Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1889-02-15
THE REAL INVENTOR.

Are We Indebted to Professor Morse for
the Electric Telegraph?
A full and complete account of the inven-
ton of the telegraph appeared in The Cen
fury Magazine for April, 1888, and recently,
in examining an old file of The New York
Sun for the year 1857, found the following
editorial in the issue Of Sept. 25, of that year,
written by Moses S. Beach, the then proprie-
tor and editor, and who knew from personal
knowledge whereof he wrote. The article
was entitled "Honor to Whom Honor Is
Due:''
1.-THE laying of the Atlantic cable has
walked up hundreds of claimants for honors
bestowed upon Professor Morse, and while
each is so loudly telling his story, and is SO
impatient that it is coldly received, we will
mention few incidents connected with Pro-
fessor Morse's own experience which we have
never seen in print, and which lose none of
their interest from the unassuming modesty
of the other parties referred to.
'.Soon after Mr. Morse's invention of the
telegraph which has made him famous he was
professor in the University of New York
City. AS yet the invention was merely an
idea without material form. Among the
students there was son of Judge Stephen
Vail of Morristown, N j., Alfred Vail, and
the worthy professor had no auditor more in
terested in his supposed to be vagaries. AL
fred was young man of an active turn of
mind, and he readily espoused Professor
Morse's ideas. But the professor had no
means; his brother Sydney looked upon him
as chimerical dreamer who deserved no
help, and SO Alfred Vail set about overcom-
ing that difficulty. He told the story-visions
and all-many times over to his father. The
Judge was, as he is now, a liberal and gener-
| IL I L.. - ,%1sryo
about him. He became interested and in
vited the professor to his house. The result
was personal friendship and a years exper-
imenting at Judge Wallis expense.
s'Alfred Vail entered into these experiments
with his whole soul, and to him is Professor
Morse indebted quite as much as to his own
wit for his ultimate triumph. 1t was Alfred
Vail who invented the far famed alphabet,
and he, too, was the inventor of the instru-
/ ment that bears Morses name. But what
ever he did or contrived went cheerful1y to
the great end. Alfred felt rewarded in see
ing the gradual accomplishment of the dream.
'sJudge Vail had small factory near his
house and separated from the Speedwell Iron
Works, belonging to him. with water power,
and in it the experiments were carried on.
Three miles Of copper wire, about four times
as large as that used in the Atlantic cable,
were purchased at Belleville, N. J. The wire
was sent to New York and wound with cot
ton, under the supposition that it could not
otherwise be made serviceable. Then the
first clumsy registering machine was devised,
and with it the writing machine, with its me-
chanical action by means OF types. Their
construction and abandonment for something
better took place in the same factory, and
there in an upper room, the remains OF them
cog wheels, ratchets and slides-may, or
few days since might, still be seen.
''The first telegraph message ever sent I'M
der the SO called Morse system was both sent
and received in that same upper room,' and
was dictated by Judge Vail-'A patient
waiter is no loser
ssThence came the apparatuses subsequently
exhibited in New York and elsewhere with
such electrical effect. We have in our pos
session now piece of that original three
miles of wire, and we prize it as memento-
much more than our foot of the, Atlantic
cable.
ssThe original plan for laying the lines of
telegraph was by cables submerged in the
ground For this purpose the wire was to be
inclosed in lead pipe, and preparations were
made for the introduction of the wire in the
pipe simultaneously with its manufacture.
Experiments showed, however, that with sub
mersion the necessary Insulation of the wire
would be difficult, if not impossible, and the
cheaper and more effectual method of suspen-
sion was adopted.
"Another incident and we are DONE Morse
was in those days, if he is not now, no mean
hand at painting. To testify his appreciation
of the kindness and invaluable material aid
rendered by the judge and his son Alfred, he
painted series of family portraits, and these
specimens of his skill still adorn the walls Of
Judge Wallis parlors, and though not the per-
lection Of art they display more than ordinary
skill in the use of the brush.
''Judge Vail and his worthy son still live
The judge is as hale and hearty at 80 as most
men at so, and enjoys a well earned affluence
in the old style-quiet retirement
ssAlfred Vail retains in maturer age the
characteristics Of his earlier years, and il
now turning his attention to authorship"
With the statement that concludes you
correspondents article, that ga nephew Of
Mr.. Morse is one Of the best known duel
hunters about town. know of no reason fol
disagreeing, and will only express the hopt
that his claim to that distinction is more
solidly based than was that of his uncle to be
ing ''the inventor of the telegraph" As {
son Of Alfred Vail I am naturally DESTROYS
that Justice should be accorded his memory
Stephen Vail in New York World.
PeoDle Who Fret,