Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1884-01-22

The history of the invention and intro
duction Of the electric telegraph by Prof.
Morse is one of inexhaustible interest, and
every incident relating to it is worthy of
preservation. The incidents described be-
low will be found of special interest. The
article is from the pen of the late Judge
Nelson Poe, and was the last paper writ
ten by him. He prepared it during his re-
cent sickness, the letters embodied in it
from Mr.. Wright and Mr.. Latrobe being of
course obtained at the time OF their respec-
tive dates. 1t is as follows:
"REMINISCENCES OF THE TELEGRAPH.
On the 9Th of April, 1843, when the
monthly meeting of the directors of the
Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company was
about to adjourn, the president, the Hon.
Louis McLal1nGse, with paper in his
hand, which he said he had almost over
lopEd andfwhich the secretary would read.
IMd ed to be an application from Pro-
fl q d Morse for the privilege of laying tho
pires of his electric telegraph along the
line of the railroad between Baltimore and
communication from B. Fl. Latrobe, ESQ.,,
chief engineer, recommending the project
as worthy of encouragement.
On motion of John Spear Nicholas, sec
onded by the Hon. John P. Kennedy, the
following resolution was then considered:
"ResolUed, That the president be author
lied to afford to Mr.. Morse such facilities
as may be requisite to give his invention a
proper trial on the Washington Road, pro-
vided In his opinion and in that of the en-
gineer it can be done without injury to the
road and without embarrassment to the
operations Of the company, and provided
Mr.. Morse will concede to the company the
use of the telegraph upon the road without
expense, and reserving to the company the
right of discOntinuing the use if, upon er-
pertinent, it should prove in any manner IN
juTious."
'Whatever," said Mr.. McLane, s'may be
our individual opinions as to the feasibility
Of Mr.. Morse's invention, it seems to me
that it is our duty to concede to him the
he asks, and to lend him all the
aid in eur power, especially as the resolu-
ton carefully protects the company against
all present or future injury to its works,
and secures us the right Of requiring its
at any time.''
In view of the fact that no railroad can
now be run safely without the aid of the
telegraph, the cautious care with which the
right to remove it if it should become nui-
sance was reserved, strikes one at this day
as nearly ludicrous.1
A short pause ensued, and the assent of
the company was about to be assumed,
when one of the older directors, famed for
the vigilance with which he watched even
the most trivial measure, begged to be
heard.
He admitted that the rights and interests
of the work were all carefully guarded by
the terms of the resolution, and that the
company was not called upon to lay out
any of its means for the promotion of the
scheme. But notwithst anding all this, he
did not feel, as a conscientious man, that
he could, without further examination, give
his vote for the resolution. He knew that
this idea of Mr.. Morse, however plausible
it may appear to theorists and dreamers,
and so-called men Of science, was regarded
by all practical people as destined, like
many other similar projects, to certain fail
ure, and must consequently result in loss
and possibly ruin to Mr.. Morse. For one,
he felt consciantiousiy scrupulous in giving
vote which would aid or tempt visionary
enthusiast to ruin himself.
Fortunately, the views of this cautious,
practical man did not prevail. A few words
from the mover of the resolution, Mr.
Nicholas, who still lives to behold the won
ders he helped to create, and from Mr..
Kennedy. without whose aid the appropria-
tion would not have passed the House of
Representative relieved the other direc-
tors from all fear of contributing to Mr..
Morse's ruin. and the resolution was adopt
ed. OF the president and thirty directors
who took part in this transaction only three,
Samuel w. Smith, John Spear Nicholas,
and the writer, survive. Under it Morse
at once entered upon that test of his inven-
ton, whose fruits are now enjoyed by the
people of all the continents.
1t was not, however, until the spring of
1874 that he had his line and its appoint
ments in such condition as to allow of the
transmission of messages between the two
cities.