Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1898 — An Old Telegraph Message. [ARTICLE]

An Old Telegraph Message.

At the annual meeting of the Telegraphic Historical Society of the United States in Washington the other day William B. Wilson, of Philadelphia, was elected president for the ensuing year. During the course of the meeting Secretary Maynard laid before t)ie society a copy of the first telegram sent over the wire west of the Alleghany mountains. The message was from Ad't. Gen. G. W. Bow man to President Polk. Gen. Bowman was at that time (December 29, 1846) at Pittsburgh, organizing the Second regiment of Pennsylvania volunteers gathered there for service in the Mexican war.