The Hickman courier. [volume] (Hickman, Ky.) 1859-current, 1911-01-12


SEEEHEEERESEEEGGEEEEEI9EIEg
An American artist, coming home
in 1882 after a successful career as
painter and sculptor in Europe,
amused his fellow passengers during
the voyage by explaining to them a
queer theory he was working out The
artist was Samuel b. +. Morse, a New
Englander. who had been graduated
from Yale at Is and had. like Robert
Fulton. gone TO England to study art
under Benjamin West In his spare
moments he dabbled. for recreation.
In electrical experiments. On the
home-bound ship he had met a DR..
Jackson. who had interested him still
further In this subject. The theory
with which Morse entertained the 9TH
or passengers was as follows:
II has been proved that an cleo
trical current will pass instantaneous
ly along a wire of any length. II this
current is interrupted at any point a
spark will appear. Why not let such
a spark or succession of sparks repre-
sent some part of speech--a letter,
number or other sound-symbol?
The passengers laughed at the odd
notion and most OF them soon forgot
IT, But Morse was so captivated by
the idea that he threw over his artls-
tic career and set to work at once on
the electrical invention which he
called 'the electromagnetic tele-
graph" He sacrificed his means Of
livelihood by doing this. For four
years he worked in poverty and want.
and at the end Of that time his inven-
ton was complete.
Then he petitioned congress for an
appropriation in order that he might
put up an experimental line from Bal
timore to Washington. The request
e was refuse d
Long struggle Then he went to
Win congress England and tried
to patent his invention. He failed.
Nor would other European countries
assist him. Every one seemed TO
look on the telegraph as a useless.
impracticable fantasy.
Back 20 America came Morse. and
once more went TO Washington, whore
he moved heaven and earth TO get
congress to appropriate $4,000 for
the telegraph His efforts seemed in
vain. and on the last evening congress
was in session In 1s43 he went to his
lodgings heartbroken and without
hope. This was the lowest ebb OF his
fortune. Without prospects. penni-
less. more than so years old, his in
vention everywhere rejected, he
seemed to be one Of the centu-y's
most abject failures.
Early next morning a young girl
called to see him. She was the
daughter Of the commissioner OF pat
ents, and she brought the discouraged
inventor glorious news. At midnight.
almost on the minute OF adjournment,
congress had voted Morse the $4,000
appropriation.
The work of building the line from
Washington TO Baltimore was begun
at once. In a year II was complete.
In May. 1874. the first message was
sent II was dictated by the girl who
had brought Morse. news OF the APP
preparation, and II read: What hath
God wrought" Now that the scheme
was so triumphant a success II was
at once adopted all over the world.
But DR.. Jackson. who had talked over
the subject with Morse on shipboard
so many years before. now brought
suit claiming credit for all the latter
had accomplished. The suit unlike
so many in which progress makers
have been engaged) was decided in
Morse's favor. Henceforth his way
was smooth. European countries raised |
for him testimonial OF $4,000, and |
wealth and honors poured in from all |
sides.
Now that II was found easy TO tele-
graph across limitless stretches of
land. the next step was TO attempt \
the laying Of telegraph wires under
water. It was found that by insulat-
ing these wires a cable could be laid
under the English channel from Eng
land TO France. Then came the idea
OF the Atlantic cable That also orig
mated with Morse. But here began a
new series of setbacks and disap-
pointments that dragged on for many
years. Two large steamers twice
tried 10 stretch a cable across the At
lantic. and both times the cable
broke.
Cyrus w. Field, who was the chief
promoter OF the scheme, would not
give up, even in the face OF these re-
peated disappointments. Through his
An A,,,,,,o efforts third
c..I. cable was at
time was carried safely across the
ocean. Electric communication was
established. A monster ovation was
planned in Fields honor. But on the
very day II was to occur the cable
again collapsed. For seven years
nothing more was done. The project
was abandoned az useless. Yet Field
did not despair. At last, in 1860. the
hrst permanent and practicable line
was laid.
But to Morse above all others praise
Tor telegraphy is due. He made no
original electrical diecoverfaa In