Evening journal., 1912-09-05
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Story Of the TeIeGraph'S
Beginning
BY Holland.

Il was my good fortune TO spend
an evening in the winter of 1884 with
Dr. Norvin Green, who was the suc-
cessor of william Orton, the first
president of the perfected Western
Union Telegraph Company.
DR.. Green differed greatly from
his predecessor. Mr. Orton. in per-
sonal characteristics. Orton was
somewhat autocratic, a man of chilly
demeanor and Of quick temper. Dr.
Green was the most democratic Of
men Of sunny temperament, very
fond Of humorous anecdotes and an
extremely good story teller himself
mot until became intimately as
ISOLATED with the Western Union
Company did l learn the real story
Of Alfred Vail, and OF the part WHICH
he bore in bringing to perfection
Morses magnetic telegraph" said
DR.. Green. What strange tricks
fate plays! That has often been my
thought as l have recalled the curl
Gus chance which brought Alfred
Vail and Professor Morse together.
Morse held a professorship in the
University of New York. The build
ing Of that university faced Washing
ton square, The university granted
to Professor Morse the use of one or
two garret rooms for the purpose of
working upon what he called his
electric telegraph.
ALFRED Vail as a boy entered his
fathers iron works at Speedwell, New
Jersey But year or two after he
reached manhood he made up his
mind to become a minister. He,
therefore, after some preliminary
study, presented himself for examin-
alton for admittance 10 the Univer-
say of New York. After he had fin
ished his college course he expected
to study for the ministry.
vail. as a part of his course, took
up he branch which Professor Morse
taught. There they we're in the uni
versJty lecture room, Morse, the quiet
studying under him, neither of them
realizing how intimately and vitally
they would be ASSOCIATED in the per-
fecting Of the telegraph.
"One day in the course of his lee
lures, Professor Morse spoke OF the
apparatus upon which he was at
work in the upper room of the uni
versity building. After the lecture
young Vail remained and timidly ap-
preached the professor, for he had
certain questions TO ask about the
electric telegraph
There must of been something in
the young students manner which
attracted Professor Morse's attention.
AT all events, 'the professor invited
the student TO go with him to the
laboratory on the upper floor of the
building.
within an hour after young Vail
entered that laboratory he was a
changed man. He became absolutely
infatuated with the work Professor
Morse was doing. He forgot all
about entering the ministry And
he so greatly impressed Professor
Morse that tie professor asked the
young man II he would be willing to
join him in the work
"The rest is history. It was young
Vail who invented the sysrem of dots
and dashes. now known as the Morse
alphabet: but he was never willing
to take credit TO himself for this in
vention AS ASSISTANT superintendent
he also greatly assisted PROFESSOR
Morse In the construction of the first
Telegraph line between Baltimore
and Washington. And he was the
financial partner of the new under
taking. 7 went this morning to look
( eit the Morse instrument which re-
oeived the first message. What hath
God wrought believe It was Vail
himself who received that message;
he either received it or sent it-there
is some dispute about .sthat.
$50 l often say 70 myself, What
would have been the history of the
electric telegraph if Alfred Vail had
not decided to study for the ministry
and If Professor Morse had not been
a teacher at the University Of New
York. Of one Of whose classes young
Vail became member? We should
undoubtedly have got the electric
telegraph, but the history of the in.
vention and utilization of that appa.
ratus would have been entirely diff
ferent"
Alfred Vail was the father Of Theo
dore Vail who is to-day Americai
telephone and telegraph King"
| Copyright, 1912, by f. J, Edwards
All rights reserved)
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