THE ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH. 



intimate, during the hours from 10 A.M. to 5 p.ir. For instance : 

 there are transmitted daily, between the cities of New York and 

 Boston, between 500 and 600 messages, two-thirds if not three- 

 fourths of which are transmitted between the Lours above 

 named. .Some houses pay from 121. to 167. per month to the 

 telegraph. The amount paid by a commercial house is governed 

 by the excitement there is in the market of the particular article 

 they may be dealing in. If there are "ups and downs" in the 

 market, money is lavished upon the telegraph freely. 



The directors of the Morse New York lines, state that the annual 

 telegraph outlay of several houses amounts to 6007. 



It often happens that a party desires to " converse" with 

 another 400 or 500 miles off. An hour is appointed to meet in 

 the respective offices, and they converse through the operator. 

 Cases may be mentioned of steamboats being sold over the wires 

 the one party being in Pittsburg, the other in Cincinnati. 

 Each party wrote down what they had to say, higgled awhile, and 

 finally concluded the sale. Their correspondence was filed away, 

 like other messages, and kept for reference, if ever called in 

 question. It is often used by parties, when from home, corre- 

 sponding with their families. Sometimes it is the messenger of 

 woe; and anon, that of pleasure. In the early part of 1852, the 

 Astor House of New York, and the Burnet House of Cincinnati, 

 had a series of telegraphic parties. An account of one of them 

 was published in the "Cincinnati Gazette," the parties con- 

 versing being about 750 miles apart. 



256. The following example of the activity of journalism is given 

 by Mr. Jones, who was himself a telegraphic agent for the news- 

 papers: -"Some time back the Asia arrived at Quarantine, near 

 New York, about 8 P.M., was detained an hour by the health 

 officer. The agent of the New York Associated Press and of the 

 New Orleans Merchants' Exchange, Mr. Jones, to gain but a few 

 minutes, had a boat in readiness when the Asia brought to. A 

 small bag containing the latest news was handed over the steamer's 

 side, to the small boat. By great exertions sho gained New 

 York half an hour ahead of the Asia. The bag was opened a 

 copy of her news was handed to us, addressed to the Merchants' 

 Exchange, New Orleans, signed Jones to work we went. It was 

 being transmitted over the wires amid the thundering of the 

 Asia's cannon, as she rounded the point ; and a complete synopsis 

 of her commercial and political news was received in Louisville, 

 1100 miles in the interior, before the ship had actually reached 

 the^city." _ iine at Hc>v Tork state ^^ 



during the sittings of conventions, or elections, or the arrival of 

 90 



