Who sent the first transcontinental telegraph message?
The first momentary communication was established between Washington, D.C. and San Francisco on the 24th of October, 1861. The workers of the Western Union Telegraph Company link the eastern and western telegraph networks of the nation at Salt Lake City, Utah. The first telegram in history was sent from Stephen J. Field, chief justice of California to President Abraham Lincoln. The message was a sort of a proof of the loyalty of the western states to the Union, as the country was at the Civil War. Actually, nobody expected the Western Union to complete the telegraph line that early. But they successfully coped with the task and the message was delivered!
More Info:
history.com
What are your thoughts on this subject?
19 Comments
Richard D. Boyle
Transcontinental means coast to coast. Lincoln was the recipient, not the sender, and the sender was not in Baltimore or St Louis or Utah. He was in California and it was Stephen J. Field, Chief Justice of California. Pay attention to the question. Don’t answer a question that was not asked. None of the other messages sent by telegram were transcontinental. Bill Coe had it exactly right and so did Tommy Hutchinson. As with everything, measure twice and cut once.
Julie Allen
Same day so I guess we'll never know - On the 24th of October, 1861 the Western Union completed construction of the first transcontinental telegraph line, which travelled between Missouri and California. Its first high speed message was sent to President Lincoln from Horace W. Carpentier, president of the Overland Telegraph Co., one of Western Union's subcontractors. The message read 'I announce to you that the telegraph to California has this day been completed. May it be a bond of perpetuity between the states of the Atlantic and those of the Pacific.'
Ronald Schertz
Wrong...he sent one of the first, but not the first
Rob Farr
A good trivia question ...
mkrash
Supprizing so few got it correct
Bill Coe
I see no problem with the question or the answer. Stephen J. Field, chief justice of California, sent the first transcontinental telegram to President Abraham Lincoln, predicting that the new communication link would help ensure the loyalty of the western states to the Union during the Civil War. http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/western-union-completes-the-first-transcontinental-telegraph-line
Carmine-James Pitaniello
Carpentier's wire only went to Brigham Young in Salt Lake City.
Field's went from Sacremento to DC.
AN FRANCISCO, CAL., OCTOBER 24, 1861
TO HON. BRIGHAM YOUNG, GREAT SALT LAKE CITY:
THAT WHICH WAS SO LONG A HOPE IS NOW A REALITY. THE TRANSCONTINENTAL TELEGRAPH IS COMPLETE. I CONGRATULATE YOU UPON THE AUSPICIOUS EVENT. MAY IT PROVE A BOND OF PERPETUAL UNION AND FRIENDSHIP BETWEEN THE PEOPLE OF UTAH AND THE PEOPLE OF CALIFORNIA.
H. W. CARPENTIER
http://www.telegraph-history.org/transcontinental-telegraph/
Raphael Bruckner
That evening, the first messages were sent to President Abraham Lincoln. The message from Horace W. Carpentier, president of the Overland Telegraph Co., read: "I announce to you that the telegraph to California has this day been completed
Bewley Steve
Wrong answer for a badly worded question.
George Ordonez
actually this thing is wrong it was abraham lincoln who really actulaly sent the first transcontinental telegraph message people
Jeff Lupetin
Lucky miss
Jim Johnson
yes
Jim Johnson
Actually, the first message was sent by Horace W Carpentier to President Abraham Lincoln.
Joni Powell
That evening, the first messages were sent to President Abraham Lincoln. The message from Horace W. Carpentier, president of the Overland Telegraph Co., read: "I announce to you that the telegraph to California has this day been completed.Dec 30, 2015
Empara Samuda
Great invention .