 Cavalcade of America the DuPont company maker of better things for better living through chemistry presents Raymond Massey in wire to the West on Cavalcade of America and here is Raymond Massey. Good evening tonight the DuPont company brings Cavalcade of America back for its 15th year on the air. I've been here many times before in many roles and on this opening night I'm here in a new character, Hiram Sibley a man whose work has touched the lives of every man and woman in America and here's the story. It's Washington DC back in the middle of the last century. Mr. Hiram Sibley of Rochester, New York enters the sleepy little telegraph office. Anyone here? Hello? Hello? I mean I hear you the first time. I want to send this telegram to Rochester. Oh Rochester. Got it read out? Of course. Rochester is pretty expensive. You'd save yourself a lot of money if you send it to New York. Even Boston would be cheaper. Will you please send this to Rochester? All right if you like. I was just advising you. I've seen now October 4, 1849 Mrs. Elizabeth Sibley your wife. Yeah but why? Just curious. Mrs. Elizabeth Sibley business successfully concluded. Leave Washington today. Arrive home Tuesday. Kiss the children. Love, Hiram. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirty. Kissing the children is going to cost you actually. Fees a dollar and seventy-five cents for ten words. Twenty-five cents a word thereafter. Still want to kiss them? Of course. That'll be two dollars and fifty cents. There you are. When will it arrive? Now sir that is a mighty good question. A mighty fine one. When will it arrive? Now let's see if we can figure that out. From Washington here, New York, well that'll be quick. That's our own line. So let's say it'll get New York about oh eight night. That means it'll start upstate New York tomorrow morning. Why not tonight? Oh it came to our line from New York to Albany. No no that's another line. That means it has to be took over to the other company by messenger. And messengers they quit at seven. Starts upstate tomorrow morning, gets to Albany, then switch to another line. Maybe it'll be on its way to Buffalo by evening. But why Buffalo? I want this sent to Rochester. Yes but we just been informed that we ain't on talking terms with the company that's got a line into Rochester. We send to Buffalo. And there it would probably be put in the mail. The stagecoach takes a day from Buffalo to Rochester. Oh better say too. Well? Well I'd say it's got a pretty fair chance of arriving in Rochester early Wednesday morning. But I'll be there myself on Tuesday. Yeah sure you will. Well won't that be nice. Your wife won't have to bother going down to the telegraph office to get the message. You can pick it up yourself. One hundred years ago the infant telegraph industry teetered on the brink of chaos over 50 different lines large and small were operating along the eastern seaboard of the country. A few even reaching timidly westward towards the Mississippi. But it was progress without pattern. Messengers more often than not failed to get through rates were raised and lowered without reason without warning. And that was a bear a hundred years ago. I tell you I am it's a tremendous opportunity you just got to come in with the building on a telegraph line. Judge Selden seems to me the country is overstocked with telegraph lines already and they're all of them bad. Oh it's simply sit down please go right ahead with your talk how far the coffee well I am can I count you in. I don't see a judge you don't know seems like a ridiculous venture at least at this time right after morse and then the telegraph every Johnny and his cousin Mary began building telegraph lines result is that the country is suffering from a bad case of telegraph it is I am the country's growing and the telegraph will grow with it maybe maybe so maybe when the men who run the telegraph industry begin to get some idea what the public expects what it won't maybe then it will amount to something well I must say I'm disappointed in your reaction higher that's the way I feel about it judge things stand now I want no part of the telegraph and I suppose there's no use taking up more of your time I'll be getting on but you will stay and have some coffee sorry afraid not necessarily late past my bedtime no hard feelings judge of course not won't change your mind no well good night good night judge good night I'm surprised with me that judge is usually so sound in his business judgment this while skiing telegraph I don't see it I think I'll sit and read in the pile effort bit Elizabeth if you see that book I was reading the federalist papers I put it on your desk in the study is it an interesting book very interesting the arguments of Hamilton Madison and some of the other great statesman of the time for the need of a strong national government you wouldn't think they had to fight for the Constitution I give for it but they had to they had to show that the country would never get anywhere as long as the state kept apart each rival in the other they show that the only way the country could survive was with a strong central authority seems to me Hiram that that's just what the telegraph companies need well isn't that right you mean some central authority or something to bring them together so they can serve the people efficiently so they can give the country what it needs those responsible dependable cheap way of sending messages across the