Evening star., 1926-05-02
Morse, Telegraph Inventor, World
: BenefactOr, Was Born 135 YearsAg0
Creates ntrme of Proeres

| rollers, moved by a wooden crank and
| carried forward by points projecting
from the bottom of the rule down.
ward into the carpet binding; lever.
with small weight on the upper side.
and tooth projecting downward at
one end, operated on by the type. and
metallic fork. also projecting down
ward over two mercury cups: and a
short circuit of wire embracing the
helices Of the electro magnet con-
nected with the positive and negative
poles of the battery and terminating
in the mercury cups"
Morse kept this first crude instru-
ment and ii Is now to be seen with
subsequent Geographic improvements
In the interesting Morse case in the
old National Museum at Washington.
FOLLOWING close on the heels of
this instrument. the following
year came the invention OF the relay
the most wonderful Of all his work.
1t was a discovery OF a method by
which the current. which had become
lessened through the distance from it's
source. could be renewed the register
ing magnet. local circuit, the repeater,
are the various names by which 1t is
known.
Undoubtedly, Morse is indebted for
some OF his ideas to Prof. Joseph
Henry, who in 1886 had strung up
wires along the college ground at
Princeton from the upper story OF the
library building to the Philosophical
Hall. through which he sent signals.
which were distinguished by the num-
Der of taps on an electromagnetic bell,
but in unfortunate disputes after the
telegraph had been publicly acclaimed,
Morse denied receiving any assistance
from Henry. However his son, Ed
ward Lind Morse. in a recent account
Of his fathers life, writes:
"At this late day. when the mists
which enveloped the questions have
rolled away, 1t seems but simple JUS
tice to admit that the wonderful dis
coveries OF Henry were essential to
the successful working over long dis
tances OF Morse's discoveries and IN
ventions; just as the discoveries and
inventions of earlier and cotempo-
rary scientist were essential to
Henry's improvements. But it Is also
lust to place emphasis on the fact
that Henry's experiments were purely
scientific. He never attempted to put
them in concrete form for the use OF
mankind in general; they led up to the
telegraph: they were not a practical
telegraph in themselves. 1t was Morse
who added the final link in the long
chain, and. by combining the discov-
cries Of others with those which he
had himself made, gave TO the world
this wonderful new agent"
The two other men who helped to
make the telegraph a reality were
Prof Leonard D. Gale. who assisted
Morse in his experiments. and Alfred
Vail, son Of Judge Stephen Vail of
Morristown, N j., who helped
out financially and co-operated with
Morse in every way possible. In 1887
he was present at the exhibition of
Morse's telegraph and instantly II
came to him that this invention was
to make itself felt in the world. With
out losing any time. he asked to be
associated with Morse in perfecting
and exploiting the telegraph. and after
gaining the permission OF his father.
who was the proprietor of the speed
we'll Iron Works, in Morristown, he
entered an agreement with Morse that
same year. BY way Of payment for
Wallis money and services. Morse gave
him a onefourth interest in the inven-
ton in this country, and one-half in
what might be made in Europe.
Norse's son tells the interesting
little story connected with Alfred
Wallis father and the telegraph. II
seems that Judge Vail, who was fur-
nishing the finances for this project,
sneered and laughed at by his friends
and neighbors for his ridiculous inter-
est in the telegraph, lost faith and was
on the verge of withdrawing his sup
port. when one day in 1898 Morse and
his son invited him to their workshop.
Hurrying in. he handed slip of paper
to his son, on which he had written:
"A patient waiter is no loser. lie
said. IF you can send this and Mr..
Morse can read it at the other end,
shall be convinced The message
was ticked off. and when Morse
handed him the duplicate of his mes
sage he was overjoyed and wanted to
go to Washington Immediately and
urge Congress to establish Govern
ment line. However, the instrument
was not yet in condition for public
exhibition, and it was to be a long
time before our lawmakers were to
open their eyes to this marvel.
On January 6. 1898, Morse first OPP
Grated his telegraph successfully over
IL wire three miles long in the pres.
ence Of group of personal friends at
Morristown. n. j. During the follow
ing month he made a similar eXhibi
ton before the faculty of the New
York University. Then he took the
apparatus to Philadelphia and dis
played it at the Franklin Institute