The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1869-01-14

ing TO personal prldes was 1uily OHset Dy
perceiving the low estimate of the result OF
my labors Other motions disparaging to
the invention were made, such as PROPOSE
tons to appropriate part of the sum to a
telegraph to the moon The majority of
Congress did not concur in this attempt -
defeat the measure by ridicule, and
bill was passed by the close vote of 80
SO. A change of three votes, however,
would have consigned the invention to
oblivion. That this was not its fate is
mainly due to the perseverance and fore
sight of the distinguished member from
Maryland, Hon. J. p Kennedy, and Hon.
G. G.. Ferris, of New York, and Hon. Col
onel Aycrigg, Of New Jersey, and Mason,
Of Ohio. The struggles of the telegraph
before Congress were not ended with the
passage of the bill, to test its capacity be-
tween two distant cities. Another year
witnessed the triumphant success of the.
test of its practicability. The invention
vindicated its character as substantial
reality. 1t was no longer a chtmers, a
visionary scheme to extort money from the
public Golfers. It's inventor was no more
subjected to the suspicion of lunacy, nor
ridiculed in the halls of Congress. My
earliest desire and intentions were that the
Government should possess the control of
such power as [ could not but foresee
was inherent in the telegraph. Vast as its
pecuniary value loomed up in the minds
of some, in the contemplation of its future,
Twas neither dazzled with its vision OF un-
told wealth, nor tempted to make an ex-
tortionate demand upon the Government
for its possession. Not merely all my own
property had been expended on the IN
vention, but large sums had been adj
vaDced by my associates, and these were
itar, hot anita ;,,fn hn n
any offer of sale. I had already init
mated, at various times, my readiness to
surrender the invention to the con-
troll of the Government. | engaged ex-
pressly to enter into no arrangements to
dispose of my rights as the inventor and
patentee to any Individual or company of
individuals previous to offering it to the
Government for such Just and reasonable
compensation as might be mutually agreed
upon" In conformity with this promise
on my part, I offered the whole invention
to the Government for the sum of $780,
000) one hundre0 thousand dollars. Strange
as it may now seem, no response was made
to this ofer-no notice taken of it except
to request from the Postmaster General a
report on the general subject of the tele-
graph The Hon. Cave Johnson, who
had distinguished himself in ridiculipg and
opposing the telegraph before Congress,
held the ONCE of Postmaster General in
1916, end the experiment line between
Washington and Baltimore, which - e
longed to the Government, was put under
his control Finding no disposition on
the part of the Government to make any
arrangement for controlling the whole
invention, one-half the time granted by
the patent having expired, was forced to
look to other sources for the means of
reimbursing myself for the expenditures
incurred. [ obtained the services of the
Hon. Amos Kendall, through whose
skill and experience as q former Post
master General, joint stock companies
were formed to extend the lines east
ward from Baltimore to New York, and
westward from New York to Buffalo.
Not willing to shut the door to negotia
ton with the Government for the posses
sion Of the invention, [ caused q clause to
be inserted in every contract making pro-
vision to surrender the contract in favor
of the Government on certain liberal con-
ditions, provided arrangements for it's pur-
chase were concluded within a limited
time-the 4th Of March, 1S47. The time
expired, and nothing was done. The
proposition was virtually killed by the
Postmaster General, who, in hiA report,
although speaking of the invention as an
HsCio FootiJ ouPOAicl w ohy tehSA WV
devised by the genius OF man. yet adds,
1.-THE operation Of the telegraph between
this city Washington and Baltimore, has
not satisfied me that under any rate of
postage that can be adopted, it's revenues
can be made to equal its expenditures. J"
This opinion from SO responsible and
official a source could not but operate dis
astrously upon Congress in regard to any
proposition for the purchase of the inFen-
ton. But the influence of that opinion
was. felt beyond the walls of Congress.
The companies which had been formed
for constructing the telegraph from Balti-
more to New York and from New York
to Buffalo, in the belief that the revenues
would at least equal the expenditures,
were for the moment Daralyzed, and but
for the indomitable energy and faith of
some of those men who early embarked
their pecuniary means in the enterprise,
the telegraph might even now be looked
upon as too expensive to be practical.