Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1886-08-22
THE TELEGRAPH.

hhApNy VI Nnt OonAiruGtInn OF the Ntrat
Line by Prof, Morse.
1t was enacted by congress on the 3D. of
March, 1913, that the sum of $50, 600 be
appropriated for testing the capacity and
usefulness Of the system of electro-mag
netic telegraphs invented by Samuel f.
b. Morse OF New York, for the use of the
government Of the United States. by con.
STRUGGLING line of said electromagnetic
telegraphs, under the superintendent of
Prof. Morse, OF such length and between
such points as should fully test its
practlcabillty aud utility, the same TO be
expended under the direction OF the sec
rotary of the treasury upon the applica-
ton of said Morse,
The second section of the act author.
ICES the secretary OF the treasury TO nav
from the 100000 what he may deem a
lalr compensation TO Morse aud others
Tor experimenting the construction Of the
telegraph
There We're four patentees, Morse, Il
.. j, Smith, Alfred Vail, and George
VAIL Frof. Morse, In attempting TO CON
struot the line between Washington aud
baltimore (for they were the cities to be
connected), conceived the idea of Guild.
ing 1T underground, and accordingly,
after the wire had been made, which,
oy-the'way, was OF copper, wrapped
wlth nue. thread and tarred, so as to make
as perfect an insulation as was known
AT that GATE, leaden pipe was selected and
made TO receive the wire underground
About 81 900 Of the $4,000 was ex
pended on this pipe before test was
made. The test, however, was failure
battery and instrument were placed M
either end OF the lead pipe, but there was
no current, and 1t was soon ascertaiuod
that the current all passed from the wire
10 the pipe and from the pipe to the best.
known conduetor--Mother Earth. Mr.
George Wood, clerk to the patentees
said afterward that for several DAYS II
was thought that Prot Morse would lose
his reason In consequence OF this disap-
pointment
After lengthy consultation +. OIL
Smith, better known as "Fog,n agreed 10
BUY the leadeu pipe for a small considera.
ton, and II may be stated that but for a
suggestion made by Smith (and he alone
Is entitled TO the credit) tnat the wires
should De put ON poles, as they are now,
years might have elapsed before the cleo
tro-magnetio telegraph would have been
III operation. Smiths suggestion was A
success much to the delight OF Morse,
VINO hsu IN the meantime gone almost
mingly.
The line having been comn,e,ad hs.
tween the two cities, the office M Wash.
ington was established ga the north ana
OF the capitol. MIR. Louis 4, RaniyInear
was the operator--the first In this oitv
and good one Such thing as a kev Il
write with In those days was not known.
Inc mode OF writing or making the char.
acter then was with the wire as Il came
iuto the operating room from Baltimore;
or 70 give better idea, imagine one OF
the wires on the street swagging SO low
tnat II could be cut IA two. A good on
orator can take either end of the wire in
DIS right and left hand, and By strik iog
thenl one with the other, send a message
ibis was about the wsy messages were
then transmitted.
wren II was no longer doubt that the
teleSraph was success the oiilce was
removed TO Seventh street, between n
anu streatS, over tho then clty post.
once, where the east front 81 the seuen,l
possoitce now stands, and tho line WAS
open 70 the general public. william Iin.
ton aud ! w Lugenhoel learned the AT
81 telegraphisg N the early spr,ni, IN
ie4o, and were the first employees on the
line between Washington and New
Orleans.
among the few operators 10 washing
ION now who can look back ana can "a
mind the telegraph IN Its Infancy are he
lollowings John w. Lugenbeel, William,
Linton, Sired 1oQns, James Towers
Lleweliyn Washington and william Mac.
ieely There are two Others not now re-
Siding 10 Washington whose names shonid
ee mentioned IN connection with me