The work was commenced at Baltimore and
was continued until experiment proved that the underground method
would not do, and it was decided to string the wires on poles.
Much time had been lost, but once the system of poles was adopted
the work progressed rapidly, and by May, 1844, the line was
completed. On the twenty-fourth of that month Morse sat before
his instrument in the room of the Supreme Court at Washington.
His friend Miss Ellsworth handed him the message which she had
chosen: "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!" Morse flashed it to Vail forty
miles away in Baltimore, and Vail instantly flashed back the same
momentous words, "WHAT HATH GOD WROUGHT!"
* The property in the invention was divided into sixteen shares
(the partnership having been formed in 1838) of which Morse held
9, Francis O. J. Smith 4, Alfred Vail 2, Leonard D. Gale 2. In
patents to be obtained in foreign countries, Morse was to hold 8
shares, Smith 5, Vail 2, Gale 1. Smith had been a member of
Congress and Chairman of the Committee on Commerce. He was
admitted to the partnership in consideration of his assisting
Morse to arouse the interest of European Governments.
Two days later the Democratic National Convention met in
Baltimore to nominate a President and Vice-President. The leaders
of the Convention desired to nominate Senator Silas Wright of New
York, who was then in Washington, as running mate to James K.
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