Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1902-09-05

C1ROS W. FIELD
prime Mover in the Building of the Trans
Atlantic Cable)
any distance" That might mean
around the entire earth. That was a
wonderful claim for that period, 1S45.
One of the most remarkable things
set forth in that pamphlet is the state
ment that Morse at one time contem-
plated using twenty-six wires for the
transmission of thought. He says:
During the period of thirteen years
many plans have been devised by the
inventor to bring the telegraphic al
phabet to its simplest form. The plan
of using the common letters of the
alphabet, twenty-siX in number, with
twenty-six wires, one wire to each let
ter, has received it's due share of his time
and thought. Other modes of using
the common letters of the alphabet
with a. single wire have also been I'M
der his consideration. Plans of using
two, three, four, five and six wires to
one registering machine, have, in their
turn. received proportionate study
and elaboration. But these and many
other plans, after much care and many
experiments have been discarded, he
being satisfied that they do not pos
sess the essential element, simplicity,
which belongs to his original first
thought, and the one which he has
adopted
The inventor then gives illustra-
tions of his proposed methods of
transmitting the alphabet with two,
three, four, five or six pens operat-
ing together or in succession.
1.-The average inventor is a crank
who don't last long," said the phil
osopher:- But the telegraph grew
gradually in Morse's brain for q
period of 10 years. With that idea
uppermost in all of his waking
thoughts during that period he must
have been unhappy indeed, for he
was obliged to keep his secrets to
himself. If he had talked with any
body capable of comprehending him
he would have given away his rights.
If often happens that an inventor
will be able to discern almost all of
his plan, but it rests with some one
else to discover and apply the one
little missing principle which is
necessary to success"
What was said of electricity in
that pamphlet might as well be said
to-day: The effects produced by the
galvanic fluid upon the metallic
bodies, its decomposing effects upon
liquids, it's effects upon the animal
system, are generally well known.
But of the character of the fluid it.
self, it's own essence or substance,
we know nothing" That is true to-
day. We know nothing more than
we did then, although the fluid is
used commercially all over the
world, and for multifarious purposes.
After brief treatise on galvanism
the pamphlet proceeds: I'VE will
now describe the battery used for
telegraphic purposes; the same in
principle, but in arrangement more
complicated, than those in common
use. Two distinct acids are EN-.
ployed; two metals and two vessels
Then follows minute description OF
the invention, illustrated very nice
ly (for that age) with wood cuts
showing every form of appliance
used, from the "glass tumbler of or
binary size," to the diagram show,
ing how both stations could trans.
NIT at the same time, with one bat
| terry for both"
In 1S45 the inventor did not mag
inc that the human ear would be
sensitive enough to distinguish be
tween the dots and dashes in the
| Geographic signal code, for the
| pamphlet gives careful attention tc
| a description of the pencils, pens
and inks used for making impress
/ sions upon paper, all of which meth
| DDS were a discard. He concludes
with praise OF the last patented
point: 'sIt produces an impression
upon the paper, not to be mistaken.
1t is clean, and the points making
the impression being of the hardest
steel, do not wear, and renders the
writing apparatus always ready for
USE"
But very soon after that young
men everywhere, and nowadays
young ladies also, take messages "by
sound" thereby rendering the il
vention many many times more val
liable for rapis work.
It seems stra-A-e to look at this
venerable pamphlet and recall the
fact that the success OF electric
telegraphy was ever in doubt
SMITH D. EESx.