Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-01-15


pcrceiviuC the low estimate of the result of
my labors Other motions disparaging to
the invention were made, such rs PROPOSE.
tons to appropriate part of the sum to =
telegraph to the moon. The majority of
Congress did not concur in this attempt 10
defeat the measure by ridicule, and
bill was passed bv the close vote of 50
SO. A change of three votes, however,
would have consigned the invention to
| Oblivion. That this was not Its tate Is
| mainly due to the perseverance and fore
sight of the distinguished member from
MARYLAND, Hon j. z. Kennedy, and Hon.
| c. e. 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 chlmera, q
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. Nastas its
pecuniary value loomed up in the minds
of some, In the contemplation its future,
| was neither dazzlCd 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 ad-
vapccd by my associates, and these were
items that entered into the calculations in
any Ctler of sale l had already inti-
mated, at various times, my readiness to
surrender the invention to the con-
troll of the Government | engaged ex-
pressly Z" 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 1t to the
Government for such just and reasonable
compensation as might be mutually agreed
upon" In conformity with this promise
on my part, offered the whole invention
to the Government for the sum of $780,
000) one hWadrCd thousand dollars. Strange
as it may now seem, no response was made
to this Oiler-no notice taken Of it except
to request from the Postmaster General
report on the general subject of the tele-
graph. The Hon. Cave Johnson, who
had distinguished himself in ridiculing and
| opposing the telegraph before Congress,
held the Office of Postmaster General in
1915, and the experiment line between
Washington and Baltimore, which re
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-haf 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 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 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 its pur'
chase were concluded within limited
time--the Ith of March, 1S47. The time
| expired, and nothing was done. The
proposition was virtually killed by the
| Postmaster General, who, in his report,
although speaking of the invention as an
agent vastly superior to any other ever
| devised by the genius of man." yet adds,
"The operation of the telegraph between
this city CVashingtOn) and Baltimore, has
not satisfied me that under any rate of
| postage that can be adopted its revenues
can be made to equal its expenditures.
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 inven-
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 paralyzed, and but
for the iudomitable 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.