The morning news., 1889-05-17
ROMANCE OF THE WIRES.
EARLY DAYS OF TELEGRAPRING
IN THE SOUTH.
Against Long Odds-seuding Mes
sage without Battery and Receiving
U;+h the TONGUE

With the Tongue
From the Neto York Herald.
MACON, GA, May 12.-John c. Butler
isthe name Of a modest little man who
lives in this city. At home he is regarded
a walking encyclopedia of facts bearing
on the early history of Macon. and the peo-
Dle who have lived here from the pioneer
davs. but it is very seldom that he alludes
TO his own part OF that history. And yet
be laid the first cable in the United
States. and was the first man in the world
to receive a telegraphie message on the
tongue.
It was not until 1916 that the telegraph
was brought south. AT that time there
we're but few lines in the country and the
wires had come no farther southward than
Petersburg, a company having started out
to bring it down here, but failed when that
poiut was reached. Railroads were few in
number also and South Carolina was Just
recovering from her astonishment at seeiug
q locomotive, while Georgia had only then
comparatively short lines on her borders. To
establish a telegraph line with out railroads
was stupendous undertaking. In 1916, how
ever, one year after Prof. Morse had turned
over the charge OF his invention to Amos
Kendall of Washington, a company vas
formed by Kendall, the Walls of Washing
ton and Tiers, afterward including Elan
Alexander of Macon and Daniel Griffin of
Columbus in this state to absorb the l43
miles of wire between Washington and
Petersburg and build line bet wesn Wash
ington and New Orleans, \ distance of I,7l6
miles The co itracb W&s given to a con-
tractor naued John J. Haley. and the
stock was watered 100 per cent, just as it is
watered now.
Haley went through the country solicit
ing subscriptions to realize $3.50 per mile,
and succeeded until hereached Macon. This
city was not ripe enough for telegraphic
communication with the outside world, or
Haley did not understand the people. Ha-
ley saw that he would be compelled to make
Jump between Augusta and Montgomery
or Columbus, and in his desperation went
down to Savannah. Then he had the cham
Der of commerce called together and
$4,000 in stock was subscribed Elan
Alexander, Of Macon, was in Savannah
on a visit. and with a firm belief
in the future of the country as
well as the future of the telegraph he took
the subscription of the chamber of com
merce off its hands, added some of his own,
and on bis return home secured some addi-
tIonal subscriptions. This brought the line
to Macon and supplied the missing link as
well as making him one of the directors and
afterward president. 1t was not long after
ward, however, before he was succeeded by
Kendall, and then came a rupture Alex
ander was the soul of honor, and ue openly
charged Kendall with makIng:.a side contract
with Haley by which the stock could be ex-
tenslvely watered.
EARLY DIFFICULTIES.
Be this as 1T may, Kendall, on assuming
charg-, which was about 1854 greatly i'm
proved the line He found t1at the old
fash 0ned iron hooks which held the glass
cup insulatOrs on the posts were carrying
off a portion of the current, a d that there
were le kages of funds as we'll as electric
ity. He overhauled the line and divided it
il three divisions instead of four, and thus
kept the line in better repair. The repair
item was q big one in those days Nearly
all the lines, especially in the south, were
stretched from tree to tree on public wagon
roads, sometimes taking shorter cuts
through swamps and across riv rs The re-
sultwas that the wires were at the mercy
of every wind and damage was great. The
repairing of this damage, with its great
cost ard delays, severely crippled the young
enterprise, AID but for the rapid building
Of railroads that followed our people would
not have enjoyed telegraphic facilities un-
4 til many years later. The entire receipts
Of the Washington and New Orleans line
for the year 1854 were S16S, ,442 %, while
the repairs alone were Sl3 5J4 63. In 1855
the receipts were $l41 ,73S so, and the re-
pairs were $22, ,952 25
AT that time message from Washington
to New Orleans was 81 and 10 cents for
each additional word. Newspapers paid
ii about One-han this rate. a d at one of the
n meetings OF the directors an effort was
81 made to compel newspapers to pay tue
H regular rates. There were twenty offices
Fl on {. g line and operators were paid from
I'll $4yJ to $l.2O0per annum-the latter amount
II being paid the operators at New Orleans.
III The chief operator at Washington only re-
III celYed $3.50 Der annum and was allowed one
II 6ssis.an, and one clerk.
III Kendall was the life and soul of the line.
III he had been postmaster general under
N jackson, and bad taken deep interest in
Morse. 1t will be remembered hat Morse
demonstrated the working Of his alphabet
with crude models. Kendall knew bright
m.aenlnlst IN Washington named Alfred
xal- he also knew capitalist named l..
u. tale. Kendall held power Of attorney
from Morse. Vail had genius aud skill and
0ale mad money. The three formed a
stro g party with the new and great in
Vehtlon, and III 1S45 they formed their
Sbhdicate to control the wires south of
washington. Haley was contractor and
l!au bulIt several lines-that is LIE strung
IAe wire over the poles along the routes he
lau previously trayeised and solicited
subscriptions
IN 1916 Haley, who, by the way, was a New
~ of4er' signed the contract to construct
sns me from Washiugtol to New Orleans
Ell a'I sloO per mile for single mile. 1t was
q paF0 OF nis contract to procure subscrip-
.lous suIucient 10 pay for the line and dur
ny Vne progress Of the work was to raca i've
@ noO exceeding $50 per mile, and that sock
hi uiu ,0uiu De Issued 10 subscribers and patsntees
| 49, HAs proportion, making in all $500 per
ne ne IN the capital stock Of the company
an7 private arrangement Of Kendall. 50 it
vX ~ 19 eaI'egsd at the time, was 10 divide the
~ s'.ME1 ~ el construction of the line in addition
1le IVy per cent. Of stock issued 10 pat
80 there y entailiug a loss of moro
10 10 e'o'OJO TO the subscribers, that amount
.ius SUBSCRIBED in full confidence that it
'o4'u oe used IN the construction # the
a5. Ei4m Alexander, when presidect.
aimed mat better line could have been
. tor fl5OO0O, and yet S55J,00 was
'15U Ior IT'S construction.
TRlUMPHIS8 OVER OBSTACLES.
As mas been said, the line was put in bet
"a when Kendall was ma 10 the presi-
IL was during his administration
sje hr-t cable vas laid The division
y -2 H8e proved a great saving bOih Of
,'-ealu ana money. The third division. which
covered two divisions AID embraced
= y. ''ls @ from Montgomery to Nsv Orleans,
81 '-.rHsted 70 the care Of one Mr.. Butar.
tal raoidly risen from messenger boy
macon Office 20 the position Of