A new history of the United StatesThe greater republic, embracing the growth and achievements of our country from the earliest days of discovery and settlement to the present eventful year .. . withtheir plea for an appro-priation. Ezra Cornell,founder of Cornell Uni-versity, gave assistance,and, finally, in the very closing days of the session of Congress in 1844, an ap-propriation of 130,000 was made to defray the expenses of a line between Bal-timore and Washington. The invention, like most others of an important nature, was subjected tomerciless ridicule. A wag hung a pair of muddy boots o
A new history of the United StatesThe greater republic, embracing the growth and achievements of our country from the earliest days of discovery and settlement to the present eventful year .. . withtheir plea for an appro-priation. Ezra Cornell,founder of Cornell Uni-versity, gave assistance,and, finally, in the very closing days of the session of Congress in 1844, an ap-propriation of 130,000 was made to defray the expenses of a line between Bal-timore and Washington. The invention, like most others of an important nature, was subjected tomerciless ridicule. A wag hung a pair of muddy boots out of a window inWashington, with a placard announcing that they belonged to a man who had justarrived by telegraph ; another 2)laced a package on the wires, and called to hisfriends to see it whisked away by lightning; while many opposed the apparentexi)erimenting with the electric fluid, which they believed would work all sortsof mischief Nevertheless, the patient toilers kept at work, often stopped byaccident, and in the face of all manner of opposition. The first line was laidunderground, and, as has been shown, carried the news of Polks nominationfor the ]iresidency to THE SPEEDWELL IRON WOKKS, MOHEISTOWN, N. J. Here was forged tlie shaft for the Savannah, the first steamship which crossed theAtlantic. Here was inaiuifactiireil the tires, axles and cranlis of the first Americanlocomotive. Shop in which Vail and Baxter constructed the first telegraph appa-ratus, invented by Morse, for exhibition before Congress. THE FIRST TELEGRAM. 237 Professor Morse was in Wasluiigtoii, and the first message was dictated byAnnie Ellsworth, March 28, 1844, and received by Alfred Vail, forty miles awayin Baltimore. It consisted of the words, What hath God wrought ? and thetelegram is now in the possession of the Connecticut Historical Society. It maybe said that since then the earth has been girdled by telegraph lines, numbersof wiiich pass under the ocean, uniting all nations
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