country yeah yeah well I'm going up to bed good night good night let's put it this way judge I changed my mind you astonish me Hiram why you seem so set in your views when we spoke together last week the only things I know of it never changed their minds and mad dogs and politicians I'm neither I'm a businessman I'll come in with you judge but with one reservation and that simply this the main objective of our business will not be just to build another telegraph line to the Mississippi our goal will be to gather all of the telegraph lines in our territory under a single vigorous enterprise one that will serve the public first last and always on that basis I'll come in on that basis Hiram it's a deal on September 6th 1850 Hiram Sibley judge Samuel Selden and a group of other prominent Rochester businessmen formed the New York and Mississippi Valley printing telegraph company as soon as all the details were set Hiram Sibley battered old traveling bag in hand began to wander along the highways and byways of the back country of the Middle West he began to lay the groundwork of his dream hello there Blacksmith I say hello I am are you Mr. Kittleheim well my name is Hiram Sibley I'm very glad to meet you show got a horse to show well bring your credit no I said I was glad to meet you now try to be any come here and find out this fellow on pretty hot weather isn't it Mr. Kittleheim no ain't gonna vote for that fellow gonna vote straight wig ticket we'll be walking something Mr. Yes ma'am my name is Hiram Sibley I've been told that your husband owns some stock in the Cleveland and Cincinnati telegraph companies that right wish it was what you're saying to me he ain't said nothing yet well and I'll get back to work no no wait I I'd like to talk to you about the stock do you have it here part of it part of it had a mighty fine engraving a Jackson on it we got it framed inside pretty picture you've got the stock frame no just the picture cut it out and fixed it real nice but where's the rest of the certificate let me see now oh sure enough it's patched over the leak we had in the kitchen mighty strong paper hold out the water real good I know what she's saying he ain't doing any saying Paul I'm doing all the saying so far well get to it get to it Mrs. Kittleheim I'd like to buy the stock you're fooling no I'm not I'll give you $20 for it Paul he said I heard him ain't you deep to hear a fool offering good cash for a water patch let me go fetch the picture in the paper before this here's sucker squirms off the hook well there they are judge contracts with the Lake Erie Company the Cleveland Ohio Company the Ohio telegraph company I'm tired worn out you've done a fine job harm only only what well while you've been gone we've been working on the area in Michigan telegraph company as a Cornell's outfit oh yeah yeah any success very little oh we've managed to convince his two partners that consolidation would benefit both our lines but old asher is the original loan wolf he'll have no part of it and without the area in Michigan worse sunk their lines are the lines we need to really round out our sit that's right well I'll be on my way going home and nope I'm going to New York to beard alone wolf in his then young man is Mr. Ezra Cornell in he might be and then again he might not who shall I say wants to see him Mr. Hiram Sibley what what come again Mr. Hiram Sibley Mr. Hiram Sibley yes please announce me oh my oh my oh my oh my it's something wrong not yet but when I tell Mr. Cornell that you're out here I reckon everything's gonna go wrong you ain't got no weapons on you have you don't be ridiculous well all right but don't say I ain't warned you Mr. Hiram Sibley just well I tell that to Mr. Cornell our story wire to the west starring Raymond Massey will continue in just a moment you're listening to the cavalcade of America sponsored by the DuPont company maker of better things for better living through chemistry this is cavalcade 15th season on the air during that time we've brought you stories of yesterday and today of men and women who have added their share to the building of a strong and great nation and we brought you to stories about products of chemical science products represented by the familiar trademark the DuPont oval this trademark on any product is the symbol of the skill and integrity of the DuPont company it helps you to buy with confidence the DuPont oval trademark of the DuPont company is your assurance of better things for better living through chemistry it will link in the projected network of telegraph lines that will bind the country together and now Hiram Sibley I'll take the liberty of inviting you to get out of my office and wait for the opportunity you've given me to tell you what I think of you face to face you can call me a pirate Cornell a lion grabber a grip sack but an ear I don't care what you call me buying a telegraph stock as if it were corn or potato a fine way of doing business I paid spot cash for every bit of telegraph stock I bought and I've given a fair price for value received you're trying to suppress competition Cornell I'm an old Yankee I was nursed on competition I think it's a fine thing when the public profits from it by low prices and better service but that's not what is happening in the telegraph field but now let's calm down and see this thing sensible business with the area in Michigan is bad in it well it's bad yes and it's bad with our line too why because the