Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2011 09:46:15 -0400
From: "Michael Walsh" <MJW at press.jhu.edu>
To: "WSFA members" <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>
Subject: [WSFA] Re: A Transcontinental Telegraph, Hurrah!
Reply-To: WSFA members <WSFAlist at KeithLynch.net>

> "Keith F. Lynch" <kfl at KeithLynch.net> 10/24/2011 8:15
>PM >>>
>October 24, 1861, 150 years ago today, the first transcontinental
>telegraph line was completed.
>
>The first message sent over this predecessor of the Internet was:
>
>TO ABRAHAM LINCOLN, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED
>STATES:
>IN THE TEMPORARY ABSENSE OF THE GOVERNOR OF
>THE STATE I AM REQUESTED
>TO SEND YOU THE FIRST MESSAGE WHICH WILL BE
>TRANSMITTED OVER THE WIRES
>OF THE TELEGRAPH LINE WHICH CONNECTS THE
>PACIFIC WITH THE ATLANTIC
>STATES.  THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA DESIRE TO
>CONGRATULATE YOU UPON THE
>COMPLETION OF THE GREAT WORK.  THEY BELIEVE
>THAT IT WILL BE THE MEANS
>OF STRENGTHENING THE ATTACHMENT WHICH BINDS
>BOTH THE EAST AND THE
>WEST TO THE UNION, AND THEY DESIRE IN THIS--THE
>FIRST MESSAGE ACROSS
>THE CONTINENT--TO EXPRESS THEIR LOYALTY TO THE
>UNION AND THEIR
>DETERMINATION TO STAND BY ITS GOVERNMENT ON
>THIS ITS DAY OF TRIAL.
>THEY REGARD THAT GOVERNMENT WITH AFFECTION
>AND WILL ADHERE TO IT UNDER
>ALL FORTUNES.
>STEPHEN J. FIELD
>CHIEF JUSTICE OF CALIFORNIA

 .... followed by an advertisement for a drug to enlarge his hat ....

mjw