Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-09-07

to quote the language of our esteemed
friend, William Brophy, chief olec-
triclan of Boston, Mass. !: A man or
body of men who oppose the advance
mont OF progress, by being parsimoni-
Gus in furnishing that which is neoes-
sary for the protection of their fellow
citizens, are not fit to be members of
the city government, or to hold q
position OF trust, no matter what it
may be. :"
In bordering over that first message
of Prof. Morse, "What hath God
wrought" wherein it seemed that the
ultimate fruition of all things electri-
cal had been comprehended, J. was led
to the conclusion that tho remarks
best fitted for this occasion, would be
those which would include a brief
resume of the various electrical fields
as we know them today.
There may be those here whose per-
sonal acquaintance with Prof. Morse is
among tho choicest memories of their
existence. Honored and beloved, his
name is inseparably associated with
the telegraph. He it was who almost
eliminated time and distance by full
filling the prophecy: lie shall put a
girdle about tho earth. -
As you read tho Presidents message,
as you scan the news from the Philip
pines. or mediate the proceedings OF
the Czars Peace Convention, or the
partitioning of China-do you realize
that it was our own Morse who made
all this possible? Do you recall his
early striyings? Do you appreciate his
battle with the doubtful, the un
appreeiative? Visionary! Chimerical
How should an artist rise to such
grand conceptions, said they. And
thus against all sorts of obstacles, de-
MED help ny friends, wo find him pray
ing to Congress for assistance. Belief
in himself. 1t was this power of con.
viction that finally brought the desired
aid, and today history writes his name
upon the tablets of the age as one OF
the greatest benefactors of the world.
Prof. Morse's earliest teleeraEhic OK
| periments suggested the idea of the
| fire telegraph, to which | will make
| reference later.
Morse gave birth to new fold oil
| industry; the first electrical field. Its
SUCCESS gave rise to many organizations
| throughout the country operating and
| construction companies were formed,
and speedily the whole United States
became cobwebbed with the fruit ol
Morse's first planting. To-day millions
| of dollars are invested in the telegraph
and instead of segregated companies
making it necessary to transfer tele
grams, causing delay as in the earl.
days, we have now one or two grea
corporations whose lines stretch from
Maine to Mexico and from the Atlanti,
to the Pacific.
Since Then another vast electrical in
dustry mas arisen. Millions of capita
are invested, giving employment t.
many thousands, enabling the SCUM
of the human voice to be transmitte,
to almost illimitable distance. Wha
would the world be without the tele
phone? 1t is thus great cities ar
brought into real communication
business accelerated and augmented
the comfort and economy of domestl
life materially increased. To whom
tins due? How was it brought about
Let the early struggles of Prof. Be
make reply. An instructor of mutes
following his fathers footsteps,
conceived the idea of the transmissio
of the human voice.; and so, with n
, greater apparatus than cigar box fo
a transmitter, and so-called tue fc
the receiver, began the evolution whic
finally resolved itself into the telephon
as we know it now. Visionary an
! chimerical as it may then have al
peared, financially maintained by on
whose son had been taught by Bell
frame speech, the fight went on, an
, today, after financial vicissitudes thu
: at one time seemed likely to overwheli
, his supporter, Prof. BELL lives to sc
every telephone a monument to HI
,, genius, and inscribed thereupor
,, "Well done, good and faithfl
,, servant;'' and together patron an
i, inventor live to enjoy the usufrucr {
! their time of trial. May their veal
= yet he long upon this earth!
+ Not many years ago. out of the We'
/ there came young Lochinvar born
battle with the electrical Titans of th
: then known electrical world. Far
cast her first glow upon him as a
expert telegrapher whose copy rea
"par excellence" and who never kne
/ what il was to break; and the mant
! of genius rested upon him. No pen
!, up Utica confined his powers, and IL
i edison quad brought into the tel
graph field phantoms which still col
tinue to exist, piling up dividends #
the great company that controls then
q But he was not to rest here; but
!. little while and it was horalded ov
u all the country that new wizard hs
:. arisen 1.-THE Wizard OF Menlo Park.
n How many here recall those hea
:. lines AS they apparel in tho New Yol
y Herald on that memorable day.
d child was born, its name was electr
J. light. How many appreciate the tr
IS mendous struggle involved in that pr
| ha nf ma "a
II and money used TO bring about su
y cess. Again was heard the cry of 81
d sceptic; old scientific theories al
i theorists had been attacked, and fro
q out of their intrenchments came
o fu3ilade, soon, however, TO be silenc
J, by tho brilliancy of his achievement
Then, after very considerable fina
g cial pyrotechnical display, where
l. electric light stocks went slzyward, t
10 gas stock seemed bent on going
y Hales, it was suddenly discovered tn
3 these useful commercial factors, Ii
i tho telepone and the telegraph, we
q scientific twins, and most successf
70 when in each others company.
Then camo the monograph, rrovi
> itself thing Of great commerce
D. value, becoming daily more of nect
. sity and o delight, not only lendi
le comfort and aid, socially and col
10 mercially, but delighting the senses
reproducing the sweetest songs of t
best musical talent Of the age.
M What magnificent work for one ma
n, and glad are we that he is living
al see the fruits of his work and hear
praises acclaimed.
of We come now to the electric railwa
IN Hero an Edison, q Daft, a Vanderpo
n vie with one another to produce