Author: Various
Title: A Collection of Material, Related to Samuel Morse and the Telegraph
Description: 72057593498894297, Various, 1850. Softcover. Seven pamphlets, published between 1842 and 1872, related to artist, co-developer of the Morse Code, and co-inventor of the single-wire telegraph system Samuel Morse (1791 - 1872) and the telegraph. - Morse, Samuel; et al Electro-magnetic Telegraphs. Report No. 17 [To Accompany Bill H. R. No. 641]. December 30, 1842. S. l. [Washington, DC]: s. n. 1842. First edition; 9 1/2 x 6 1/2; pp. 13, unopened; light age-toning; two punctures for filing to left margin; a small nick to head of spine; small, contemporary, manuscript note to first page; illustrated with a wood-engraved diagram of "the alphabet for Morse's electro-magnetic telegraph;" very good condition.Printed for the 3rd Session of the 27th Congress of the House of Representatives, the pamphlet contains a letter to Samuel Morse, complimenting him on his invention, by scientist, first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution, and inventor of electromagnets Joseph Henry (1797 - 1878), a letter by Morse, describing the history of his electro-magnetic telegraph, two reports from the Committee on Commerce and the Committee of Arts and Sciences of the American Institute, etc.- United States Department of Treasury Electro-magnetic telegraph. Communication from the Secretary of the Treasury, Transmitting the Report of Professor Morse, Announcing the Completion of the Electro-magnetic Telegraph between the Cities of Washington and Baltimore. Doc. No. 270, June 6, 1844. S. l. [Washington, DC]: Blair & Rives, Printers, 1844. First edition; 9 x 6; pp. 3; deckled fore-edge; age-toning to margins; a few spots of foxing; very good- condition.Published for the 1st Session of the 28th Congress of the House of Representatives Treasury Department, the pamphlet presents a report by Samuel Morse on the experiment and successful completion of establishing a "system of electro-magnetic telegraphs between Washington and Baltimore. Also included is an estimation of the cost for his American telegraph, compared to the cost of the English one.- United States Department of Treasury Magnetic Telegraph. Letter from the Secretary of the Treasury, Transmitting a Letter from Professor Morse, Relative to the Magnetic Telegraph. Doc. No. 24, December 23, 1844. Read, and Laid Upon the Table. S. l. [Washington, DC]: Blair & Rives, Printers, 1844. First edition; 9 x 6; pp. 18, partially opened; spots of foxing, mostly to margins; a few nicks and wrinkles to edges; two punctures for filing to left margin; illustrated with an wood-engraved diagram and tables; very good- condition.The pamphlet contains a letter by Morse to Chairman of Committee on Commerce Isaac Holmes, describing new developments, surrounding his electro-magnetic telegraph, as well as various experiments conducted.- Vail, Alfred Description of the American Electro Magnetic Telegraph: Now in Operation between the Cities of Washington and Baltimore. Washington, DC: Printed by J. & G. S. Gideon, 1845. First edition; 9 x 5 3/4; pp. 24, lacking back wrap, else complete; front beige wrap with an elaborate engraved border; small loss of paper to lower corner and a penciled-in note to front wrap; illustrated with 14 large wood engravings; two punctures for filing to left margin; good to very good condition.Alfred Vail (1807 - 1859) was the co-inventor, together with Samuel Morse, of the telegraph. He was, in fact, the recipient of the first message transmitted in Morse Code - "What hath God wrought?" - sent by Samuel himself. He would be responsible for several innovations and improvements to the system, expanding Morse's numeric code to include letters and special characters. The booklet described in detail the components of the telegraph, its principle, "specimen of the telegraphic language," what would become the standard version of the code, etc.- Houston, John House of Representatives. Legislative Telegraph, May 18, 1848. Laid upon the Table. Report No. 642. S. l. [Washington, DC]: s. n. 1848. First edition; 8 3/4 x 5 1/4; loose sheets, pp. 8; uniform age-toning with a few spots of foxing; discolored spot to upper half of sheets; some nicks and cuts to edges; good or better condition.The report discusses the inventions, by Francis H. Smith, Stephen Bowerman, and R. E. Monaghan, and possible applications of a machine for accelerating the taking of Yeas, Nays, and other votes in the House of Representatives.- Kendall, Amos Morse's Patent. Full Exposure of Dr. Chas. T. Jackson's Pretensions to the invention of the American Electro-magnetic Telegraph. Washington: Printed by Jno. T. Towers, 1852. First edition; 8 3/4 x 5 3/4; pp. 64; uniform age-toning to wraps; a small discoloration to upper corner; a few spots of foxing; very good condition.Amos Kendall (1789 - 1869) was a lawyer, journalist, politician, and business manager of Samuel Morse and Alfred Vail. His current rebuttal was prompted by Dr. Charles T. Jackson's (1805 - 1880) claim that he had discovered the telegraph before Morse and Vail. Jackson was a physician and scientist, notorious for his continuous claims of prior discoveries of major scientific inventions. Apart from the telegraph, Jackson had also started controversies over William Beaumont's digestive action of the stomach, William T. G. Morton's anesthetic effects of Ether, and others.- [Smith, Francis O. J.] History Getting Right on the Invention of the American Electro-Magnetic Telegraph. S. l.: s. n. n. d. (1872). First edition; 8 1/2 x 5 1/2; pp. 21; scattered, small spots; a manuscript note to title page; thin strip of paper loss to last leaf (not affecting text); very good condition.Concerning more drama, surrounding Morse's invention of the telegraph, the pamphlet was written on the occasion of the erection of the Morse Monument in Washington and contained articles and letters, claiming that scientist Joseph Henry rather than Morse had invented the system. The author, Francis Ormand Jonathan Smith (1806 - 1876), had been Morse's publicity agent, counsel, and quarter-interest partner, but eventually had had a falling out. Ill.: 0. 2.

Keywords: 0


See more books from our catalog: 0