150 th anniversary of Morse

[David Farber <farber () central cis upenn edu>]

May 24, 1994


                    TELEGRAPH WIRES
                  By Lee F. McKenzie




      Today marks the 150th anniversary of Samuel Morse's first
telegraph message.  In 1844, that message was sent 40 miles between
Washington D.C. and Baltimore.  The message Morse sent was, "What God
Hath Wrought."  These simple words reflected the inventor's own humble
awe at a miracle.  Suddenly, the pioneers of America had a fast way of
hearing from home.  Loved ones no longer seemed so far away.  Business
decisions that once took weeks now took a couple of days or less.