THE "HARVARD TELEGRAPH CO."

ON the 9th of November, 1872, a telegraph wire was laid by Messrs. Nason, Bell, and Willson, of '73, and Sawyer, of '74, between Thayer and Weld Halls. Before the day had closed, the telegraphers had an opportunity of proving their success by sending the news of the "Great Fire" in Boston across the line. Thus the birthday of the Telegraph at Harvard was celebrated by an event that will long remain a part of the history of Boston. May we not suppose that, as the burning of the "Temple of Diana," at Ephesus, celebrated the birthday of so invincible a conqueror as Alexander of Macedon, so the Boston conflagration was the herald of great glory to so rapid a communicator as our Harvard Telegraph?

When the pronounced success of the ingenious enterprise was secured, Messrs. Burgwyn, '73, Randall, '74, and Bell, '76, were invited to join the original four, in order to aid in forming the present Harvard Telegraph Co. The latter was gradually increased in numbers, until, during the month of February, it was deemed advisable to organize the association, when the following officers were elected:-

Pres., R. W. Nason, '73; Vice-Pres. and Inspector, W. A. Bell, '73; Sec., C. P. E. Burgwyn, '73; Treas., F. E. Randall, '74.

When Professor Trowbridge heard of the undertaking, he became very much interested, and endeavored in every possible way to render assistance. Through his kindness the Company were allowed to test the resistance of their line-wire by connecting it with the Physical Laboratory. They found the resistance to be one seventh of that between Boston and New York. The Company then set about connecting the different buildings of the Yard with one another, and shortly afterward Mr. Burgwyn, in Thayer, essayed a match-game of chess versus Messrs. Angell, Young, MacVane, and Otis, in Hollis.

Improvements and inventions kept springing up, until, during the month of May, the gentlemen whom we have to thank for the success of the enterprise at Springfield, conceived the idea of connecting the rooms of the different members of the Company with the College bell, by a wire between it and Thayer. From that time we can be sure that the telegraph operators were the most punctual students both at chapel and recitations.

What difficulties the Company had to encounter at Springfield, and with what energy they pushed their scheme forward, must be apparent to all who have read the Old and New, of October, or the Globe for June 9. To the pioneers in this novel scheme the College owes hearty thanks for having kept alive the old prestige of Harvard's independence and indomitable pluck; for it must be remembered that the operators were unassisted by any other college.

At a late meeting of the Company a committee was appointed to negotiate with the Western Union Company concerning a line between Old Cambridge and Boston. The success of this negotiation must be obvious to all who have recently been within the post-office in Harvard Square.

To those desirous of becoming members of the Company, it is announced that the Club will be glad to receive any addition to their number, provided the applicant can show, on examination, an elementary knowledge in the art of telegraphing.

Before ending these memoranda, we feel impelled to express our sincere sorrow for the recent severe accident to Mr. Robert Sawyer, of '74, to whose untiring zeal the society owes so great a portion of its success.

R.