The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1894-06-09
FIFTY YEARS AUU.
BY UNCLE SILAS.
No. 81.

On the last days of May, 1874. the
people OF the United States, and, in
| fact OF the entire wori |, we're treated
| to a sensation that caused them to
| open wide their eyes with wonder and
| scratch their heads with amazement.
| y message What God hath wrought
, had flashed along the telegraphic
wires from Washington City to BALI
| more, distance of forty miles. n!u-
lessor Morse, the inventor of teierra
| ply. had been begging the leaders and
statesmen of Congress for long and
weary months for an approximation of
funds sufficient t. enable him To nut
| up II telegraphic wire between Wash
ington and Baltimore. Morse was
p"nniless. and had no friends who
were financially able to furnish the
money for that purpose. He had.
therefore, gone to the statesmen Of
that day, such as Clay, Webster, Ca.-
toun, Buchanan, Crttendan, Cass,
and others who were deludng them
selves WITH the idea that the world
rested upoi their shoulders, but they
looked upon nim as crank. and de-
rlded the snccess or feasibility OF any
such il project as the Professor was
advocating.
The Inventor had constructed
wire across Il street in Washington.
! and ha telegia aph working tor the
enlightenment of the members of Con-
gress. who, looking at its work, shrug-
ged their shoulders, and hooted the
| idea OF its practicabllity for any ex-
tx, i,I al d, IL.
members i'll that Congress who lad
faith i'll Mnrse's wonderful invention,
| and who knew as members of Con-
gress now know. some of the tricks in
Legislation. Their ingenuity was put
to work, and when one of the appro-
prlition bills vert through Congress.
amid the noise arnd confusion Of that
| body, it was found that an appropria-
ton had been tackled on donating to
Professor Morse a sum Of $40, 10000 to
construct Geographic wire between
| Washington and Baltimore.
! With this great burden lifted from
his heart, the Professor lost no time
IN accomplishing his purpose, and in
I very short while, the message dictated
by tie daughter of the inventor,
WHAT God hath wrought passed
| from Washington TO Baltimore. The
| t telegraph WAS proved success, and
! one Of tie greatest inventions and tri
umphs of science of the nineteenth
century, or Of the world from the ne
| ginning of time, was given to man
kind
The National Democratic conven
| ton, to nominate candidate for Pres.
| ident Of the United States, was in scs-
sion III Baltimore, and the telegraph
was ihaugnrated by message to the
Capitol that James X. Polk of Ten
| nessee. had received the nomination.
As Polk was dark horse, and no one
having a suspicion that he would be
chosen, the news was not credited,
but after several questions and res
ponses had passed over the wire,
doubts were etfectually dispelled, aud
Morse stood, among the statesmen who
had laughed at his invention. upon a
pinnacle of fame, where his name will
be bright and glorious long after those
of his doubling compatriots will have
been forgotten and lost in the oblivion
of passing ages.
The case of Professor Morse is an
example of the condition of most great
inventors, and had not some slick
friend worked his appropriation
through the Congress, he would have
been compelled to sell or dispose Of
his wcaderful invention, and die in
poverty whilst some Other name would
receive the honor that is now justly
hactAral
his memory.
When Professor Morse first COM
menced teiegraphlc work, the instrn-
ments were large and bulky in COM
parison to those now in use. Messa-
ges We're stamped upon a roll of white
paper about one inch in diameter. AS
the paper was unrolled, the letters
were Indicated by certain number of
dots and dashes, which were read by
the operator. The operator could
thus receive messages during the night
whilst he was enjoying the sleep of
the innocent, and write them off in the
morning after he had taken his coffee,
or cocktail.
But this was found to be too slow
process. The strip of paper has been
discontinued. and the ear must catch
the messages as they fly with light
ming speed.
What further Improvement will be
made on this instrument, time only
will develop.
Bnt none will ever cause the aston
ishment and admiration of mankind
as did the first message of Professor
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