First transcontinental telegraph facts for kids
The first transcontinental telegraph was a super important communication line finished on October 24, 1861. It linked the telegraph system in the eastern United States with a smaller one in California. This connection went from Omaha, Nebraska, to Carson City, Nevada, passing through Salt Lake City.
This telegraph line was a huge step forward in technology and for the United States. Before it, news from the east to the west could take months. For example, in 1841, it took 110 days for people in Los Angeles to hear that President William Henry Harrison had died! The telegraph changed everything, making communication almost instant.
Why Was It Needed?
Telegraph systems became very popular in the 1840s. Samuel Morse showed off his first experimental line in 1844. It connected Washington, D.C. and Baltimore. Soon, most eastern states had telegraph lines. California also quickly built its own network because of the gold rush boom.
California joined the United States in 1850. It was the first state on the Pacific coast. People wanted to connect California better with the rest of the country. They tried different ways like sea routes, mail services like the Pony Express, and passenger coaches.
Throughout the 1850s, people in Congress suggested building a telegraph line to California. In 1860, the U.S. Post Office was allowed to spend $40,000 each year to build and keep up an overland line. California's government also agreed to pay $6,000 a year for the project.
Building the Line
The company Western Union built the first transcontinental telegraph. Hiram Sibley and Ezra Cornell had created Western Union in 1856. They combined many smaller telegraph companies in the eastern U.S.
Another big step was when the U.S. Congress passed the Telegraph Act in 1860. This law allowed the government to ask companies to bid on building the line between Missouri and California. It also set rules for the telegraph service.
In the end, Hiram Sibley was the only one who bid for the project. Other companies joined him later to help. The plan was to build the line from two directions, just like the First Transcontinental Railroad.
The Pacific Telegraph Company built west from Nebraska. The Overland Telegraph Company built east from Nevada, connecting to California's system. James Gamble led the western crew. Edward Creighton was in charge of the eastern crew.
Creighton's team put up their first pole on July 4, 1861. By the time the project finished in October 1861, they had planted 27,500 poles. These poles held about 2,000 miles of iron wire. The land they crossed was often very difficult.
When the line was done, California's Chief Justice Stephen Field sent one of the first messages to President Abraham Lincoln. He used the message to tell the president that California supported the Union. This construction happened during the American Civil War. The whole project cost about half a million dollars.
How It Worked
Keeping the telegraph line working was a big challenge. Many things caused problems:
- Bad weather like lightning, strong winds, and heavy snow damaged the poles and wires.
- Sometimes, bison would rub against the poles, knocking down sections of the line.
- The system had to be rerouted through Chicago. This was to stop Confederate soldiers from cutting the line in Missouri. They wanted to disrupt communication for the Union army.
- Later, some Native American groups also cut the line further west. This was part of their conflicts with the Army.
Even with these problems, the First Transcontinental Telegraph was a huge financial success. In its first week, it cost about $1 per word. The Telegraph Act of 1860 had suggested 30 cents, but people were willing to pay more for instant news!
The telegraph line quickly made the Pony Express useless. The Pony Express officially stopped working just two days after the telegraph was completed. The overland telegraph line was used until 1869. Then, a new, multi-line telegraph was built alongside the First Transcontinental Railroad route.
