Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-03-17
Morse and the Telegraph.

Before Morse invented the telegraph, he
went about the country, after studying in
London with Benjamin West, the artist
painting portraits at SIS piece. On his
arrival III London he wrote to his parents
in New York thus: 81 only wish you had
this letter now TO releave your minds from
anxiety, and that in an instant 1 could
communicate 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, and on the back in
Morse's handwriting were the words
Longing for telegraph even in this let
ter" He also invented, during his
wanderings, pump, fire engine and a
machine for cutting marble, but in the
midst of it all kept his mind on the tele-
graph. On his way home from Europe the
second time, while at the dinner table the
idea came to him, and he went up on deck
to think it out. This idea was the Interrupt
ton of the electric spark and the current
making three signs, by combining which
he could form an alphabet. He spent sew
eral sleepless nights working out his
scheme. This was in 1929, but it was eley-
en- years before he even got a patent on it.
He was very poor, had three motherless
children to care for, and was often on the
verge of starvation while experimenting
with his scheme. He took a room in the
university building on Washington square,
New York, SO poor that he had to buy his
own food and cook it himself; he conceal
ed from his friends his misery and went
out at night to buy 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 means by which
the current which through distance had
become feeble, could be reinforced or re-
newed. Hamilton Fish went in 1886 to
see his little telegraph in operation and
about mile of wire suspended in success
slve turn on the walls, a small battery in one
corner of the room, sort of a clockWork
machine in the other, and the sounds of
"click, click, click" In 1887 messages went
through ten miles of wire. The first mes
sage sent over the wires at public exhibit
ton in New York was in these words: sat
tention, the universe! By kingdoms, right
wheelr'
In 1888 he exhibited it to President
Martin Van Buren, and his cabinet, and they
applied to congress for $4,000 in order to
establish its successful experiment. He
was two years in getting an appropriation
he had to borrow the money to go to Wash.
ington to exhibit and explain it, John P.
Kennedy, of Maryland, took hold of the
bill. Cave Johnson, Kentucky, proposed
to give half the appropriation to the
science of mesmerism. Sam Houston said
that Millerism ought also to share the
appropriation. On Feb. %, 1912, the
appropriation was passed by the house.
yeas SO, nays, SO, majority only of six.
Morse sat trembling in the gallery. ''If
by any means the bill should fall" said
Morse, Il shall return to New York without
the fraction of cent of money in my
pocket" 1t passed the senate only few
minutes before midnight. The Wing ma
tional convention met in Baltimore May l,
1874, and the telegraph announced to
Washington the nomination of Henry Clay
and theodore Frelinghuysen. Congress
could have bought the entire invention
from Morse for 100000 in 1916.