people can't afford to use the telegraph rates are too high they're too high because cost they're double all along the line two offices for everyone we need two sets of lines to be repaired two of everything it doesn't make sense are you trying to set yourself up with some sort of public benefit simply no I'm just a businessman and so are you what's good for the public is good for business and you can turn that around what's good for business is good for the people now honestly you believe that too don't you Cornell I suppose you figured out the financial angle yes I have the figures here I'll leave them with you we'll get together simply we should have met before this I might have had a different idea about you quite possibly I'm staying at the commercial hotel let me know when you read the contract you will find them satisfactory maybe but one thing yeah one thing I want you to know right now this idea may be yours this arrangement yours but if I decide to agree which I don't say I will but if I do decide to agree the name of our company must be my choice well what is the name Cornell what I've had in mind for a long time Western Union Western Union I like it by 1860 the Western Union telegraph company gave the people the means of instantaneous communication from the Atlantic Ocean to the Mississippi River it was a going concern successful reliable prosperous that Hiram Sibley wasn't satisfied he had an idea another civic mr. Sibley you serious you want Western Union to build the telegraph line to California I'm deadly serious mr. Morris well that's a big project a very big project a little too big I should say mr. Sibley now do you expect to string a line 1500 miles across the wilderness across the land infested with Indians to drag poles out there where there isn't even a tree within hundreds of miles it won't work gentlemen do I take it that the rest of you are infected with the same timidity that seems to have overcome mr. man you won't come in with me on a line to the Pacific very well then if you won't join hands with me in this I'll go it alone higher yes judge I've always been with you believed in you and work with you but this isn't the place for personal feelings I think these gentlemen are right the project is much too tenuous for our company to undertake because if it fails the damage to our whole enterprise would be an all right now wait a minute I've got a compromise you go ahead and build the line I'll come in with you personally as well many of the others I'm sure use Western Union man use Western Union resources everything and anything you want when the line is finished we'll undertake to operate now what about that for the second time judge it's a deal in Washington Sibley's idea of a transcontinental telegraph line was warmly received by Congress on June 16th 1860 an act was passed to facilitate communication between the Atlantic and Pacific state by electric telegraph it was to be done in two years from the start of construction if it could be done at all in May of 1861 the line East from California was begun at Placerville July 4th 1861 the line West was begun from Fort Conning Nebraska reports on progress flew across the lines of Western Union to Hiram Sibley in Rochester you have it in full bill anything serious from Creighton superintendent of the line going into Salt Lake City listen contractor refused to deliver poles only five days supply left no chance to cut our own as country here is almost barren please advise what are you going to do we've beaten our way this far Indians haven't stopped us rivers haven't mountain deserts we've beaten them all and now a lumber contractor thinks he can stop us well he can't judge you will have to look after things here for a while I don't see what good that will do I don't either but I'm going west I'll get Creighton the poles he needs if I have to carry them from the Missouri to Salt Lake City on my back well I'm glad to see you Mr. Sibley but there was no real reason for you to come out here I've straightened things out then you're getting your poles straight oh yes I'm getting them just made the final arrangements of course they're costing us a lot more than we figure hold up more or less yes but I decided it was best to take what we could get you see the contractor happens to be well he's a rather close relative to the man who more or less does the driving out here Brigham young now I see yes I come excuse me I was told that I would find Mr. Edward Creighton here yes I'm creating I'm Brigham young Mr. Hiram Sibley Mr. Sibley are you dosing Mr. Creighton I'm told that one of my relatives entered into a contract with you to furnish poles the telegraph yes sir is it also true that the price agreed upon in this contract was subsequently raised that's right sir let me see those contracts please right here mr. Creighton hair up this contract the poles will be furnished by my relative in accordance with the terms of the original agreement with somebody please shut that door so we can hear us thanks folks have come from hundreds of miles around for this celebration Mr. Creighton they nobody gonna shut them up yes I suppose not mr. Sibley we're already right or age for Carney yes I seek you to for Carney for Carney yes we're in contact the line is through mr. Sibley the line is through instead of the two years limit set for the undertaking Hiram Sibley built the first transcontinental telegraph line in less than five months 132 days from the