The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-03-03
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
4 NORTH CAROLINIAS CLAIMS TIE
AoNoR ACCORDED TO MORSE.

-sss<s->s-sos-~
4 NORTH CAROLlNIAS CLAIMS TIE
AoSoR ACCORDED TO MORSE.
Jcnius Lynch Clemmons Asserts that he
Discovered the Principle and Demon.
strared its Application---His Reasons for
his Very Long Silence.
Corresponasncso Of the Charlotte Obssrver.)
WASHINGTON, u. c., February 20
"W,.lld .ou cbjec, to giving me 3
briet sketch oil Your history, a:td vs-
pecially Of the history OF Your con-
nection with the invention OF the
electric telegraph" SO said the
O6<errc,' correspondent this norlEng
to Mr. Juniu> Lynch Clemmon>.
s'Not at ALL" was the reply. 81 was
born IN the village OF Ctemmon>vilI",
Rowan (now DaridsoID c, unt, !;
North Carolina, on the first day de-
cember, 1918, all lainnow Seveuly-t"o
year. of age am now All old snan
but very we'll preserved, as YOU eau
see. For the last year or two l have
been troubled with slight dyspepsia,
but apart from that rnv health has
always bren good. Indeed, | can say
what very few can say that for fifty
five consecutive years I never lost a
meals victuals BY sickness. am SIT
isied thar, IN s!l my life, was never
confined to my bed so much SIS ten
davs by sickness. l begin, however,
10 feel the effects of age and know that
the end is not far dlstaut..
"My tstner was merchant, and
nv boy hood days were spent tor the
most part behiud the counter. AT
the age of eighteen l was sent to
Randolph Macon College, in Virginia.
After spending a year aud q half III
the preparstory department enter
ed college, and after passing through
the regular course, graduated in 1887.
'sIn the year 1888. when about the
age of twen.y Years, | commenced
attending lectures On chemistry, and
was forcib!r struck with the powers
ofthe ga!vanic battery, and its con-
nection with electrical currents. In
thinking over the matter | t con-
yinced that electricity could be prac
ically used in conveying Intelligence
between dirtaMt points on lnsolatect
wires. I announced this belief TO my
classmates and 10 illustrate my idea
drew diagram around the walls OF
my room, exhibiting wire support
ed BY glass brackets on upright poles
such as are now in use, with BAT
ter, at each end and an independent
clock work on which TO receive mes
ssges.
ssI attempted fire. -aently to explain
this to my CON but was only
laughed at for m, pains. / was re-
garded So 8 visionary, and my pro-
feet as dream. | consended that il
would work and prophesied that in
the near future mau would be sit
ting in his chamber III New York
conversing with his brother in New
Orleans as familiarity as If they were
seated at his own freside. Yea, more
that TIE President OF the United
States wuuld in the same manner con-
verse with the Emperor OF Russia i'll
aa instant of time. This OF course
was regarded by all as the eHtrelne of
fauaiicism. Only one OF my class
mates would listen to me with any
degree of creduli,v and that was q
ycung man from North Carolina by
the name Of Baxter Ciisg, who after
wards became somewhat prominent as
v Methodist preacher.
"In after years 8 number Of my
schooimales ca,ne out with voluntary
communication>tu tu different newspapers
stestift lug to what have sbove stated
Prominent among them was J. w.
Cameron, at one time editor of a
paper published at Wadesboro, n. e.
"Being Young and somewhat diff
deut, did not press my suggestions
upon the public attention; bnI hearing
that gentleman by the name OF
Page, In Washington City, had become
enite eminent as all electrician, re-
solved TO communicate to him my
ideas on the subject OF telegrsphy b..
the. electric current, aud to obtain his
views on the SUBJECT. ! therefore
wrote TO him explaining in detail my
views, accompanying the same with
diagrams, etc., aud asking him for hi,
opinion. To this request received
no answer. This tailRre to answer
was rather dssagsr - s.
-ssiiss'R, and thoughtlSS .li
probably my theory 4 stical
500 roa,;,e yropfS b5Co oppro