Author Pages

Sunday, June 30, 2024

Telegraph Service in 1800s United States by Zina Abbott


Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message.

Although there were optical forms of telegraphy used starting in the late 1700s, the first use of of telegraphy, as we know it today, began in the mid-19th century.

Early Cooke and Wheatstone double-needle railway

Telegraphy was first taken up in Britain in the form of the Cooke and Wheatstone telegraph, which
used five magnetic needles that could be pointed around a panel of letters and numbers by using an electric current. Initially, it was used primarily to aid railway signaling. A different system, developed in the United States by Samuel Morse, soon followed.

Samuel Morse was born in Massachusetts and educated at Yale University. After learning about electromagnetism during a voyage from Europe to the United States, he later learned more from American physicist, Joseph Henry. He collaborated with Gale and Vail, Morse to produce a single-circuit telegraph that worked by pushing the operator key down to complete the electric circuit of the battery. This action sent the electric signal across a wire to a receiver at the other end. All the system needed was a key, a battery, wire, and a receiver.

Samuel Morse also developed a code for universal telegraphy communication.

Western Union became the giant in telegraph communication. In the following is a timeline of telegraph development, although a few other telegraph companies are mentioned, much of it follows the progress made by Western Union.

A Morse key c. 1900

1843 – Morse and Vail received funding from the U.S. Congress to set up and test their telegraph system between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, Maryland.

1844 – On May 24, 1844, Morse sent Vail the historic first message: “What hath God wrought!” From there, aided by continuing innovations, the telegraph system spread across America and the world.

1851 – Western Union was initially founded as the New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York. The company changed its name to the Western Union Telegraph Company in 1856 after merging with several other telegraph companies.


1856 – The Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company in Rochester, New York. The company changed its name to the Western Union Telegraph Company after merging with several other telegraph companies.

1857 – Western Union participated in the 'Treaty of Six Nations', an attempt by six of the largest telegraph firms to create a system of regional telegraphy monopolies with a shared network of main lines.


1865 – Morse Code was adopted internationally.      

1860 – Western Union expanded through purchasing smaller companies until its lines ranged from the Mississippi River to the Ohio River.

 

Distributing poles for First Transcontinental Telegraph

1861 – Western Union had completed the first transcontinental telegraph line, which connected the Union from the West Coast to the East Coast. The first telegram was sent to President Abraham Lincoln. This provided rapid communication during the Civil War. Western Union had laid enough wire to become the first international telegraph company.

1866 – Western Union moved its headquarters from Rochester to New York City. It introduced stock tickers as a method to speed New York Stock Exchange quotes to brokerage firms.

Also in 1866, Western Union acquired the American Telegraph Company & the United States Telegraph Company, its two main competitors. For a time, this gave the company a virtual monopoly over the American telegraphy industry.

1867 – While pursuing its goal of connecting North America to Europe by Telegraph, Western Union also sponsored an expedition to survey a route across Russian-owned Alaska and Siberia. As a result of their negotiating for land rights with the Russian government, Western Union helped broker the sale of Alaska to the United States on March 30, 1867.

1870 – Since prior to 1870 time was not yet standardized across the country, Western Union developed its own time service.

1871 - Starting in February, Western Union’s network grew exponentially, allowing customers to send money between New York, Chicago and Boston using the Western Union money transfer services.

1874 – Thomas Edison developed the Quadruplex system, which allowed for four messages to be transmitted simultaneously using the same wire.


 

1877 – The nation's tallest building was built by Western Union. It had a time ball at the top, which dropped at noon on a signal telegraphed from the United States Naval Observatory.

1879 – Western Union briefly dabbled in the telephone field when it attempted to launch a rival telephony system before settling a patent lawsuit with Bell. After it lost a legal battle with Bell Telephone in 1879, it ceased pursuing telephone technology and concentrated solely on telegraphy.

1881 – Financier Jay Gould orchestrated a merger of the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company with Western Union. By doing so, he ended up with a controlling share of the merged company.

1883 – Overall, the public considered Western Union to oversee the most reliable regulation of time. In 1883, the official start of Standard Railway Time was signaled from the descent of the Western Union time ball.

1884 – Western Union gradually absorbed more than 500 telegraph companies throughout the nation, growing so much by 1884 that it was included in the original 11 stocks tracked in the first Dow-Jones Average. When the Dow Jones Railroad Average stock market index for the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) was created in 1884, Western Union was one of the original eleven companies to be included.

1893 telegram about astronomical event

1900 –a Western Union operated a million miles of telegraph lines and two international undersea cables.

 


In my recent book, Jocelyn’s Wedding Dilemma, one chapter in particular involves numerous exchanges of telegrams. This book is available for sale in ebook and paperback, plus it is also available at no additional cost with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICKHERE


 

 


In next book, just barely announced, is Wyatt’s New Bride, is now on pre-order and will be released on September 26, 2024. To find the book description and purchase options, please CLICK HERE


 

 

 

Sources:

https://www.zippia.com/western-union-careers-11543/history/#

https://www.history.com/topics/inventions/telegraph

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Union

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telegraphy

 


Wednesday, June 26, 2024

Tale of a Mule's Tail

                      

   In military terms a Shavetail usually refers to a Second Lieutenant who is not very experienced in Army matters.  

