New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-04-11
THE CLAIMS OF ALFRED VAIL.
PROOFS OF THE SHARE HE HAD IN THE IN
vENTIOY OF THE MORSE TELE-
GRAPHIC SYSTEM

TO the Editor Of Tne, Tribune
Sir: In the Issue OF The Tribune Of April ! ap-
pcared telegram from Washington. I'm which II vas
stated that daughter of 5 F. b. Morse had presented
a protest 20 the senate Library Committee against the
language OF a bill now before that committee author
ling the purchase by the Government Of the original
telegraph Recording Receiver OF the sOcallsd
Morse system invented by my father. the late
Alfred Vail. In her protest. stated I'm The Tribune
she audes TO an opinion of the supreme Court as
conclusive evidence that her father was the sole In
vcntor Of the system Of tcegaphy which is that now
in universal use. The decision referred TO was made
by Chief Justice fancy in the suit for an infringe
ment by the Morse patcntces (of whom Alfred Vail
was one) against O'Reilly and was rendered January
30, 1884, I'm these terms:
1t can make no difference whether he (thc In
ventor derives his Information from books, or from
conversation with men skilled in the scIence-and the
fact that Morse sought and obtained the necessary
Information and counsel from the best sources and
acted upon 1t neither impalrs his rights as an In
ventor detracts from bis merits
think that It will be apparent 90 all that this ap
plies only 20 those who, seeking and obtaining as
sstance utilize It, act upon It In their own efforts
TO produce results but does not apply 10 the case OF
who like my father Alfred Vail, took from
Morse's hands his crude wooden apparatus (which
would not operate with any practical success and
unable to make anything better threw 1t aside and
then alone md unaided by Morse or any one else.
devised alphabet. and the mechanism necessary to
make that alphabet Of use the sO-called Morse Al
phabet" and the socalld Morse Recording Receiver
The original instrument so devised by my father
is that mentioned In the bill before the Library
Committee. and ! have In my possession the auto-
graphic statement Of my father referring to his in
venton Of this Instrument In the following words
This lever and roller we've invented by me In tho
sixth story Of "The New-York Observer Office in
1914, before put ZIP the telegraph line between
Washington and Baltimore. and the same has Away
been used in Morse's instrument | am the sole ana
only inventor Of this gnode OF telegraph embossed
writing Professor Morse gave me no ccw 10 It. nor
DID any one else, and l have not asserted publicly
my right as first and sole inventor because | wished
10 preserve the peaceful unity Of the invention. AID
because could not, according to nv contract With
Professor Morse. have gotten patent for it
believe that no further evidence is Necessary 70
show that the courts decision have no bearing
upon my claims for my father. For II was not
case wherein Morse acted upon anothers counsel and
advice. but Of an apparatus I'm the Invention Of which
he had no part whatever. This IS emphasized by The
following extract from an article written by Professor
Franklin L. Pope. and printed IN "Thc Century Mag
II Is scltevident. therefore. that not
single feature Of the original invention Of morse n;
formulated I'm his cavcat. and repeated In his original
patent. is 10 be found among the essential C0nsulh-
ents Of the wooden apparatus Prior 10 737 1t I'm
bodied the work " Morse and Of Henry alone. From
1897 10 I-4f II a construction VI the Inventions
Of Morse Henry and Vail; but, asjhye have seen, the
elements contributed by Morse have gradually fallen
into desuetudc. that the essential telegraph OF 10
day and universal Telegraph Of the future o0Hl.
prise rolely the work q Joseph Henry aud Alfred
Vail. The grandeur Of Wallis conception Of m alpha
betical code based upon the elements Of time and
space has never met with the appreciation which It
deserves lie (NalD further appears 10 hayo
considered that under his contract with Morse he was
dcbarrcd from taking patents In his own name, even
for the Independent creations Of his own brain, mn
enormous impression which, at least one 6f his aasO-
ciates apparently took no pains 90 dlspel.'
STEPHEN VAIL.