The record-union., 1894-06-08
WONDERS OF THE TELEGRAPH.
Half a Century Since Morse Sent His
First Message.
Story of the Inventors Struggles
Laughed at and Ridiculed by
Congress

By strange coincidence it will happen
that the fittieth anniversary of the send
ing of the first telegraphic message will
occur on a day when the University
Building on Washington Square will be
undergoing process of demolition. 1t
was in this old gray-stone building that
s. L. B. Morse made his first denonstra-
ton of the possibilities ofhis system. The
building is now being torn down and
Thursday next will end the first half Gen.
tury OF the telegrapl's existence.
The first telegraphic message was sent
from Washington to Baltimore, at s. 10
A. NJ, on May "A, 1874. The text of the
message was suggested to Morse by Miss
Annie q. Ellsworth, the daughter of a
friend, and consisted of the simple line,
"What hath God wrought" ?" 1t was the
elimination of long years of struggle.
Morse had originally intend III To pur-
sue an art career, and after his graduation
from Yale College, plunged into his
chosen vocation heart and soul. be
went TO England, became protege of
BENJAMIN West, and achieved great sue
cess. His picture OF 1.-The Dying Her
cules" successfully competed with the
paintings Of Turner, Lawrence, North
cote and Wilkie in a gallery of a thou
sand. Ii was mentioned as being among
the nine best.
Morse also attempted an even more am
bilious work, entitled "The Judgment of
Jupiter in the Case of Apollo, Marpessa
and Idas - He brought it to America
and placed it OH exhibition, but il never
brought him any great prominence. Then
he painted portraits for living, married
and lived more or less Bohemian eX-
istence for several years. He also founded
the National Academy of Design, and
acted as it's President for a number of
years.
Before he was 40 years of age his wife
died aud he went to Europe. He made
an extended tour and then returned To
America on the packet ship Sully, COM
manded by Captain Pell. 1t was while
discussing electricity with the passengers
that the system OF dots and dashes was
conceived. Morse, however, proposed to
obtain hts signals by means OF flashes,
whose duration was TO determine the ma
ture of the signal. The recording in
strument was Il development of the first
idea.
Morse on landing was very poor and
underwent a series of hardShips. Then
he obtained profesSorship in the New
y ork University and lived in the build
ing for many years. During this time he
made the acquaintance of Alfred Vail and
Professor l.. ID. Gale, and with their as
sistance succeeded in perfecting his sys-
tenn. a number of distinguished citi-
Zens met in the Geological Cabinet of the
university on january IA, 1898, TO witness
a demonstration OF the telegraph. Much
wonderment WAS expressed at its mystify
ing conduct, and one gentleman invited
the universe to .urn round, the subtlety
of the remark causing much merriment.
,n1 fr~,-
an appropriation, but he met with rebuifi5
and ridicule at every turn. For five
years he persisted aud in 1888 John z.
kennedy of Maryland proposed TO appro-
pirate $4,000 to test the merits of the
scheme. After great opposition the bill
passed the House and Went to the Senate.
Here the bill was buried out OF sight and
apparently without hope of being acted
upon.
The last evening OF the session Morse,
disheartened, prepared to return to New
York. He had one friend at court, how
ever. Henry l.. Ellsworth, then United
States Commissioner of Patents, and an
old college chum of the inventor, worked
all through the evening, lobbying for the
biils passage, By the most active work
Ellsworth succeeded in getting it passed
five minutes before adjournment.
1t was given to MIR. Ellsworth's daugh-
ter, Annie q. Ellsworth, to convey the
welcome news to Morse. She met him at
his hotel the next morning before break
fast. In his delight he promised her that
she should indite the first message. A
year later this promise was carried out.
A small room in the east front of the
Capitol was fitted up and No. Ii cotton
covered wire was stretched on poles from
there to the Mount Clare depot in Balti-
more. Morse presided at the Washington
end, while Alfred Vail took charge at the
Baltimore terminal.
At the appointed time Miss Ellsworth
handed Morse the message: "What hath
God wrought?" aud it was sent speeding
to Baltimore, from where it was repeated
back to Washington. The message was
claimed by Governor Seymour of Con-
cate was given him. The original mes
sage remained in Miss Ellsworth's pos
session.
The telegraph did not receive any great
recognition until the war of the rebellion.
II was opened for public business on
April !, 1915, and the first days receipts
amounted to one cent. An ofiice-seeker
wanted 10 send communication TO Balti-
more, but claimed to have nothing less
than a twenty-doilar bill, except one
cent. 1t was against the rules to send Il
message free, and he was given one
cents worth OF telegraphy by being al
lowed to ask Baltimore the time OF day.
There are now 2,000,0U0 miles of tele-
graph wires in the world, beside 10000
miles of submarine cables. Yet experts
in the future will be even greater and
more farr reaching than eyer.-Worid.
OITTRAGE NEAR FOTS0M