Some random touch—a hand’s imprudent slip—

The Terminals—a flash—a sound like “Zip!”

A smell of burning fills the startled Air—

The Electrician is no longer there!

—HILAIRE BELLOC, “THE BENEFITS OF THE ELECTRIC LIGHT,” NEWDIGATE POEM, 1893

 

 

Electricity is not in any sense a necessity, and under no conditions is it universally used by the people of a community. It is but a luxury enjoyed by a small proportion of the members of any municipality, and yet if the [generating] plant be owned and operated by the city, the burden of such ownership and operation must be borne by all the people through taxation.

—TAX LAWYER HENRY ANDERSON, QUOTED IN THE Richmond Times-Dispatch, OCTOBER 24, 1905

 

 

. . . it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

—NUMBERS 23:23. THE LAST FOUR WORDS OF THE VERSE WERE EMPLOYED BY SAMUEL F. B. MORSE AS THE FIRST TO BE SENT BY A PUBLIC ELECTRIC TELEGRAPH, MAY 24, 1844

 

 

The Song of the Talking Wire

—HENRY FARNY, TITLE OF 1904 OIL PAINTING DEPICTING AN INDIAN AT FORT YATES, DAKOTA TERRITORY, PRESSING HIS EAR TO A TELEGRAPH POLE IN THE HOPE OF CATCHING A PASSING CONVERSATION