New-York tribune., 1872-04-01
PROF. MORSE.
THE GREAT ELECTRICIAN DYING.

eymplpmS manifested tncmSciNCN ihVSc S"p0'"N"'
what yesterGsy but returned In the AFTERNOON
and thc continued TO grow worse mp TO tbe hour
Of gonr 10 press when hs physicians announced that
he could not hyc through the night BY the time tbs
meets The rcaGu eye the great electrician will probably
IL dead
Samuel Finley BreeSe Morse was born III
CharleS:owu. IlSS.. the 9Th of April, l'9l. HIS
father the Rev. Joldiah Morse, d. D., pastor oi the
First Congregational Church In Chariestown, was
leader in the controversial disputes Of the day. and
shining light of tho Orthodox patty in their struggle
against Unitarianism. lie is best remembered by the
neutrality-suspicious. however the author OF series OF
geographical books which for thirty years were
adopted almost univ crsaly in schools ana were ex-
tensvey reprinted In Eagland and on the continent.
Dr. has been called indeed the father OF American
geography for he was the first laborer in this
Held Of science and a largo part of the ma
tcrial for his works gathered by per-.
sonal research and travel Samuel graduated at
Yale in 1870 and aving resolved become painter,
went the next year to England with Washington All
son TO study under his tuition and that of BENJAMIN
West He showed decided talent for art. and produced
model OF dying Hercules. which gained for him gold
medal from the AdClph Society OF Arts but Providence
had reserved him for other than those Of the pencil
and the chs and though he always retained his early
fonness for aesthetic pursuits, and made second
voyage Europe 1920 to complete his studies in lac
chief cities o. the continent, no hardly be said to
have really adopted his profession. He
of the founders OF the National Academy OF Design in
1895: he its first President he was about the
samc time lecturer the fine arts at tho
NewYOrk Athcnoum; and during his second residence
abroad he elected the professOrshp of the iIera
ture of the arts of design the University of the City of
NewYork. II the voyage home in 1892 to enter
upon the duties of this position that he conceived the
great invention TO which he his worldwide fame.
Ever since his college days he had dabbled little in
chemistry The discoveries in the science Of electro
magnetism had an especial attraction for him. and he
had discussed them and again with his friend
Prof. J. +. Dana. On board the Havre packet suly,
which brought him home in October 1892 the subject
formed one day topic of conversation among the pas
Dr. Charles S Jackson of Boston described
experiment recently made in Paris by of which
electricity had nStantaneOuSly been transmitted through
great length OF II that is sO, said Morse
no reason why messages may not be nsantancously
transmitted by electricity" Before the packet reached
NewYork the invento Of the telegraph was virtually
made and tho essential features Of the electro
magnetic transmitting and recording apparatus, were
setchcd upon paper or in reaching this result
Morse made the ideas and discoveries of many
Othor minds. No great invention ever sprang complete
and perfect from any brain. Various forms of tee
graphic intercourse had been devised before electro
magnetism bad been studied by savans for many years
Franklin had cxpe rincnted with the transmits
sion Of electricity through great lengths OF wire. 1t
reserved for Morse to combine the results of
fragmenary and unsuccessful attempts. and put Them
after years OF trial, to practical use and though his
claims the invention have been many times attacked
IN the press and IN the courts they have been triumph
sny vndcated alike the law and the verdict OF the
people both at home and abroad Part Of the apparatus
was actually constructed by Mr. Morse in New-York.
before close OF tho year. but it not until 1885
be succeeded putting an experimental line,
consisting Of half mile of wire stretched around ana
around a roorn and exhibiting telegraph in actual
operation. With this instrument he could send and
record a message only In direction. BY 1887 |
BE had duplicate apparatus, and now he
gave greater publicity TO his scheme by an ex-
bbitiOn at the University. The invention attracted
great deal of interest hut very few persons could be
persuaded OF its financial value Al the close Of the year
Mr. Morse went Washington and asked Congress for
appropriation to bald telegraph line from Wash
ipgton 70 Baltimore The House Committee on Com
at the head Of which the Hon. F. o. j. Smith
of Maine gave him attentive hearing and favorable
report but the session passed without further action
and the disappointed inventor went to England and
France. He with announcement in Europe, and
struggled 10. four years longer renewing his appeal
Washington year after year. and still hopeful in the
midst OF poverty and trouble. On the last night OF the
in March, 1si3 he left the Capitol entirely dis
hcarencd after patiently waiting through long day.
But the next morning, TO his amazement he learned |
that in the hurry and confusion of the midnight hour the
expiring Congress voted $4,000 for his experimental
essay. Pro-. Morse himself, gave not long ago, the
following account Of his difficulties at this period:
The session Of 1887 and 1888 passed away with no
other action on TIE subject OF the ,elsgIaph than H
inOuhiy favorable report from the House Cohultre OF
Commerce. interval Of four years occurred before
me attention Congress could be again reused 10
sder the matter Benton in the abridged de-
bates gives in brief the Kind OF reception the Dlll for
aid TO test the telegraph met with in the House from
certain members AS the narrative Is very snort allow
~ Hog5f Of ErPEEsESTAT[IvEEss rHg gHrg q 1913
On ooo 81 NJ hs1S 10 be b1 made IN order TO tet the
, o S @ lie s,tnd nSeI as drst:on of The
wished to have wor4 to say upon hs eL as the
Of e.ei neglected and oeIooIs 1 rs lie therefore
that tine lectung Mahg,on % On Me'~ef' 10 enAoe MIN
10 carr nu wen 0s froi Mofss
thought that AGH shoen also DC Deino inc oene
Mr. ss1 All he should have no objection the appropriation for
r. eYtenueuts provided the gentleman from Tennessee tr
was jr & su he shozd have objection. provided
gentleman from Tennessee (Mr JOhnsoa) the operator Great
eVe gentlemen called reading the amendment and it was
re-: p ~ T H. o"eS Of the sad appropriated for
,ng expemeu under the direction OF the Secretary OF the
Mr. Ssson (Oho rose to question OF order lie maintained that he
6d and that such amendments we're oaaai
character Of The House lie speaed 10 inc Nnt 70 iu
re Cnsn sid was not to Judge q the motives Of
b,rs amendments and be could not th
rro1ounce not ooHaea 0oeetons might De Ia,ea
Oh the grourd ia WAS pot sumc,nt 70 ,ne OH uoei
@ nsir. h, auine far the magnetism OF mesmersm
analogous that to be employed IN ne eegrPhs lag1e De
rud Tie aHenlmeut IN OIf On lAAt m r, ~ ~ ~ siSs
reed III Nays not counted The bill was hen d asoe
The temper OF the House is easily inferred from this
narrative 10 those who thus ridicuied the telegraph IL
was ciinera visionary dream, nhe s mesneIlsn, t,
rather I've matter Of mcrrncnt tnan seriously enter
faincd !dcn Of character, men OF crucOn men VINO IN
ordinary Affairs had foresight, wholly unable 70
forecast the future OF the telegraph was t0u at Lne
tc Inv many personal friends in the House that the bill
t,aJl nasssd more out Of Difference 10 my personal
sauag tLan from any Just appreciation OF the import
-, 1,rnfinu however gratifying
10 uer.opal pde which was fuly onset by perceVinG
the estimate Of the result o. ny laoors o'neI mo