start of construction a picket fence of poles stretched from west to east clean across the continent and was ready to send the first message scutting across its singing wire judge field the operator's ready you dictate the message yes thank you to Abraham Lincoln president of the United States the people of California desire to congratulate you upon the completion of this 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 the government with affection will adhere to it under all fortunes even J. Field chief justice of California at the moment of crisis with the country at the brink of civil war a thin wire helped draw the nation together brought the Pacific to the Atlantic in the wink of a second the flash of time in Washington Hiram Sibley figured the job was over oh Sibley hello Luther busy oh always busy sir will you send this wire for me yes sir and I have it this is Elizabeth Sibley your wife Rochester New York business successfully concluded leaving Washington today arrive home tools they love Hiram ain't you forgetting something mr. Sibley how's that nothing here about kissing the children you can kiss him now for just a few pennies more Luther there's a time in a man's life when he stops kissing his children and they begin to kiss him it's one of the ways a man knows when he's getting old it's 11 years now since I sent that first message remember yes sir like it was yesterday well if nothing else the 11 years has saved me the expense of telegraph and kisses to my kids just send the wire as it is Luther yes mr. Sibley I hope the wire will arrive before Wednesday oh it'll be in Rochester within the hour and you can depend on that sir you can depend on that Luther you've just said it that's the greatest thing go hold 11 years in a nutshell the whole story of Western Union 100 years is not too long a span of time and yet in a single century the telegraph industry has grown from nothing into a vast network that binds every village of our country with every other Hamlet town and city this is a monument to Hiram Sibley it's a monument to enterprise courage and faith to many men who have worked many years to make private industry serve the needs of all the people now here's Bill Hamilton speaking for the DuPont company ladies and gentlemen I'd like you to meet Miss Alice E. Burns of Herkimer New York a few weeks ago Miss Burns bought four shares of stock in the DuPont company although she didn't know it at that time her purchase made her the 100,000th stockholder but maybe I better let her tell you the story Miss Burns well Mr. Hamilton I knew something about DuPont through its connection with Remington Arms at alien New York where I teach school my friends who work at Remington speak very highly of DuPont and when DuPont announced that its stock was being split I had a little money left over so I decided to buy some shares Miss Burns just how did you go about buying the stock you know a lot of people don't know how to do it oh I just went into a broker's office in Utica told him I wanted to buy some DuPont stock they took care of the rest well that wasn't much of a problem was it might surprise you to know that over half of the DuPont stockholders are women they have a very important place in business today as investors who have loaned their money so that industry has new capital with which to expand by the way Miss Burns I understand you've just finished a trip to the DuPont offices and research laboratories at Wilmington several manufacturing plant and also the DuPont Atlantic City exhibit what do you think of your company now that you're an owner well one of the things Mr. Hamilton impressed me the most with the fact that DuPont people seem so interested and proud of their work the executives of the company the research people and the men and women in the plant were all very friendly I found this true wherever I visited you're certainly right Miss Burns and it couldn't happen anywhere else but in America tell me what did you learn about research research well I remember one thing someone told me that over half of DuPont sales today are in products that have come into being in the last 20 years somehow that surprised me for a company almost 150 years old yeah thousands of small businesses and at least hundreds of thousands of jobs have been created because of new products of DuPont research I guess that's what you mean when you give the DuPont slogan better things for better living through chemistry it certainly is one of the things that the slogan stands for DuPont men and women working together to create and produce new products have helped bring better living to America thank you Miss Burns for being our special guest on Cavalcade tonight tonight's cavalcade play wire to the West was written by Irv Cunic appearing with Mr. Massey where Cameron Proudhon as Judd Felden Marker Fenley as the operator the music for the DuPont cavalcade's composed by Arden Cornwell conducted by Donald Borey your narrator Ted Pearson next week cavalcade will present the gifted Hollywood star Paul Henry in lay that musket down an exciting story of revolutionary time be sure to join us next week for cavalcade and our star Paul Henry cavalcade of America directed by John Zoller came to you this evening from the stage of the Vanderbilt Theatre in New York and is presented by the DuPont company Wilmington Delaware makers of better things for better living through chemistry this is NBC the national broadcasting company