ore than thirty…five thousand dollars。 Yet； from 1874 to 1878； he had advanced nine…tenths of the money that was spent on the telephone。 He had paid Bell's room…rent； and Watson's wages； and Williams's expenses； and the cost of the exhibit at the Centennial。 The first five thousand telephones； and more； were made with his money。 And so many long； expensive months dragged by before any relief came to Sanders； that he was compelled； much against his will and his business judgment； to stretch his credit within an inch of the breaking…point to help Bell and the telephone。 Desperately he signed note after note until he faced a total of one hundred and ten thousand dollars。 If the new 〃scientific toy〃 succeeded； which he often doubted； he would be the richest citizen in Haverhill； and if it failed； which he sorely feared； he would be a bankrupt。
A disheartening series of rebuffs slowly forced the truth in upon Sanders's mind that the business world refused to accept the telephone as an article of commerce。 It was a toy； a plaything； a scientific wonder； but not a necessity to be bought and used for ordinary purposes by ordinary people。 Capitalists treated it exactly as they treated the Atlantic Cable project when Cyrus Field visited Boston in 1862。 They admired and marvelled； but not a man subscribed a dollar。 Also； Sanders very soon learned that it was a most unpropitious time for the setting afloat of a new enterprise。 It was a period of turmoil and suspicion。 What with the Jay Cooke failure； the Hayes…Tilden deadlock； and the bursting of a hundred railroad bubbles； there was very little in the news of the day to encourage investors。
It was impossible for Sanders； or Bell； or Hubbard； to prepare any definite plan。 No matter what the plan might have been； they had no money to put it through。 They believed that they had something new and marvellous； which some one； somewhere； would be willing to buy。 Until this good genie should arrive； they could do no more than flounder ahead； and take whatever business was the nearest and the cheapest。 So while Bell； in eloquent rhapsodies； painted word… pictures of a universal telephone service to applauding audiences； Sanders and Hubbard were leasing telephones two by two； to business men who previously had been using the private lines of the Western Union Telegraph Company。
This great corporation was at the time their natural and inevitable enemy。 It had swallowed most of its competitors； and was reaching out to monopolize all methods of communication by wire。 The rosiest hope that shone in front of Sanders and Hubbard was that the Western Union might conclude to buy the Bell patents； just as it had already bought many others。 In one moment of discouragement they had offered the telephone to President Orton； of the Western Union； for 100；000； and Orton had refused it。 〃What use；〃 he asked pleasantly； 〃could this company make of an electrical toy？〃
But besides the operation of its own wires； the Western Union was supplying customers with various kinds of printing…telegraphs and dial telegraphs； some of which could transmit sixty words a minute。 These accurate instruments； it believed； could never be displaced by such a scientific oddity as the telephone。 And it continued to believe this until one of its subsidiary companiesthe Gold and Stockreported that several of its machines had been superseded by telephones。
At once the Western Union awoke from its indifference。 Even this tiny nibbling at its business must be stopped。 It took action quickly and organized the 〃American Speaking…Telephone Company；〃 with 300；000 capital； and with three electrical inventors； Edison； Gray； and Dolbear； on its staff。 With all the bulk of its great wealth and prestige； it swept down upon Bell and his little bodyguard。 It trampled upon Bell's patent with as little concern as an elephant can have when he tramples upon an ant's nest。 To the complete bewilderment of Bell； it coolly announced that it had 〃the only original telephone；〃 and that it was ready to supply 〃superior telephones with all the latest improvements made by the original inventorsDolbear； Gray； and Edison。〃
The result was strange and unexpected。 The Bell group； instead of being driven from the field； were at once lifted to a higher level in the business world。 The effect was as if the Standard Oil Company were to commence the manufacture of aeroplanes。 In a flash； the telephone ceased to be a 〃scientific toy；〃 and became an article of commerce。 It began for the first time to be taken seriously。 And the Western Union； in the endeavor to protect its private lines； became involuntarily a bell…wether to lead capitalists in the direction of the telephone。
Sanders's relatives； who were many and rich； came to his rescue。 Most of them were well… known business menthe Bradleys； the Saltonstalls； Fay； Silsbee； and Carlton。 These men； together with Colonel William H。 Forbes； who came in as a friend of the Bradleys； were the first capitalists who； for purely business reasons； invested money in the Bell patents。 Two months after the Western Union had given its weighty endorsement to the telephone； these men organized a company to do business in New England only； and put fifty thousand dollars in its treasury。
