Cayton's weekly. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1916-1921, 1918-04-27
CHAPTER XVI.
TIE World is No Longer Astonished at
Unexpected Triumphs

While the pioneer development or the rail-
road was in progress Samuel F.. B. Morse in
1882 conceived the idea of utilizing the force
of electricity on charged wire for the trans
mission Of messages, resulting in the inven-
ton Of the Electro Magnetic Telegraph.
The first telegraph wire Was strung be-
tween the cities of Washington and Balti-
more in 1914 and the first message was
transmitted on May 9th the same year.
One living i'll our time with his present
knowledge of the telegraph would naturally
conclude that the people then, who had never
known any method of communication except
tie oral messenger or written letter, would
have appreciated the value and Importance
of the telegraph and seized upon, and taken
immediate advantage of, it's method Of trans
hitting safely and quickly short business
messages and other communications
But the telegraph. like the steamboat and
railroad, had it's period Of doubt of ridicule
and Of skeptcism. This was true in a larger
sense when these inventions were made, than
would be the case now. These inventions
have now become great utilities. worldwide
in extent and national in Importance and
interest.
The world has now become fmiliar with
great inventions. It is no longer astonished
at unexpected triumphs. The seemingly i'm
possible has now become possible and in many
respects probable. The nation and the world
has greater knowledge now, and larger
experience than Formerly and is not so easily
surprised.
Capital tmdIy considered the telegraph
as an investment and was slow in discover
in" the great advantage the telegraph
brought to every phase of active life in all
the departments of the worlds progressive
movements: in conducting the operation Of
railroad trains and official orders in the
transmission of trade and commerce; in the
command of armies, both in peace and III
war, and in directing national and inter-
national affairs of state, and in every de-
mand for quick communication between man
and man.
Perhaps more surprising matter is that,
while the telegraph was strung on the line
of the railroad, neither the officials nor the
trainmen considered it Of sufficient rela-
blty to use in the movement Of trains, or
for transmitting orders to trains on the line.
1t was so used for the first time on Sep
TENDER -. 1851, trihe more than seven
years after sending the first message in May
1913
The Superintendent on the Erie Railroad
was on train that stopped at a station
where it was expected to meet an express
train coming the opposite direction The
express did not arrive. The Superintendent
sent telegram to the next station asking
II the train had arrived at that station. On
receiving reply that it had not he sent
another telegram ordering the train to be
held until further orders; and then gave
instructions to the conductor Of the train
on which he was travelling to run to the
next station. The engineer upon receiving
the instructions from the conductor refused
to move his train with remarks to the effect
that he would take no such chances. The
superintendent could not persuade him under
any circumstances to start the train. The
running OF one train against the time of
another by telegraph had never been known.
1t was foolhardy. The final result was that
the superintendent ordered the engineer off
the engine and ran it himself; and when