   The saying came from the practice in the army of shaving the tails of newly broken pack mules to distinguish them from seasoned ones. Good to know an animal's ability when you were singling one out from the herd. 

Bell Sharps is another grading system, 
and another whole fashion statement!
 As the mules were trained and passed muster for performing various duties, their achievements were noted by again altering their tails. When needed, the soldier knew which animal to chose for which specific task. 
  One bell was a pack mule, two bells was pack and ride, three meant he'd pack, ride, and drive.
In this image, it appears the one on the left is training the one on the right as to the proper etiquette of driving. 
Bell Sharps is not to be confused with Bellwether, 
               literally a whole different animal. 


 Originally, the bellwether goat would be the one to lead the other animals back to the barn at night. Today, a bellwether is a person who actively leads or establishes a trend that is taken up by others. 
   The word is formed by a combination of the Middle English words belle (meaning “bell”) and wether (a noun that refers to a male sheep or goat who has been castrated).This usage first appeared in English in the 15th century and has remained in the language ever since. 



 My Bellwether, Cowboy. 
                  This big boy was rescued from a petting zoo.
                                       Miss you sweetie.

Western Romance: Break Heart Canyon * Undercover Outlaw * Cowboys, Cattle and Cutthroats * A Cowboy’s Fate * Special Delivery. 
Contemporary Romantic Thriller: Fatal Recall
Medieval Romance: The Dragon and The Rose * Iron Heart                                 *Promise Me Christmas. 
Victorian Romance: Lady Gallant * Victorian Dream 
Fantasy: The Fae Warriors Trilogy: Solace * Bliss * Portence 

Saturday, June 22, 2024

Spark of Independence

Independence Day Celebration occurs yearly on the fourth of July. AMERICANS dress in red, white, and blue to celebrate their Independence with family and friends, and many attend community events. Where I live In Skagit County, there is a yearly Fireworks exhibition on the third of July in Big Lake, Washington. Spectators surround the lake to enjoy the free fireworks, and many homeowners set off their fireworks as well.
On the fourth of July, hundreds gather in Sedro Woolley to watch The Loggers Parade, the longest-running parade in Washington State history.
Following the parade, checking out the carvings, and choosing your favorite participants to win is fun! These Carvers are fantastic!
The Loggers Rodeois a mile down the street, and lots of fun to watch and root for the participants! At River Park, you can enjoy a fun filled afternoon or evening with your children or grandchildren at the yearly carnival! Food vendors are found all around town; the restaurants are open to feed the masses. Grilled onion burgers are my favorite! These are some of the local events happening in my community surrounding Independence Day. My new release on July 1st is ‘Spark of Independence’ and features some of these events.
Blurb: Spark of Independence Another nail-biting romance from Ruthie L. Manier. Community volunteers Elvis McCain and Bree Johnson are thrust together when chaos erupts in a small Arkansas town during Fourth of July celebrations. A series of explosions interrupt holiday festivities. Elvis fights the flames, and Bree cares for the injured. Amidst their heroic responses, attraction draws the two together. While exploring the ramifications of their budding relationship, danger stalks the couple at every turn. Threats follow them to the cowboy’s sprawling ranch, where Bree discovers an ex-lover ravaged the cowboy’s heart. When bullets start flying, Bree realizes the safest place is within the firefighter’s arms. Can their desires survive amidst such tangled madness? This twisting and turning tale will keep you guessing.
This story is the fifth one in my Celebrations Collection. You can expect more in this collection of holiday stories before the end of the year! I know you will enjoy all of these reads! I hope ‘Spark of Independence will get you in the mood to celebrate Americas Fourth of July with family, friends and the community you live in. Spark of Independence is available to pre-order. Amazon.com/dp/B0D6Z8GRD6 See you in a month🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

Thursday, June 20, 2024

Jesse James

 


 Jesse James, born in 1847 in Missouri, became one of the most infamous outlaws of the American West. Raised amidst the tumult of the Civil War, Jesse was influenced by the violence and the chaos of the era. Joining Confederate guerillas at a young age, he honed his skills as a marksman and strategist, setting the stage for his later career,as an outlaw. After the war, James struggled to adapt to civilian life, feeling disillusioned by the Reconstruction policies and economic hardships facing former Confederate soldiers.

Forming the notorious James-Younger Gang alongside his brother Frank and other Confederate veterans, Jesse embarked on a spree of bank robberies, train heists, and stagecoach holdups across the Midwest. The gang's daring exploits and ability to evade capture made them legendary figures in American folklore. Despite their criminal activities, they were often romanticized as rebels fighting against perceived oppression and corruption. However, their actions also brought suffering to innocent civilians and law enforcement officers, leaving a trail of death and destruction in their walk.

Jesse James's notoriety reached its peak with the infamous Northfield raid in 1876,where a botched bank robbery led to the deaths of two gang members and the capture of several others. Jesse narrowly escaped capture, but the incident marked a turning point in his criminal career. Eventually, betrayal from within his own ranks led to his demise. On April 3, 1882, Jesse was assassinated by Robert Ford, a member of his gang, in a controversial act that shocked the nation. Despite his death, Jesse James's legend lived on, immortalized in dime novels, ballads, and movies, leaving a complex and enduring legacy in American history.

 

Sandra

https://www.amazon.com/Sandra-Cox/e/B002BM3AKC