470:
83:
1031:
33:
545:
Vail's presidential essays in AT&T annual reports are like nothing else in
American business literature, before or since. They are personal, revealing, discursive, and sometimes pontifical. "If we don't tell the truth about ourselves, someone else will", Vail said in 1911. ... In 1907 he led off
399:
Vail became convinced as a result of his association with
Hubbard that the telephone would eventually revolutionize world communication, and he became a vigorous, though generally unsuccessful, promoter of Bell stock. Hubbard was impressed with Vail and offered him the position of general manager of
550:" – by which, as the context made clear, he meant not advertising and promotion, but the whole scope of relations between the corporation and the public. ... Vail introduced the concept ... that maximum private profit was not necessarily the
529:. From 11:00 to 11:01, Eastern time (8:00 to 8:01 a.m. Pacific Time), AT&T telephone operators disconnected calls. At the time, "This caused temporary silence of about 12,000,000 telephones and 24,000,000 miles of telephone wire."
364:
and was the youngest officer in the
Railway Mail Service, both in years and terms of service. When this final appointment was made by the Postmaster General, the Postmaster General said his only objection with Vail was his youth.
341:
He was promoted to the
Chicago and Iowa City railway post office, an important distribution point at the time. When the railway post office was established on the Union Pacific, Vail was promoted to head clerk.
357:
the compensation the railways received for carrying the mail. In June 1874, he was appointed
Assistant Superintendent of Railway Mail Service. In 1875, he became Assistant General Superintendent.
564:
1147:
525:
As a tribute to Vail, telephone service across the United States was halted for one minute on the morning of April 18, 1920, while his funeral was conducted in
279:(AT&T) in 1885. Vail viewed telephone service as a public utility and moved to consolidate telephone networks under the Bell system. In 1913 he oversaw the
852:
372:
employees under general civil service laws and established a system of six months' probationary appointments, which were subsequently adopted by all agencies.
308:, where he became manager of a local telegraphy office. He then joined the staff of a superintendent of United States Telegraph, which ultimately became
360:
In
February 1876, Vail was appointed General Superintendent after his boss retired. He reached the highest grade attainable in this branch of the
939:"A Cable Rate For Common Use: An Interview With Theodore N. Vail, The Head Of The Bell Telephone And Western Union Telegraph And Cable Companies"
141:
98:
507:, was built 1916–1918 as Vail's residence. It was the Morristown Municipal Building for over 75 years and, as of 2023, is a condominium.
500:. Vail had purchased a horse-drawn streetcar line serving the city and later bought out all competing lines and consolidated the system.
474:
798:
361:
590:. The Vail Collection covers topics including "electricity, magnetism, lighter-than-air travel, animal magnetism" and others.
673:
587:
554:
objective of private enterprise. Profit was necessary to insure financial health...but was only one element in an equation.
304:. He initially studied medicine with his uncle. He also studied telegraphy. Success in telegraphy inspired him to go to
1172:
1167:
1142:
1157:
1104:
1077:
1006:
763:
641:
439:
338:. His success in getting the mail through during the snow blockage of 1870 drew the attention of upper management.
17:
488:, and promoting the use of the telephone abroad. In 1890, he received a concession from the federal government of
315:
In 1866, Vail went west with his father to farm. In the fall of 1868, he was made operator and afterward agent at
739:
974:
MacDougall, Robert. "Long lines: AT&T's long-distance network as an organizational and political strategy."
423:. They had one son, Davis Righter Vail (July 18, 1870 – December 20, 1906), who died after a 10-day bout with
400:
the
American Bell Telephone Company in 1878. Vail defended the Bell patents successfully from challenges from
1052:
812:
446:
484:
In 1888, Vail retired but only temporarily as it turned out. He devoted his time to travel and adventure in
835:
389:
369:
1162:
775:
692:
1044:
1038:
969:
51:
522:, in his personal rail car. Jekyll Island was a winter retreat for wealthy northern industrialists.
271:(July 16, 1845 – April 16, 1920) was an American businessman who served as the general manager of
1152:
381:
876:
469:
526:
519:
511:
504:
478:
393:
354:
320:
301:
272:
998:
989:
938:
385:
493:
1177:
1137:
1132:
1097:
1087:
579:
538:
346:
316:
280:
176:
121:
926:
Galambos, Louis. “Theodore N. Vail and the Role of
Innovation in the Modern Bell System.”
82:
8:
276:
45:
1030:
904:
345:
In March 1873, Vail was assigned to duty in the office of the
General Superintendent of
50:
Please expand the article to include this information. Further details may exist on the
1114:
783:
594:
458:
420:
133:
1002:
806:
759:
669:
637:
419:
In August 1869, Vail married Emma
Righter (November 6, 1844 – February 3, 1905), of
607:
572:
547:
404:
and others. He introduced the use of copper wire in telephone and telegraph lines.
350:
943:
756:
631:
611:
568:
435:
331:
964:
John, Richard R. "Theodore N. Vail and the civic origins of universal service."
877:"Vail Electrical Library has grown to be the third largest in the United States"
700:
450:
1022:
1126:
836:"Glimpse of History: A majestic mansion erected in Morristown in early 1900s"
583:
485:
438:, Speedwell Farms, a site for conferences that culminated in the creation of
424:
401:
330:
In Spring 1869, Vail was appointed clerk of the railway mail service between
324:
309:
305:
297:
204:
1037:
1026:
984:
497:
323:. Pine Bluffs at that time was the principal supply point for wood for the
413:
335:
995:
The Entrepreneurs: Explorations Within the American Business Tradition
515:
489:
221:
434:
in 1883 and eventually purchased a 1,500-acre (6.1 km) farm in
666:
Open Standards and the Digital Age: History, Ideology, and Networks
225:
931:
431:
32:
839:
541:
explained Vail's contribution to enlightened corporate policy:
454:
1056:
416:, who was instrumental in developing the first telegraph.
