e 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 companies--the Gold and Stock--reported 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several of its machines had been superseded by telephones.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 inventors--Dolbear, 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,