In a short time the delighted Hubbard found himself leasing telephones at the rate of a thousand a month。 He was no longer a promoter； but a general manager。 Men were standing in line to ask for agencies。 Crude little telephone exchanges were being started in a dozen or more cities。 There was a spirit of confidence and enterprise； and the next step； clearly； was to create a business organization。 None of the partners were competent to undertake such a work。 Hubbard had little aptitude as an organizer； Bell had none； and Sanders was held fast by his leather interests。 Here； at last； after four years of the most heroic effort； were the raw materials out of which a telephone business could be constructed。 But who was to be the builder； and where was he to be found？
One morning the indefatigable Hubbard solved the problem。 〃Watson；〃 he said； 〃there's a young man in Washington who can handle this situation； and I want you to run down and see what you think of him。〃 Watson went； reported favorably； and in a day or so the young man received a letter from Hubbard； offering him the position of General Manager； at a salary of thirty…five hundred dollars a year。 〃We rely；〃 Hubbard said； 〃upon your executive ability； your fidelity； and unremitting zeal。〃 The young man replied； in one of those dignified letters more usual in the nineteenth than in the twentieth century。 〃My faith in the success of the enterprise is such that I am willing to trust to it；〃 he wrote； 〃and I have confidence that we shall establish the harmony and cooperation that is essential to the success of an enterprise of this kind。〃 One week later the young man； Theodore N。 Vail； took his seat as General Manager in a tiny office in Reade Street； New York； and the building of the business began。
This arrival of Vail at the critical moment emphasized the fact that Bell was one of the most fortunate of inventors。 He was not robbed of his invention； as might easily have happened。 One by one there arrived to help him a number of able men； with all the various abilities that the changing situation required。 There was such a focussing of factors that the whole matter appeared to have been previously rehearsed。 No sooner had Bell appeared on the stage than his supporting players； each in his turn； received his cue and took part in the action of the drama。 There was not one of these men who could have done the work of any other。 Each was distinctive and indispensable。 Bell invented the telephone； Watson constructed it； Sanders financed it； Hubbard introduced it； and Vail put it on a business basis。
The new General Manager had； of course； no experience in the telephone business。 Neither had any one else。 But he； like Bell； came to his task with a most surprising fitness。 He was a member of the historic Vail family of Morristown； New Jersey； which had operated the Speedwell Iron Works for four or five generations。 His grand…uncle Stephen had built the engines for the Savannah； the first American steamship to cross the Atlantic Ocean； and his cousin Alfred was the friend and co…worker of Morse； the inventor of the telegraph。 Morse had lived for several years at the Vail homestead in Morristown； and it was here that he erected his first telegraph line； a three…mile circle around the Iron Works； in 1838。 He and Alfred Vail experimented side by side in the making of the telegraph； and Vail eventually received a fortune for his share of the Morse patent。
Thus it happened that young Theodore Vail learned the dramatic story of Morse at his mother's knee。 As a boy； he played around the first telegraph line； and learned to put messages on the wire。 His favorite toy was a little telegraph that he constructed for himself。 At twenty…two he went West； in the vague hope of possessing a bonanza farm； then he swung back into telegraphy； and in a few years found himself in the Government Mail Service at Washington。 By 1876； he was at the head of this Department； which he completely reorganized。 He introduced the bag system in postal cars； and made war on waste and clumsiness。 By virtue of this position he was the one man in the United States who had a comprehensive view of all railways and telegraphs。 He was much more apt； consequently； than other men to develop the idea of a national telephone system。
While in the midst of this bureaucratic house… cleaning he met Hubbard； who had just been appointed by President Hayes as the head of a commission on mail transportation。 He and Hubbard were constantly thrown together； on trains and in hotels； and as Hubbard invariably had a pair of telephones in his valise； the two men soon became co…enthusiasts。 Vail found himself painting brain…pictures of the future of the telephone； and by the time that he was asked to become its General Manager； he had become so confident that； as he said afterwards； he 〃was willing to leave a Government job with a small salary for a telephone job with no salary。〃
So； just as Amos Kendall had left the post office service thirty yea