-12-02
SELECT MISCELLANY.
THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.


The first Telegraph established in Amer
lea was between Baltimore and Washington,
at the expense of the United States, under
the superintendent of Professor Morse,
who had taken out several patents for an
| improved mode of telegraphing by electric
| ity. Lines were afterwards erected between
Boston and New York, Baltimore, Phila-
dephia and New York, and New York and
Buffalo, via Albany and Rochester, and a
contract was made in 1915, between the
owners of MorSe's patents, and the enter
prising and well known Henry O'Reilly of
Albany, who had aided in putting up some
1 of the above lines, that he should form new
companies, find all necessary funds, aud al
lowthe patentees a per ceutage IN the stocks
of such TelegraphS as he might establish to
the Westward, Sc. Under thai arrange
ment and other arrangements, he completed
in three years, 1900 miles of Telegraph.
First the Atlantic and Mississippi range,
by which Philadelphia was connected by
lightning with st. Louis, via Harri>hurgh,
Pittsburgh and Cincinnati, and we believe I,
continuation is in progress Ia Independence
and Fort LeavenworIh, in Missouri. Mr..
O'Reilly next put in operation the Lake
Erie Line, from Buffalo 10 Detroit, via
Cleveland and Toledo, and from Cleveland
to Pittsburgh, where it connects with the
Western Central Line.
The third line completed by O'Rielly is
about 1900 miles long, extending from Du-
buque, Burlington, and Galena, To New
Orleans, from Iowa to the Gulf of Mexico.
One thousand miles of Telegraph are IN
the hands of the Ohio, Indiana, aud ILL.,
nois Telegraph Company ; their line con-
meets Lake Michigan, AT Chicago, the w a
bash at Vncennes, the Illinois Canal and
River, and the Mississippi Valley, at Gale
ma and St. Louis, extending to Lake Erie
at Toledo. Other companies carry the
wires from St. Louis to Louisville, thence
via Memphis, Columbus, jackson, Eicks-
burg, Natchez and Baton Rouge to New
| Orleans. The number of associations en-
gagged in Telegraphing on these routes we
have not ascertained. The line from st.
/ Louis to Gaena embraces Alton, Spring
! field, Peoria, Quincy, &c, and people can
communicate now, on business or otherwise,
distance of 5000 TO 1000 miles, receI-
Ung replies in an hour or two to brief
messages, while long statements are trans
mtted by wires hundreds of miles with a
speed truly miraculous.
The Canadas communicate, by lightning,
with Buffalo, via Hamilton, Toronto, Kings
ton. Montreal and Quebec ; and with Troy,
via Vermont and Montreal A line of wires
is carried down ihe east bank of the ST.
Lawrence to Metis or Mitis river, and Faith
er Point, and is to he continued TO Halifax.
There are also Telegraph companies be-
tween Boston and Lowell-Boston and Port
land-Portand and Calais, Me.-Buffalo
and Lewiston, New York to Otiing Gre
island syracuse and Oswego-Auburn,
Ithaca and Elmira-New Bedford, Provi-
dence andy Observation-Disclosures and Vince.
ling, (not fnished.) There is a line, per-
haps completed, from Washington to New
Orleans via Richmond, Petersburg, Raleigh,
| Charleston, Montgomery, Mobile, &c.
! The distances, in most cases, may be
found in our tables. The rates are very
moderate, as compared with the charges in
/ England, where Telegraphng is rs yet a
close monopoly. MIR. House has a Tele-
graph in use between Wall ST., n. y, and
/ Philadelphia. which prints eUery acord of
/ the messages in Roman capitals. Some
companies have made cash dividends that
/ from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh per cent.
and the Southern q. OF the actual gains of
some lines, little is as yet known. The cost
of construction varies from $50 to $500
per mile, and may be higher IN some cases.
OF nearly $500 miles ~ operation on this
Continent, the cost, including all the machin-
ery, may be about 81 100000 Telegraph
ing is only in its infancy. MIR. Balm Is ta-
king out patent for a Telegraph by which
man may sign his name at one end of the
line, and it will be carried by the wires to
the other end