The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1892-04-28

Inventors Persistence.

InVentOrss Persistence.
Starting with Prof. Morse. the great dis
coverer of transmitting messages by light
ming and inventor of the first machine for
that purpose. his struggles and remarkable
success is certainly one of the wonders of
the nineteenth century. About 1882 the
professor is said to have conceived the idea
while on voyage across the Atlantic. and
soon after his return set at work expert
menting in small way in connection with
his devoted wife.
For nearly ten years they worked and
struggled, most of the time poor. until at
last they hoped for success in long distances
The professor. through few New York
Congressional Representatives and one of the
New York: Senators. who promised to aid
him in getting an appropriation of, think,
$50. 600. to construct an experimental line
from Washington, D. c.. to Baltimore,
Md, distance of about 80 to 35 miles.
The professor had obtained permission to
string several miles of wires through the
United States capital and set up his ma
chimes. with himself at one end and Mrs.
Morse at the other, at remote corners of the
capital. The President of the United
States was the first to investigate. and eX
pressed himself very favorable to the ap
preparation. Committees were appointed
from the House to investigate, and finally
succeeded in getting the bill passed by that
body by small majority.
But this must be confirmed by the Senate.
Several times the bill was called up and ia
bled. All of this time the professors eX-
penses were increasing. even his board bill
at his hotel. Finally on Saturday night.
between IL and 12 o'clock, the bill, with
others. was called up and defeated by one
single vote. The professor left the capital
very sad man. The other New York Sen
ator had been trying to get bill through
for New York harbOr appropriation and
it failed by one vote also. each Senator be-
ing hostile to the others bill. After the
professor left, his friend walked over to the
other New York Senator and said: This
is too bad. l now propose to move to call
both these bills up if you will second my
notion" This was agreed. and the Morse
bill was hitched OH as a tail to the harbor
bill kite and both passed, and the President
was there to sign them. The professor
said that he went home. but could not sleep.
In the morning Sunday when he came
down the landlady met him. Professor.
allow me to congratulate yOu." And next
came the landlord with congratulations.
And next his Senator friend, who took him
by the hand. Said the professor, "What
does all this mean? l wish you could con
gratulate me, but my bill was defeated"
mo, SIR" said his Senator friend, "your
bill passed and was signed after you left
the House. and there is $50. 900 in the Treas.
ury to your order"
I was one of the fOrtunates who stood in
Central Park, New York City, when the
bronze statue to Professor Morse was un-
veiled, and there stood the grand old man
to whose achievement this memento had
been erected by the telegraph operators.
and it was then that the professor tele
graphed under the Atlantic Ocean in that
cable that is strung along among huge mon
sters that roam in it's endless abysses and
chasms. and onward clear around our globe.
Never was such an achievement realized by
one mortal being. Almost every one knows
the first message of four words, "What
hath God wrought"
Elias Howe with the sewing machine met
a similar fate. His first machines were
crude made machines indeed. and his first
claims were on the machinery, which was
subject to vast variations and numerous
evaSiOns. But happy thought came to
Mr.. Howe, so he surrendered his first pa
tent and took out new one, in which he
claimed needle with the eye at or near
the point. For about seven years young
Howe struggled to get his machines into
use; but the early prejudices against using
any machine that would throw poor sewing
girls out of work defeated him, so he tried
England, and there met similar fate.
Finally he raised enough money to get his
wife home, and he worked his passage as
cook in sailing vessel with bare money to
get home to Massachusetts.
In walking up Broadway he saw large
warerOoms of finely finished machines. all
using his needle. he went home and in
duced his father to mortgage his farm for