The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1886-03-04
ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH.
a No1sTH CAROLINIAN CLAIMS TIE
HONOR ACCoRDED TO MORSE.

Ctrated it's AppIioatlon-!-His Reasons for |
his Very Long Silonce.
(Correspondcace Of the Charlotte Odserrer.) |
WASHINGTON, ID. c., February &c.
"Would you object TO giving me u
brict sketch OF your history, and cs-
pecially of the history OF your con-
neclion with the invention Of the |
electric telegraph" SO said the
Observer correspondent this mornng
to Mr. Junius Lynch ClemmomS.
"Not at ALL" was the reply. 81 was
born Iu the village OF CiGmmon>villp,
Rowan imow DaNidsom county {;
North Carolina, on the first day De
ccmbcr, 1913, and am now Scvenly-two
Years OF age. | am now an old mnu
but very well preserved, as YOU can
see. For the last year OF two have
peen troubled with n slight dyspepsia,
but apart from that my health has
always been good. Indeed, cun say
what very few can say that for fifty
five consecutive years | never lost q
meals victuals by sickness. am sat-
isfcd that, in all my life, | was never
confined to my bed so much as ten
davs by sickness. | begin, however,
the end is not far distant.
"My father was merchant, and
my boy hood days were spent tor the
most part behind the counter. At
the age of eighteen | was sent to
Randolph Macon College, in Virgiuia
After spending year aud q half in
the preparatory department | enter
ed college, and after passing through
the regular course, graduated in 1887.
"ln the year 1888, when about the
age Of twcntv ycara, | commenced
attending lectures on chemistry, and
was furcibly struck with the powers
OF the galvanic battery, and its con-
nection with electrical currents. In
thinking over the matter | felt con-
Vlnced that electricity could be prac
ucnlly used in conveying intelligence
between distant points on insulated
wires. l announced this belief to my
classmates and TO illustrate nv idea
drew diagram around the walls Of
my room, exhibiting wire support
cd by glass brackets on upright poles
such rs are now in use, with bat
terry at each end and an independent
clock work on which to receive mes-
sages.
81 attempted frequently to explain
this to my comrades, but was only
laughed at for my pains. was re-
3ardcd an q visionary, and my pro-
Ject as dream. | contcndcd that it
would work and prophcsied that in
inc near future man would be sit
ting in his chamber in New York
conversing with his brother in New
Orleans rs fnmiliarly as it they were
seated at his own tiresidc. Yea, more
that the President OF the United
States would in the same manner con.
verse with the Emporor of Russia ir
an instant of time. This OF course
was regarded by ali as the extreme of
fauatlcism. Only one Of my class
mates would listen to me with any
degree of creuulity and that was ,
young man from North Carolina b,
the naIne of Baxter Cligg, who after
wards became somewhat prominent a,
u MethodisL preacher.
'ln after years number of IN,
echonlmntes came Out with VOLUNTARY
communicat, on to different newspaper
teStlf! ing 10 what | have above stated
Prominent among them was j. w
Cameron, at one time editor of
paper published at Wndcsburu, N. &
"Belng young and somewhat iii fiji
deht, did not press my suggestion
upon the public attention; but hcariu,
that gentleman by the name o
rag, in Washington City, had becom
quite eminent as an electrician, | re
solved to communicate to him IN
ideas on the subject of tclegraphv b.
the electric current, aud to obtain hi
views on tho subject. therefor
wrote to him explaining in detail m,
views, accompanying The same viii
Diagrams, ETC., and asking him for hi
opinion. To this request received
no answer. This failure to answe,
was rather dalnper upon nv enthu
siasm, and l thought that after al
probably my theory was not practical
or its merits would have been apprc.
clated by man eminent in electrical
science.
vi therefore dropped the matter and
devoted myself to my studies, SAVING
put little more about the tClcgraDh,
L was preparing myself by collegiate
literary course tor entering upon my
professionals a lawyer and devoted my.
self exclusively to that purpose.
"Years rolled by and had alnos,
forgotten the telegraph matter, when
in the year 1874 opened the Wash
lngton 0l06e one morning, and IN,
la OF ph' HS dpii thbt dl;lNCIcu nv at
tentlun was ali account OF the forum.
ton OF a partnership between Page,
Morse, Amos Kiudall Il smith. tC
erect an experimental Telegraph wire
between Baltimore and Washington
City, and an application to Congress-
for pecuniary aid.
"fhc moment | saw the combina-
ton the conviction flashed UPON nv
mind that Page had used my euggcs.
tions to him made eleven years before
III the furthrranCc of the Morse pro.
ject, and when learned that at the
time wrote to Page in 1888, and for
some years afterwards, he was oil ex
Hminer IN the patent 'ffice, and for
bidden by law to take Oui q patent In
his own name, my convictions were
confirmed. Indeed, l was SO positive
or the, fact that wrote communicu-
non to the Washington Globe. publicly
charging PAGE with having availed
himself Of NY suggestions.
being tlIua publicly charged with