The benefit of communication speed afforded by the telegraph was offset by
errors and deliberate omissions by the telegraph operators. The telegraph
lines and poles were also susceptible to deliberate interference by vandals,
thieves or competitors. In the mid-19th century, the telegraph industry was
neither regulated nor protected by state or federal law. It was not until
1872 that a bill for the protection of telegraph lines was passed by the Wisconsin
State Assembly.
The table below shows selected examples of human interference, error and
censorship of the telegraph industry of Southern Wisconsin. (Milwaukee Sentinel
Index, 1837-1879)
| 1848 |
Aids in the recovery of stolen goods |
| 1848 |
Wire-cutting between Milwaukee and Southport thought work
of thieves |
| 1849 |
Reaps criticisms for misspellings |
| 1850 |
News delay charged to Chicago operator |
| 1852 |
Phraseology and service of telegrams criticized |
| 1854 |
Criticized for failure to send out news of Milwaukee fire |
| 1861 |
Wires believed cut |
| 1861 |
War stories deemed unreliable |
| 1861 |
Lack of censorship criticized |
| 1866 |
(January) Control by Chicago interests prevents Madison
news from reaching Milwaukee |
| 1866 |
Suppression of attempted assassination of Gov. Fairchild
may lead to lawsuit |
| 1870 |
Blamed by Chamber of Commerce in messenger bribery case |
| 1871 |
[Telegraph companies] Urged to handle important messages
carefully |
| 1872 |
Messages not to be revealed to anyone but addressee |
| 1873 |
Companies liability for night messages explained |
| 1873 |
Line between Sturgeon Bay and Claybanks cut and wire stolen |
