Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-10-20
Pioneer of Telegraphy Sue
cumbs to Old Age and In
iuries at Long Branch.
UNDERWENT HARDSHIPS
TO LEARN NEW SCIENCE
Actively Engaged in Electrical
Communication for More
Than Half a Century.
-Ispeclal 10 the Newark star. ]

LONG BRANCH. Oct. 20.-Thomai
Thompson Eckert, former president o
the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, died today at West End, attel
an Hines of some duration. The body
viii be taken to the Eckert New 1orf
city home, in Fifth avenue.
General Eekert's death was due Il
shock caused by fracture of his thigh.
bone on September 2. He had since
been confined to his bed, senility max
ing recovery possible.
General Thomas Thompson Eclerl
was born at St. Clairsville, Belmonl
county, O., April %, 1877, and for sixty
years was actively engaged in the tele-
graph business. In the early fortles
when Morse was supplicating Congress
for the small appropriation of SSO,0Ol
with which to build an experimental
line. the official congressional proceed
ings in the pages of the National In
'telligeneer, a weekly publication, lei
in fhe hands of young Eckert, who be-
came imbued with the spirit and talked
about electric telegraph almost ineess-
.antly. He became a Morse disciple
and he %journeyed to Wheeling. where
the first telegraph office was opened.
He mounted the old stage at Wooster
with $50 in his clothes. He engaged as
a stage driver over the national pike.
his pay being free return passage, but
learned at Cumberland that although
the poles were erected the wires were
not strung, and that he must go on TO
Baltimore. Young Eckert found a
friend on the journey who had been
attracted by his skillful handling Of
the horses, n by his story. who Of
fered to pay his railroad fare to Bal
tinlore, which was accepted.
His struggle for Knowledge.
Young Eckert met with many re-
: bluffs, but he was in earnest over cleo
trio telegraph. and he continued his
/ tourney to New York. His baggage
consisted of a homely carpetbag made
Thy himself, he having learned the sad
dler's trade at Wooster. EclSert went
to the Aston House, where a telegraph
office was about to be opened, n
there for the first time he toasted his
eye upon the crude relay, key and reg
lister, which together must have
weighed forty pounds.
Upon Eckert's return to Wooster he
was a proud man. He became the
hero of the town, and long before j.
Fl. Wade had extended the telegraph
: line from Cleveland via Wooster to
Cincinnati. Eckert was ready to begin
the practical study over an actual
wire. The manager at Wooster In
1S49, when Eckert was appointed by
President Taylor postmaster at Woos-
ter, was S. Fl. Kaufman, who died a
few years ago in Washington, ID. c.,
and when Kaufman was transferred
to GAINESVILLE Eckert was appointed.
Enters Government Service.
When the war broke out Eckert was
suspected by his ~neighbors of disloy-
atty to the South, was arrested. re-
leased, at the risk of his life, came
North with his family. and was called
by Thomas A. SEQ to enter the gov
eminent telegraph service at Washing
ton, first as of the office
at McClellan's headquarters, and in
the early spring of 1862 as chief of
the war department telegraph staff
and superintendent of telegraph lines
in the Army of the Potomac. These
positions he held until after the close
of the war, receiving a commission
first as captain, then as major, next
as lieutenant-colonel. and on March
10. 1856, was made brigadier-general
for meritorious and distinguished serv-
ice. He was also appointed assistant
secretary of war. He resigned from
the government service April l., 1866,
to become general superintendent of
the Eastern division of the Western
Union Telegraph and Gable Company.
In 1876 he became president of the
Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Com
pany, and five years later president of
the American Union Telegraph Com
pany.
His Rise In western Union.
Both systems were consolidated into
the Western Union Telegraph Company
in 1881, when he went back to that
company as vice-president of the West
ern Union Company. In 1892. at the
death of DIR. Norvin Green, he became
president of the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. Ten years later he re-
tired from the presidency, retiring from
active management, when he vas made
chairman of the board of directors
which position he occupied at the time
of his death.
General Eckert was one of the closes
personal friends of President Lincoln
and was invited to the Ford Theatr,
box party thehnight the President wal
shot, but was kept away by Illness. H,
used to walk around Washington will
Lincoin's arm around his shoulder. FIJI.
summer residence at Long Branch
dates from the time he came here t,
supervise the moving of wounded Presi
dent Garfield, in 1881.
General Eckert had for years been G
summer resident, being one of the frs
~ re.nxra hnuutnr and tho Last 10 Iaoxt1 %,
New York. He filled the presidenc,
of the Monmouth County Horse Show
Association and for several years was ,
familiar figure. General Eckert was G
widower, his wife having died here c
few ear age. Two sons survive. The,
are Clendemin and Thomas T. Eek.
ert, jr.