A continent bound by wire (telegraph system)

The development of the transcontinental telegraph system is recounted. The Pony Express helped to establish routes for the system, leading to its own demise. In 1860, Western Union received a government subsidy to build an uninterrupted telegraph line from east to west. The logistics of this venture are described. On the eve of the Civil War, telegraph lines stretched through 53000 km, and by 1870, 100000 km. In 1890, they began to level off at over 400000 km, forming a widely accessible communications network that helped a growing business community expand beyond purely local operations.<>