The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-08-07
Scene OF M0RSE'S
FIRST NOTABLE SUCCESS
Place to Be Used for Trolley
Repair and Car
Barns.
IN M0RRIST0WN, N. ].
David Durham and First
Ocean Steamship-Notes
of Local Interest.
IN MORRISTOWN, N. J.

The machine shop where Prof Sam
uel r. B. Morse worked out his idea
OF the electromagnetic telegraph and
gave the first exhibition Of the lnstru-
ment is now the property Of the Nor
ris County Tr action Company in Nor
Iristown, N. j., and will be used for
car barns and repair shops. The build
ing formed part Of the Speedwell Iron
Works and was built by Judge steph-
er Vail in 1912. 1t Is now dllapidated
Until Judge Vail died In 1854 it was
occupied. Here was turned out the
boiler used on the steamship Savan-
nah, which was the first vessel of its
kind to cross the Atlantic Oceon.
While Prof. Morse was working on
his invention, says yesterdays New
York Sun, he came to the Speedwell
Iron Works to have some machinery
made. He also intended to paint a
portrait Of Judge Vairs family. The
works were in charge of Alfred Vail,
a son of the Judge.
Prof. Morse explained to young Vail
what he desired made, and the latter
interested in the idea, offered to assist
in constructing the machinery The Of
fer was accepted and young Vail sub
mitted the proposition to his father,
who furnished funds for Morse to con-
ct his experiments.
The machine was completed January
IN, 1888, and placed on exhibition in
the foundry. Mrs John H .Lidgerwood,
a granddaughter Of Alfred Vail. recalls
her grandfather's story Of how the in
strument was placed in the factory.
'My grandfather has told me fire.
quently that the machine was placed
upon the first floor" said Mrs. Lidger-
wood, land about three miles of copper
WIRE insulated by being wound around
with cotton yarn, was coiled around
the walls of the second story. There
are still some of the hooks in the side
walls, and some of the original wire I
have in my possession"
Prof. Morse, as Is we'll known, was
son Of Jedediah, the first publisher of
a geography and atlas, who is buried
in the family lot in Grove Street Gem
etery, this city, in that unique quarter
where are inferred the remains of Gen.
David Humphreys, Prof, Benjamin Sill
Imam, Noah Webster, Eli Whitney and
Lyman Beecher. These ali lie buried
within a space of two hundred feet.
Concerning David Durham, who is
referred to of late in the mention of
the first steamship used in ocean SER
vice, sketch Is appended. A portrait
Of David Durham hangs on the walls
Of the New Haven Colony Historical
Society rooms. Following Is an account
of Durham In the book published by
the .ew Haven Colony Historical so
ciety entitled Collections of the New
Haven Colony Historical Society"
| David Dunhamfl wealthy commits
sion merchant of New York city, was
the original promoter of tie New York,
New Orleans Steamship service. Max
ing Havana, Cuba, an intermediate
port, Durham associated himself with
Cadwallder Golden, the friend and BIZ
ographed of Robert Fulton, Henry
Eekford the most prominent builder
of marine engines, and others who
were interested In establishing the New
York, New Haven service with the
teeamboat Fulton They built the
"obert Fulton" vessel of $50 tons
burden, entirely Of oak, locust, ce-
dar and Georgia pine, copper fasten-
ed, and equipped with a crosshead en-
CINE, two copper boilers and two fun
nels The Robert Fulton" was the
first steam vessel in the world that
was built for ocean service. She left
New York on her first trip April 20,
1880 and ran for three years When
she was sold to the Brazilian govern
ment for a gun boat. AS steam boat
| the Robert Fulton" was a success
covering the entire 2,225 miles be-
tween New York and New Orleans in
ten days, average time for three
years., but as a financial venture she
did not come UP to the expectations of
her promoters, although at times she
carried upwards of $50 passengers on
trip. At the death of David Dun
ham she passed into the hands of
others.
David Dunham's granddaughter
was the famous singer Nine. Cora de
Welhorst, born in New York city in
October, 1885, whose maiden name