The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1883-05-09
MORSE AND THE TELEGRAPH.


Before Morse invented the telegraph, he
went abont the country, after studying in
London with Benjamin West, the artist
painting portraits at Slj apiece. On his ar
rival in London he wrote TO his parents in
New York thus: Z" only wish you had
this letter now to relieve your minds from
anxiety, and that in an instant ] could com
municate my information; but 5000 miles
are not passed over in an instant, and we
must wait for long. weeks before we can hear
from each other" This letter was found in
his effects aud on the back III Morse's hand
writing were the words "Longng for
telegraph even in this letter" He also in
vented, during his wanderings, n pump, a
fire engine and ma shine for cutting mar
BILE, but in the midst of it all kept his mind
on the telegraph. On his way home from
Europe the second tine while at the dinner
table the idea came to him, and he went up
on deck to think it ont This idea was the
interruption OF the electric spark and the
current, making three signs, by combining
which he could form an alphabet. lie spent
several sleepless nights working out his
scheme. This was in 1929, bat il was eleven
years before he even got patent on it, He
was very poor, had three motheress children
to care for and WAS often on the verge of
starvation while experimenting with his
scheme. He took room in the University
Building on Washington Square, New York,
so poor that he had to buy his food aud cook
it himself he concealed from his friends his
misery and went out at night TO bny his
meat and tea and carry it home unseen.
"That was my mode of life for many years."
he said, There he discovered the relay, or
ameans by which the current which, through
distance had become feeble, could be rein
forced or renewed Hamilton Fish went In
1886 to see his little Telegraph in operation
and about mile of wire was suspended In
successive turns about the walls, small
battery In one corner OF the room, Il sort of
clock-work machine In the other, and the
sounds of "click, click, click" In 1887
messages went through ten miles of wire.
The first message sent over,.the wires ut a
public exhibition in New York'was in these
words: Attention, the Universe By
Kingdoms, Right Wheel"
In 1883 he exhibited il to President Martin
Van Buren, and his Cabinet, aud then applied
to Congress for $i0ooo in order to..establsh
its successful experiment He was two
years in getting an appropriation he had to
borrow the money to so to Washington to
exhibit and explain it. John p. Kennedy,
OF Maryland, took hold OF the bill. Cave
Johnson, Kentucky, proposed to give hall
the appropriation to the science of mesmer.
ism. Sam Houston said that Millerism
ought also TO share the appropriation. On
February 20, 1912, the appropriation was
passed by the House, yeas 80. nays SO, a
majority only of six. Morse sat trembling
in the gallery. g II by any means the bill
should fail, !" said Morse, ~ shall return TO
New York without the fraction of cent OF
money in my pocket" II passed the Senate
only few minutes before midnight The
Wing National Convention met in Baltimore
May 1, 1874, and the telegraph announced
to Washington the nomination OF Henry
Clay and Theodore Frelinghuysen. Com
gress could have bought the entire invention
from Morse for 100000 in 1916.