New-York tribune., 1911-11-29
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENTS.

1t is not so long ago that an observant
writer on quite another subject made this
remark: when there arises demand
for something which shall play vital
part in our national development science
Is pretty sure to meet it. Even nature
must yield when the human race centres
its brain force with white-hot energy upon
a certain point OF attack When man
had outerown the means OF locomotion at
his disposal tho inventors of the steam
engine and steamship were at hand. When
the world needed steel for the rails of its
railroads John Kelley. in Johnstown. Penn,
and SIR Henry Bessemer, in England were
almost simultaneously engaged in model
ling a converter; and when a swifter mode
Of communication was needed between
great commercial centres Morse was able
20 make the mysterious fluid which Frank
lin had captured from the clouds the mes
senSer boy OF commerce which was few
years later TO develop into the mighty gi-
ant that carries voices from shore TO
shore and signals across the seas.
Tho dramatic. almost sensational devel-
opmen, Of the telegraph industry is
bounded by less than seventy years-most
Of Il by the last thirty years. To construct
the vast system Of lines which has made
It's present wonderful efficiency and ser
vice possible not only the brains and genius
Of science have been utilized in search Of
the idea and its perfection, but billions Of
dollars have been expended in construc-
ton and every year millions are spent in
maintenance. Every day and night thou
sands Of men ere its guardians without
rest. and faithfully transmit the messages
~ tho world To quote from tho last ad-
dress OF President Mckinley. delivered at
tho Buffalo Exposition: At the begin
r;nc of tho nineteenth century there was
not 4 mile Of steam railroad on the globe
Vow there arc enough miles 10 make the
circuit many times There VAS not line
of electric telegraph: now NC have vast
mileage traversinc all lands and all seas.
'C;od and man have linked the nations to.
>cther
Tho story Of the invention Of tel'sranhN
4, tor vcll known 10 need rctcllng here.
Fut tho great organizers. the mon Who
have spent their money and their livos
freely in making IT, q useful and reliable
.orvsrt Of commerce and iudus;-.. are
often forgotten. Neither must il ho fo--
yotter that the most remarkable tclo-
,-srbi, demonstrations NJ modern time
,.,ord. which had never becn eoualled or
.,r-oaoho5 u,ro made over the svsto,n
IL. t..,,,,,,o. 90 ,,o Postal TELEGRAPH
,or,rsr,. and tl,o Commercial, cable COM
pany
For the beginning or tho great Postal
Telegraph system Of to-da, it is necessary
IN 20 hack IA tho late John w Mackay.
u.boso discovery and development or tho
.ar,or, Porarza mines. with their stores
.o,s and -r,or o,,trivauior tho sub
.,-..,.a, tre,,uro- or All Psra and tho
ro,,, Thieves was ono or the most TO
,,sn,ic incidents in history. # is neces-
.,,-,. .leo n 90 hack to the Western Union
.relo~~scb ,o,rrarv. which was formed. in
Tho 6avs vhon West meant any region
west of puffslo and Pittsburgh. by the
sn.l~smstiou Of several small companies
I'm tho Middle Ucr5 BY 1853 it had alb
sorted ra-tically all the telegraph lines
north Of tho Ohio River and west Of the
Mississippi Other mergers followed until
i'm 1851. tho Western Union. under the lead
ership Of LAY Gould acquired control OF
All tho commercial telegraph lines in the
United states and Canada and became a
complete MONOPOLY.
With. the euaile, roup7oies that had
been formed rracticall, snufIed out. be-
,.,,se oc the Nf5cultiee encountered in
,,,,r,e,,rco rate VARS and tho fact that
railroad and o,bor available routes we're
mostly occpnied and right Of vav hard
10 Obtain. the Western Union felt secure