The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1902-11-30

Tho first telegraph line in the United
States was completed in 1874. between Bal
timore and Washington. by the inventor.
Samuel Morse.
Several years later this line was extended
to St. Louis. and the first messenger en-
ployed was Films.
The l.,e was called the Morse. and the
office was located on Olive between Main
and Second streets.
The building Is still standing.
In front was a life-size statue Of Benia-
min Franklin. the discoverer of electricity.
holding a wire in his hand.
At that time the only other line, the
O'Reiley. which extended west. had its Of
fee in the same block.
Instead of the Franklin figure 1t had for
a sign a huge American eagle holding a
wire in its beak.
Soon after these lines we're built. wires
were strung by. the Shaffner and Beach
Company, from ST. Louis to Boonville. and
from st. Louis to New Orleans.
Then three other companies were organ
lied and built lines east. These were called
the Cation. Speed and Wade lines respec-
lively.
These men, with the aid Of Eastern CAPT.
tai. finally organized the Western Union
Company.
1t was with the utmost difficulty that
telegraphy got a firm footing in the West.
iShtiAlS LIE employ OF the lMOrS0
company in 1850. at the age of IL, when
st. Louis had a population of little over
10000.
The first message he carried was an ac-
count OF the inauguration Of President Fill
more.
Then there was no Associated Press, and
the local newspapers depended on the tele-
? graph companies for fresh news from the
outside world.
1t was customary when there was any
great event In the East for the operator in
the town where the thing occurred to send
an account to all the other offices.
Il was sent OUT" says Pickering, with
my first message to sell 1t to the newspaper
that made the highest bid. I finally
knocked it down to the Missouri Republican
for $50"
The Missouri Republican was established
In lsos. and Is now called the st. Louis Re-
public.
Most Of our commercial business then
was done with New Orleans, and ] remem.
Der that $1.75 was charged for the first ten
words between st. Louis and that city.
TO Boonville and Springfield the charge
was 10 cents, Cincinnati 81, and to Alton
10 cents.
The companies depended a great deal
upon subscriptions from the public for their
support. and 1t was a hard struggle at that.
Upon receiving a message. say for New
Orleans to a local merchant, the operator
Wouiu SSHO II out Dy the messenger.
IF 1t was more than three days in
transit the merchant was not bound to paw
for 1t. but II the Information contained in II
was still valuable to him, he paid the regu.
lar rate, If he desired.
w had great difficulty in keeping the
wires In repair. The operator and his
messenger often were compelled to go ont
along the line and do this work. Back of
the old Republican building, near our of.
flee, was the livery of Jesse Arnot. where
We usually secured our rigs.
sometimes We would be gone three or
four days. having many thrilling adven-
lures.
The wires were not strung on poles in
the country, though in passing through
towns We generally managed to plant
enough stout saplings for the purpose.
The brackets were about the size Of a
police box. such as you see on the corners
In st. Louis now. They were built like little
houses.
These were nailed to trees, or whatever
nature happened to provide along the
course. and the wires attached.
Il assisted in building the Shanner line
south. and shall never forget the hard labor
of keeping 1t in repair.
The people of that section had expert
enced g number Of droughts. and blamed #
all on the telegraph lines.
II do not know why. unless 1t was a bit
OF superstition.
But the fact remains that they cut the
wires. and otherwise tempered with them.
Then, too. the farmers wives had an an
moving habit of utilizing our wires for wash
lines. often causing ground circuits.
The ignorance Of the country folk In
those days regarding the telegraph was
almost Incredible.
AN amusing incident occurred when I
was a messenger for the Morse Company.
Dozens of families passed through the
city every day en- route from Eastern
Stntes to settle on western prairies.
1.-The usual outfit consisted of a prairie
schooner containing the household effects,
with extra farm stock and family pets
hitched to the tail board and hind axle.
Zone day one of these wagons stopped in
front OF our office. and the head Of the
family entered.
"Howdy, fr.end,' said he to the opera
tor. I'm from Indiana and I'm goin' to be
here until ter-morrer mornin'. I ben
thinkin' ever se1ce ] left hum that I was
2 dern fool to leave Of Tige to hum when
we started out. because he was the best
dorg I ever seen.
"T wouldn't a took ten dollars fur 'im,
but he jest got LETT in the excitement Of
leavin' hum. What I want ter ask yer is
kin yer git oil Tige here by mornin' by thai
pesky telegraph line O. yourn?'
Tho operator was quite a wag and de-
cided to have a little fun with the man.
What kind Of a dog is he? asked the
operator.
"rWal. he's a yaller dorg, with one eye
and a good bit Of his tail missin', but yer
can't miss i'm IL yer jest ask around hum
for i'm"
here for you by morning. asked the opera |
" Tn E1ss yer 81. b'gosh, and be much
erbliged ter We. besides
THE farmer went back to his wagon and