[SFDXA] The Longest Morse Code Message Ever, Established Nevada As A State

[Kai]

Many other sources give "several hours", not "seven". Others speculate on the 40 
wpm and claim he must have used abbreviations.
I guess it's lost to history.
Kai, KE4PT

On 3/18/2016 22:07, Ed Callaway wrote:
> 16543 words in 7 hours is 39 wpm, I think.  How did he do it with a straight key?
>
> Ed N4II.
>
>
> -------- Original message --------
> From: Bill <bmarx at bellsouth.net>
> Date: 03/18/2016 6:54 PM (GMT-05:00)
> To: 'SFDXA Reflector' <sfdxa at mailman.qth.net>, QCWA <qcwa69 at mailman.qth.net>
> Subject: [SFDXA] The Longest Morse Code Message Ever, Established Nevada As A State
>
> >From Tony N2MFT:
>
>
>      The Longest Morse Code Message Ever, Established Nevada As A State
>
> PictureFinal transcribed page and cost
> It was October 1864.  The Civil War was winding down and Abraham Lincoln
> was facing re-election.  The 13th Amendment to the Constitution was
> looming on the horizon.
>
> Lincolns stay in the White House is being seriously threatened by the
> candidacies of General John Freemont, a Republican and General George
> McClellan, a Democrat.
>
> The Republican party was still in it's infancy. Lincoln needed the votes
> from new states to ensure that he would remain in office and be able to
> enact his reconstruction polices for the South.
>
> Earlier, gold and silver had been discovered on the Comstock in Virginia
> City.  In 1861 the United States was eager to make sure this wealth did
> not find it's way into the coffers of the Confederacy.  They lost no
> time in forging Nevada into a new federal territory away from the Utah
> Territory.   Lincoln appointed James Warren Nye, a police commissioner
> from New York and a newly converted Republican, to be the Territorial
> Governor. Nye, nicknamed, "Old Grey Eagle" made sure the new territory
> government was well organized. An avowed supporter of civil rights, he
> also stamped out any attempts to become a part of the Confederacy.
>
> With the help of Nevada votes Lincoln could win the election and Nevada
> could help to ratify the 13th Amendment and abolish slavery.
>
> Having only 40,000 residents Nevada fell far short of the 60,000 people
> usually needed to become a state. But Lincoln needed new states and as
> election time drew near, three territories were tapped to become states:
> Nevada, Colorado, and Nebraska.
>
> Nebraska voted against statehood and Colorado failed to pass a
> constitution.  In Nevada things were different, the vote for statehood
> was 8 to 1. Nevada was heavily Republican, the votes from Nevada could
> ensure Lincoln a victory.
>
> Nevada sent certified copies of their proposed Constitution overland to
> Congress for approval.  By October 24, they had not arrived. With only
> days to go Nevada needed it's newly passed Constitution to arrive in
> Washington in order to be admitted to the Union.
>
> Governor Nye decided to send the entire 16,543 word text of the proposed
> Nevada State Constitution by Morse code, via telegraph, to Washington.
>
> On October 23, 1864 in Carson City, telegrapher James H. Guild, labored
> for seven hours over his key, pounding brass, until the entire 175 page
> document was transmitted to Salt Lake City, to be relayed to Chicago,
> Philadelphia, and on to the War Department in Washington, DC. Guild's
> work netted his company $4,303.27 in fees, roughly $60,000 in todays money.
>
> The 1864 transmission remains to this day as the longest Morse Code
> message ever sent. On October 31st, just eight days after Guild's record
> setting message, the United States Congress admitted Nevada to the Union.
>
> In a twist of fate, John Freemont withdrew from the Presidential race
> and Lincoln won easily. The votes from Nevada were not needed. Nevada
> also almost missed it's opportunity to ratify the 13th Amendment, when
> both of her Senator's failed to arrive in Washington in time to cast
> their votes. Congressman Henry C. Worthingham cast the lone vote from
> Nevada and on January 31, 1865 slavery ended in the United States.
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> James Guild left his mark on Nevada's history by his use of Morse Code
> and so can you.
>
> The Nellis Radio Amateur Club has announced that they will be starting a
> code study class.
>
> Interested in learning Morse Code? For more information, send your
> contact information via email to Sean Sheehan
> _memberatlarge at nellisrac.org_ <mailto:memberatlarge at nellisrac.org>
>
> http://www.nevadahamradio.com/recent-news.html
>
> ______________________________________________________________
> South Florida DX Assoc. "SINCE 1974"
> SFDXA WebSite: http://www.SFDXA.com
> SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
> To Post: mailto:SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
> To UNSUBSCRIBE/EDIT: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
> ______________________________________________________________
> South Florida DX Assoc. "SINCE 1974"
> SFDXA WebSite: http://www.SFDXA.com
> SFDXA Repeater 147.33+ 103.5 Tone
> To Post: mailto:SFDXA at mailman.qth.net
> To UNSUBSCRIBE/EDIT: http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/sfdxa
> This list hosted by: http://www.qsl.net
>