Category Archives: Telegraph
Birth of The Optical Telegraph
Today in 1791, at 11 A.M., the Chappe brothers sent the message “si vous réussissez, vous serez bientôt couverts de gloire” (if you succeed, you will soon bask in glory) between Brulon and Parce, a distance of ten miles, over their … Continue reading
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The Telegraph Request for Proposal
Today in 1837, The U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution requesting the Treasury Secretary, Levi Woodbury, to report to the House at its next session, “upon the propriety of establishing a system of telegraphs for the United States.” Richard John in Network … Continue reading
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The Earth Shrunk in the 19th Century
“A critical fact in the world of 1801 was that nothing moved faster than the speed of a horse. No human being, no manufactured item, no bushel of wheat … no letter, no information, no idea, order, or instruction of … Continue reading
“This is Our Last Cry Before Our Eternal Silence”
“CALLING all. This is our last cry before our eternal silence.” Surprisingly this message, which flashed over the airwaves in the dots and dashes of Morse code on January 31st 1997, was not a desperate transmission by a radio operator … Continue reading
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The Eighth Wonder of the World Completed
Today in 1866, the Atlantic Cable was successfully completed. The first working cable, completed in 1858, failed within a few weeks. Before it did, however, it prompted the biggest parade New York had ever seen and accolades that described the … Continue reading
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Hot News Becomes Cold in a Nanosecond in the Modern World
Today in 1846, the first telegraph link was established between New York City and Boston. From the AP Archives: “In the spring of 1846, Moses Yale Beach (1800-68), publisher of The New York Sun, establishes a pony express to deliver … Continue reading
The Richard John Interview: The Politics of Network Evolution
The Politics of Network Evolution: An Interview with Richard John Richard John is Professor at the Graduate School of Journalism, Columbia University, and a historian of communications networks in the United States. His most recent book, Network Nation, won the … Continue reading
Posted in Interviews, Network Effect, News, Post Office, Social Impact, Social Networks, Telegraph, Telephone
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“What Has God Wrought?”: A Love Story
Today in 1844, Samuel Morse sent the the message “What Has God Wrought” to officially open the first telegraph line, between Washington, D.C. and Baltimore, launching an industry and ending a rocky journey that began with the 1837 resolution by … Continue reading
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ITU Established
Today in 1865, the first International Telegraph Convention was signed in Paris by the 20 founding members, and the International Telegraph Union (ITU) was established to facilitate subsequent amendments to this initial agreement.
InfoStory Meetings: Morse and Daguerre
Today in 1839, Samuel F. B. Morse and Louis-Jacques-Mande Daguerre met in Daguerre’s studio, in Paris, France.
The Story of Information 