Denver, Colorado Genweb

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July 2003 Biographies Last updated on 06/17/2006


The Pioneer State Builders: Telegraph

Abstracted from Colorado Pioneers in Picture and Story,
by Alice Polk Hill, copyright 1915 (this book was limited to 2000 copies), page 251

Contributed by:  Shirley Flanagan

A citizen of Omaha, Nebraska, Edward Creighton, completed a telegraph line across the continent, and the swift pony express was superseded by the swifter lightning.

The wire reached Julesburg, May, 1861. The new company opened in Denver, using the pony express or stages to carry the messages to Denver. David H. Moffat was appointed the first agent.

An enterprising Denver man, B.F. Woodward built a line from Julesburg to Denver. The wire was strung into the office of Warren, Hussey & Company's bank in the autumn of 1863, with Judge Amos Steck, who was then mayor, exchanged congratulatory messages with the mayor or Omaha. From the time of the earliest settlement in Denver the pioneers suffered intensely from the feeling of isolation; they pined for telegraphic communication with the outside world; and the branch line was completed October, 1863, brought great relief. The rates were very high. A message to New York of ten words cost $9.10.

Benjamin F. Woodward, the builder and manager of Colorado's pioneer telegraph line, became identified with many other business enterprises that contributed to the development of Denver.

 

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