Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1888-02-06
WHEN TsLEGRAPHY WAS YOUNG.
Ffr~t Result. OF Professor Morse's Dis
covery-A Weeks Earnings In lSSS.

Fir~t Result. OF Professor Morse's Dis
cosery-A Weeks Earnings In lsSS.
when | went west from Washington
that spring." said Mr., John W. Kirk, an
old friend Of Professor Morse, Il took
along with me samples Of the indented
strips Of paper rs they came from the re-
ceiying instrument. An enthusiast, I
talked Of telegraphy to everybody met.
In Columbus. Cincinnati. indianapolis
and other western centers l met college
professors, business men and other people
ranked high for intellect, knowledge and
common sense, and all. or nearly all, were
pronounced skeptics as TO the practicable
ity o. Morse's idea, And ] am putting II
litlle mild, think. in saying that the
impression wasn't long in getting abroad
that l was n little or" meant well.
but didn't know The last remember
of some Of my friends out there they were
still pitying me.
Il was in Indiana in the autumn after
congress had made a thirty thousand dol
lar appropriation to Morse for his expert
mental line. The congressman OF that
district was up for reelection, Poor, de-
luied man. he had unfortunately voted
for that appropriation He had been for
years the political pride Of the district
The people out there would give him any
thing he'd take il they had the giving OF
it. OF course ne didn't doubt that he
would be re elected as IL by acclamation:
but before election day he saw things diff
ferently. \ young man whom nobody
had ever heard much Of before got an op-
position nomination and went stumping
all over the DISTRICT and before long the
fight became very warm. i have not one
word to say against my opponent SO the
young man always began his speech
Hes gentleman: his character cannot
be impeached; he Is honest, reasonable
well informed. 4 good height Dor. and a real
nice man. But, gentlemen. while he was
in congress he voted your money away
upon claptrap things like this, and the
nominee, producing "A congressional docu-
meni, proceeded 10 read the text Of the
bill which appropriated $50, 600 for
Morse's experiments. Thirty thousand
dollars he would exclaim. Thirty thou
sand Of your hard-earned dollars, gentle
men. For what. Why, to settle-isten
10 the bill, centlsmen--to settle the prac
ticability VI sending messages BY cleo
tricity over wires stretching long dts
tances. What do you think Of II, gentle
mem Yes, my opponen; IS good man;
he means we'll; bat really, has his resi-
deLce in Washington helped him any. II
he had stayed here at home with us.
would lac ever have voted our money away
.or snch crazy purpose. Still, il you
think it right 10 vote for q man who can
be fooled Ia this way, gaItiemen, ali right,
but
The old man was defeated"
Mr. Kirk told this further incident, that
from an irresponsible source would sound
much like a romance: Just after the first
telegraph office was opened in Washing
ion. occupying little room over the city
postotiicc. 4 member Of Nle cabinet en-
tered one day in hurry, and, handing in
bulky document, directed the operator
10 ''telegrapn it over TO Baltimore right
away L. l.as cinsei with q great seal,
which the operrtcr proceeded TO break.
much To the astoniShment Of the states
man, who, objecting. declared that the
paper contained Il state secret, and Of
course must not he exposed to any unotil-
cial eye
But | can't telegraph it without read
it, insisted the operator.
Well, then. you can't send 1t at all"
and the high official left, excited and
threatening. He believed he WAS being
trified with. His idea was that the tele-
grapn wss sor: OF aerial express for the
whisking Of packages through air-prob-
ably hy hitchiuC them ON to the wire by a
good tough piece of twine.
Here is entertainment in q transcript Of
the earnings ~ that original Washington
telegraph office for the first week-in
April, lSij-that it was open for regular
business:
April l, - anil a.................. j .0i
Apri5 .........-...-.-......... i?t
AM