The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-12-01

&c. ID. s." of Castleton, In the Poult- |
ney Journal, las written the following |
sketch of the telegraph in Vermont: |
AFTER the fact was established as to the |
praclicability of the telegraph, and q
line was established to Buffalo, Prof. |
Benedict (knows ne little Benz, con-
ceivcd the idea of n line from Troy to
Montreal. Lawrence Brainerd, A.
iloughton of st. Albans, Toilet &
bradley OF Huntington, Tim Strong of
Nergennes, Wood and others of MIDI
dlebury, with others from towns south
OF Middlebury, took hold with Prof.
Benedict. A company was organized,
and stock taken in most of the towns.E
Brandon declined TO take any stock,
supposing the line must pass through
Brandon. A. w. Hyde met Mr.. Ben
eiict, and suggested TO him the idea of
changing the line by going to Castleton,
! Whitehall and Orwell to Middebury
rom Rutland, thus leaving Brandon
lout of the line. The amount of stock
necessary TO build the line from Rutland
to Middlebury was taken in Casleton
Whitehall and Orwell. When the
fact became known in Brandon, Mr..
Conant, DIR. Dana and others began
to see the position they were in, but
were "too late" The line, which was
called the Troy a. Canada Junction
Telegraph Company, was erecte d by
Alonzo Cornell. III received for the
job 5000 per mile. The line was finish
ed about the first of December, 1847.
A. b. Cornell, the present governor of
New York, opened most of the Offices !;
many were eager for the offices. In
this place there were two applicants for
the Office, Dea. William Ward and
James Adams; but compromise was
effected, and r. W. Rice was appointed.
Prof. Benedict was the first superin-
tendent. Those who were appointed
gathered at Troy and learned the
art.
al will give the offices with the
operators, and the calls; Troy, H., NJ.
l.. Wood Bennington, Bn, G. ID. Har-
rington;. Rutland, Ru, W. E. G.
Whitehall, II, : Hall; Orwell, Or, L.
M. Wright; Middlebury, D.. J. w
Stewart; Vergennes, V, c. p. Phelps
Burlington, b, l.. G. Dodge; ST. Adams,
s., A. w. Burgess; St. Johns, j, -
Shoemaker; Montreal, Y, John Barry.
"Tho writer was the firit person that
learned or took an Office after learning
in Vermont. In the early spring OF
1S4S Mr.. Burgess was taken sick.
Superintendent Benedict wished him to
go to st. Adams for a few days, which
he did. In 184S or 40 lire was estab-
lished from Poultney through North
Granville. All these used the Morse
Instruments. About the Same time d
line was erected from Burlington to
Boston, that used Bain's instruments
In the spring of 1S49, Superintendent
Benedict resigned, and l.. G. Dodge
was elected to fill his place. The line
was afterwards sold to the Western
Union, a company after the character
of the Standard Oil company. One
Jay Gould erected the American Unior
as a speculation, and consolidated will
the Western Union; then theMerchants
Union was erected, and the stock is 81
fixed that it can never be converted
into monopoly.
"Ot the old operators, j. W. Stewar
has been a worthy governor of Yer
mont, and is now congressman.elect
C. p. Phelps is an honored occupant O
the bench in sister state. The. write
, is battling rascals and their acts. l.. {
: Dodge is occupying a responsible pos
ton in California. Nj. l.. Wood is j
the employ of the Western Union. W
E. G. Stoddard and Il. W. Rice al
9 dead. L. M, Wright spends most {
: his time in Orwell, cutting coupon
, from his government bonds. Barr
has married wife. Shoemaker an
Hall have lost sight of.
i, Rutland to Boston. The Western u
ion, under the management of Il. O.
Smith, erected lines upon all railroads
In some cases railroad corporation
Y have lines of their own. There is n
' reason why more than ten cents shout
be charged for message of ten word
from Poultney to Troy. At that priC
the stock would pay twenty per cen
;. The Troy 81 Canada Junction stoc
b paid with one-fourth the present bus
;. ness, and it cost more than double [
do the business than now"