One remarkable example was recently discovered in the Museum of Telegraphy in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. It is the transcript of a telegraph operator's comments during Abraham Lincoln's famed Gettysburg Address in 1863. The transcript was shared with me by a friend on the museum staff, and I'm pleased to reproduce it here:
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Still waiting for the Pres. to commence his speech. #gettysburg
Good heavens, I should have foresworn that fifth corn dodger for lunch. #gas #dontask #gettysburg
Starting now. Pres. waves to crowd. #gettysburg
Four score and... WTF is a score? 25? #pleasespeakenglish #gettysburg
Okay, it's twenty. So "87 years ago the country was founded." Why not just say that? Duh. #gettysburg
Heh-heh-heh. He said "conceived." Heh-heh. #gettysburg
"Now we are in a great civil war." More duh. #gettysburg
@zebekiah1134 I know, it's my own fault for buying lunch from a wagon. #gas #gettysburg
Hoping to get in two miles this afternoon. Depends on how long this speech goes. #gettysburg
"It is altogether fitting and proper that we should dedicate this cemetery." Ooookay. #gettysburg
Saw @matthewbrady this morning, taking pictures of guys with big beards. #muttonchopsrule #gettysburg
"The world will little note, nor long remember, what we say here." #nokidding #gettysburg
Hey you in the hat. Yes, you. Take it off, you're blocking my view. #gettysburg
"This nation shall have a new birth of freedom." Great, finally we'll get some details. #gettysburg
"Government shall not perish from the earth." Good to know. #gettysburg
Where's he going? #gettysburg
What, that's IT? I waited five hours in the sun for THAT?? #ripoff #votedemocrat #gettysburg
Maybe I'll make it four miles. #outahere #gettysburg
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Posted April 1, 2012
2011: The microwave hairdryer, and four other colossal tech failures you've never heard of
2010: The Yahoo-New York Times merger
2009: The US government's tech industry bailout
2008: Survey: 27% of early iPhone adopters wear it attached to a body piercing
2007: Twitter + telepathy = Spitr, the ultimate social network
2006: Google buys Sprint
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