expressed a desire to have the work arrested
until he could try further experiments, but he was very anxious that
nothing should be said or done to give to the public the impression that
the enterprise had failed. Mr. Cornell said he could easily manage it,
and, stepping up to the machine, which was drawn by a team of eight
mules, he cried out: 'Hurrah, boys! we must lay another length of pipe
before we quit.' The teamsters cracked their whips over the mules and
they started on a lively pace. Mr. Cornell grasped the handles of the
plough, and, watching an opportunity, canted it so as to catch the point
of a rock, and broke it to pieces while Professor Morse stood looking on.

"Consultations long and painful followed. The anxiety of Professor Morse
at this period was greater than at any previous hour known in the history
of the invention. Some that were around him had serious apprehensions
that he would not stand up under the pressure."

Cornell having thus cleverly cut the Gordian knot, it was decided to
string wires on poles, and Cornell himself thus describes the solution of
the insulation problem:--

"In the latter part of March Professor Morse gave me the order to put the
wires on poles, and the question at once arose as to the mode of
_fastening the wires to the poles_, and the insulation of them at the
point of fastening. I submitted a plan to the Professor which I was
confident would be successful as an insulating medium, and which was
easily available then and inexpensive. Mr. Vail also submitted a plan for
the same purpose, which involved the necessity of going to New York or
New Jersey to get it executed. Professor Morse gave preference to Mr.
Vail's plan, and started for New York to get the fixtures, directing me
to get the wire ready for use and arrange for setting the poles.

"At the end of a week Professor Morse returned from New York and came to
the shop where I was at work, and said he wanted to provide the
insulators for putting the wires on the poles upon the plan I had
suggested; to which I responded: 'How is that, Professor; I thought you
had decided to use Mr. Vail's plan?' Professor Morse replied: 'Yes, I did
so decide, and on my way to New York, where I went to order the fixtures,
I stopped at Princeton and called on my old friend, Professor Henry, who
inquired how I was getting along with my Telegraph.

"'I explained to him the failure of the insulation in the pipes, and
stated that I had de