It was a little over six months after the completion of the Atchison & St. Joseph railroad that the first telegraph connection was established between Atchison and the world. The construction of the Missouri & Western telegraph line was begun in Syracuse, Mo., in 1859. Charles M. Stebbins built this telegraph line, which extended from Syracuse to Ft. Smith, Ark. A branch of this line was extended westward to Kansas City, and reached Leavenworth along in the spring of 1859. August 15, 1859, this branch was extended to Atchison, and it was a proud day in the history of this city. The first office was in a brick building on Commercial street adjoining the office of _Freedom’s Champion_. John T. Tracy was the first operator. Gen. Samuel C. Pomeroy was mayor, and on this account the honor was given him of sending the first message, which was as follows: “Atchison, August 15, 1859. His Honor, H. B. Denman, Mayor of Leavenworth. Our medium of communication is perfect. May our fraternal relations continue—may our prosperity and success equal our highest efforts. S. C. Pomeroy, Mayor of Atchison.” Mayor Denman replied as follows: “Hon. S. C. Pomeroy, Mayor of Atchison. May each push forward its works of enterprise and the efforts of each be crowned with success. H. B. Denman, Mayor of Leavenworth.” Congratulations were next exchanged between Atchison and St. Louis, as follows: “Atchison, August 15, 1859. Hon. O. D. Filley, Mayor of St. Louis. For the first time since the world began, a telegraph message is sent to St. Louis from this place, the farthest telegraph station in the West. Accept our congratulations and aid us in our progress westward. S. C. Pomeroy, Mayor of Atchison.” It was in October of that same year that the first news was flashed over the wire telling of the capture of Harper’s Ferry by old John Brown. In connection with the question of early day transportation in Atchison county, it would be an oversight to fail to mention the efforts of one Thomas L. Fortune to improve the means of locomotion. Mr. Fortune was a citizen of Mt. Pleasant, and in the fall of 1859 he conceived the scheme which he believed would revolutionize the whole transportation problem. He planned a steam wagon with which he expected to haul freight across the plains. The following year he built at St. Louis, a large vehicle, twenty feet long by eight feet wide. The wheels were twenty inches wide and eight feet in diameter. This wagon was transported up the Missouri river to Atchison from St. Louis on the steamer, “Meteor,” and was landed from the steamer in front of the White Mice saloon, which was a noted resort on the Atchison levee at that time, in the latter part of June, 1860. The following account is taken from Frank A. Root’s “Overland Stage to California”: