Originally published in 1939
Some of this information may no longer be current and in that case is presented for historical interest only.
Edited by GET NJ, COPYRIGHT 2002

Wire Systems and Radio:
Telegraph service, now extended to even the smaller towns in the State, had its experimental origin in New Jersey. In 1838, six years before his celebrated success over a longer distance, Samuel F. B. Morse tested the electromagnetic telegraph at the Speedwell Iron Works near Morristown. At Princeton University, a few years before Morse began his work, Joseph Henry, professor of natural philosophy, constructed an electric apparatus that carried signals sounded on a bell from his home on the campus to the Hall of Philosophy.

An important innovation in telegraph service was the introduction of wireless newspaper bulletins at Atlantic Highlands lighthouse in 1899 during the America's Cup yacht races. Messages were transmitted from a steamboat to the lighthouse, where they were relayed to New York City.

The telephone has quickly become an indispensable social and commercial instrument in the State, and perhaps more than any other modern invention has welded it into one large community. The New Jersey Bell Telephone Company has created a State-wide system including approximately 685,000 telephones in 1937. With 204 phones per 1,000 population reported in 1936, New Jersey ranked second only to California in the extent of telephone service.

Conversations between all parts of the United States and Europe, Central and South America over shortwave radio telephone are transmitted from the Bell station at Lawrenceville, and received from abroad at Netcong. The Radio-Marine Corporation maintains a transoceanic wireless telegraph station at Tuckerton.

New Jersey, and specifically the city of Newark, was closely identified with early experiments in radio broadcasting. WJZ broadcast a world series baseball game on October 7, 1921, from the Westinghouse plant at Orange and Plane Streets, Newark. This was the world's second station, the first having been KDKA in Pittsburgh. The station was later sold to become part of the National Broadcasting Company. The transmitter remained in Newark for a time, but was later moved to Bound Brook.

WOR, Newark's second station, started broadcasting February 22, 1922. Built by L. Bamberger and Company and housed in its department store building, the station has pioneered in many phases of radio. In the fall of 1922 it communicated with Selfridge's store in London, and a year later reached Tokyo. In 1924 the station asked all listeners to try to locate the dirigible Shenandoah, which had slipped its moorings and become lost. Soon telephone calls began to come in, and the ship's position was relayed to the crew. WOR has pioneered in spot news and symphony orchestra broadcasts, and developed many technical improvements. It is now the home station of the Mutual Broadcasting Company.

The 1920's saw the establishment of several other stations, some of which still survive, usually under different call letters. The State now has 13 broadcasting stations and a number of experimental laboratories.

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