The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-01
Some Strange Changes in the Won
derful Development of This
Great Industry.
The First Line in the United States
Opened for Business
in 1910.
Himself Sent the First Message
Receiving by sound-Duplex, Quad
ruplex, Phonoplex.

XKK8DACIy NO0A VOD0bOAs NOAAOO ~ bSA0|
graph az IAN apparatus or q process Of com-
munioating intelligence rapidly between
distant points especially by means Of pre-
concerted visible signals representing
words or signs transmitted by olectro-maR-
netism.' The apparatus for performing
the requirements of this definition was in
vented in 1888 by Prof. Samuel Finley
Breese Morse, an historical painter, says
tho Washington Star. Morse, who had
been in Europe several years in the pursuit
Of his profession, while returning to Amer
lea conceived the idea Of an elestro-maR-
netio apparatus for permanently recording
upon strips Of paper the signals made by
the breaking and closing Of the current, and
upon his arrival at New York constructed
. model instrument, consisting of m old
picture frame fastened to a small table, a
set of clock works to carry the paper bands
under the armature or pendulum-s weight
which whom released set the wheels in mo-
tion and an eleotro-magnet.
The key or transmitter WAS made of an
old port rule, into which the characters of
the alphabet, cut from strips of lead. were
placed, passing beneath the contact points
by means Of a set of eogs and . crank; .
galyanic battery and q few fest of common
iron wire completed the apparatus which
practically demonstrated Aorse's idea for
recording at q distant the signs made by
closing or opening the current at tho home
station. 1t was found, however. that when
the length of the wire was increased the ac-
ton Of the current upon the electromagnetic,
which was made by winding a wire several
times around q soft iron bar, was so en-
fee blsd AZ to render the rsosiving apparatus
almost useless. At the suggestion of a pro-
fsssional friend, Morse afterwarA wound
the magnet with finer wire, thus securing
more resistance and enabling him TO ope-
rate tho receiving instrument over q greater
distance. He also improved his transmit
ter, using, instead of the port rule, a crank
affair, = piece of spring brass. fastened
securely at ons end to q block of hard wood,
IN making the contact by pressing the
|Open end down upon Q tack connected with
the line wire. Prof. Morse had succeeded
ia adapting u system OF teleRraphy to the
ignorance of the age, and after several sue
cessful trials placed his machine on exhibit
ton in New York in 1886, though he did not
secure q patent on the invention until 1910.
The first telegraph line constructed in the
States was from Warrington. D. G.,
This line was completed and opened for
business on May II, 1840, Prof. Morse him
SELF transmitting the first telegram. There
wal little or nothing done toward promoting
the advancement of this new art until in
1854, when it was taken up by several capi-
ward, the line Of wires reaching out to San
Francisco. 'Ths overland route was sub
sidizsd by the government by the act ap-
proved by congress on June 16, 1860. to the
extent of 100000, or $4,000 q year for ten
years. The line was built BY Hiram sibley
on his own account. though he was at that
time president Of tho Western Union Tels-
graph company. Mr.. Sibley was the only
bidder for the job. the president of the
Telegraph company and the
manager of the Illinois and Michigan lines
declining to bid for the construction of such
a line, considering it a very hazardous I'M
dsrtaking. The line was completed during
the winter of 1862. just At a time when its
use was Indispensable to the government.
In 1848 it was discovered that tina dots
and dashes of the alphabet could be readily
one from another by the pc
Culiar tap of the enclosing pen OF the reg 4
lister upon the paper band, thus enabling
the receiving operator to perform his duties
greater celebrity and exactitude than
by the old method, which was promptly dis |
Several telegraphers, among |
whom 10 ex-Gov. A. b. Cornell, of New
York. now 4 director of the Western Union
Telegraph company, claim the honor Of
So 81 WA ~ AAce W - INV L
by sound, and from that fact it would ap-
pear that four or five operators made the
discovery at about the same time. Up to
1879 but one telegram at a time could be
yent on a single wire. In that year, how
year, however. the duplex syetem for send
ing simultaneously " messages, one in
direction, on \ single wire was i'm
md reduced to practice by Josh b.
Stearns. of Boston. Htearns' improvement
ths duplex made possible the quadruple
for sending four kilograms, two each way,
1t the same time on & single wire. In 1887
Thomas A. Edison introduced his phono-
PICK system Tor using an independently in
duced current as q circuit. To-day, by
combining the quadruplex and p%honople1
five kilograms, two one way and
three the other, can be sent on q single wire
ut tho Same instant.
The modern electromagnetic telegraph Ia
based upon the very same principle US the
original. 1t 10 applied, however, in = moie
n Instead of the clumsy
and unwieldy circuit-breekcr of
1914. which weighed in the nsiRhborhood of
100 pounds, We have at present the neat lit
1ls outfit which might BIO carried without
in ones coat pocket. This
and development of the telegraph
rus. The following figures will serve to
give one q general idea OF this dsvslopm emit
md of the tremendous volume OF business !
by the largest companies. In 1866
'hs whole length OF telegraph line in tho
United States was less than 10000 miles.
With a mileage of wire not exceeding 10. 900.
md there were less than 2,400 offices. In
800 there were 800, 600 miles Of wire and
,ver 24,0OO offices, the Western Union COM
operating t50, 600 miles Of wire, work
Il, 00O Offices and handling over 60, 0O0,-
700 kilograms q wear,