275:
from 1878 to 1887 and became the founding president of
380:
The American Bell Telephone Co. had been organized by
353:, where he oversaw mail distribution and justified to
905:"Vail Collection - MIT Libraries Special Collections"
388:. As a lawyer and lobbyist, Hubbard had opposed the
44:
about Vail's career as the founder and president of
1148:
American telecommunications industry businesspeople
990:"Theodore N. Vail : The Subtle Serendipidist"
988:
473:The Vail Mansion and reflecting pool, part of the
1124:
578:Vail acquired the scientific book collection of
1105:President of American Telephone & Telegraph
1078:President of American Telephone & Telegraph
633:The Oxford Desk Dictionary of People and Places
283:that led to a more open system for connection.
142:President of American Telephone & Telegraph
99:President of American Telephone & Telegraph
801:. Archived from the original on April 1, 2006.
997:. New York: Weybright & Talley. pp.
375:
368:As General Superintendent, Vail helped place
668:. Cambridge University Press. p. 100.
1029:
81:
1057:Morristown & Morris Township Library
854:The Commercial & Financial Chronicle
636:. Oxford University Press. p. 386.
558:
518:. He had been brought to Baltimore from
468:
464:
291:
277:American Telephone and Telegraph Company
252:
944:The World's Work: A History of Our Time
936:
735:
733:
731:
663:
496:to supply power to a trolley system in
296:Theodore was born on July 16, 1845, in
14:
1125:
729:
727:
725:
723:
721:
719:
717:
715:
713:
711:
687:
685:
537:In his historical review of AT&T,
983:
629:
588:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
571:, which was subsequently merged into
327:, which had not then been completed.
937:Gleason, Arthur H. (February 1912).
26:
825:New York Times, April 17, 1920 p.15
708:
682:
24:
920:
753:Telephone: The First Hundred Years
440:American Telephone & Telegraph
25:
1189:
1016:
492:to build a generating station at
582:in 1911 and presented it to the
510:Vail died on April 16, 1920, at
407:
31:
897:
869:
860:
846:
248:
828:
819:
791:
776:"D. R. Vail, Athlete, is Dead"
768:
745:
657:
623:
251: 1869; died
13:
1:
1039:"Vail, Theodore Newton"
966:Business and Economic History
630:Abate, Frank R., ed. (1999).
617:
565:Vermont School of Agriculture
447:Union League Club of New York
600:
475:Morristown Historic District
286:
7:
664:Russell, Andrew L. (2014).
412:Vail was a first cousin to
10:
1194:
563:In 1910, Vail founded the
396:for a variety of reasons.
376:American Bell and AT&T
1173:Public relations pioneers
1168:People from Malvern, Ohio
1143:American chief executives
1111:
1102:
1094:
1084:
1075:
1069:
1064:
930:66#1 (1992), pp. 95–126.
811:: CS1 maint: unfit URL (
546:with a section entitled "
532:
445:Vail was a member of the
262:
232:
211:
191:
186:
182:
170:
158:
147:
139:
127:
115:
104:
96:
92:
80:
73:
1158:Businesspeople from Ohio
742:retrieved April 26, 1980
575:, a preparatory school.
1053:Vail Municipal Building
1045:Encyclopædia Britannica
976:Business History Review
928:Business History Review
856:(April 24, 1920) p.1718
799:"Vail Photo Collection"
1048:(12th ed.). 1922.
527:Parsippany, New Jersey
520:Jekyll Island, Georgia
512:Johns Hopkins Hospital
505:Morristown, New Jersey
481:
479:Morristown, New Jersey
390:Post Office Department
321:Union Pacific Railroad
302:Morristown, New Jersey
300:, and was educated in
273:Bell Telephone Company
42:is missing information
978:80.2 (2006): 297-327.
593:Vail also co-founded
559:Other accomplishments
472:
465:Later years and death
386:Alexander Graham Bell
292:Early life and career
1098:Frederick Perry Fish
1088:John Elbridge Hudson
1023:Theodore Newton Vail
968:28.2 (1999): 71-81.
580:George Edward Dering
503:The Vail Mansion in
347:Railway Mail Service
317:Pine Bluffs, Wyoming
281:Kingsbury Commitment
269:Theodore Newton Vail
177:John Elbridge Hudson
122:Frederick Perry Fish
75:Theodore Newton Vail
1065:Business positions
787:. 23 December 1906.
751:John Brooks (1976)
606:Vail Campus at the
384:, father in law of
382:Gardiner G. Hubbard
1163:Junior Achievement
1115:Harry Bates Thayer
1072:(position created)
784:The New York Times
693:"Theodore N. Vail"
595:Junior Achievement
482:
459:Jekyll Island Club
421:Newark, New Jersey
362:federal government
134:Harry Bates Thayer
1121:
1120:
1112:Succeeded by
1085:Succeeded by
842:. April 24, 2011.
704:. April 17, 1920.
675:978-1-107-03919-3
266:
265:
69:
68:
16:(Redirected from
1185:
1095:Preceded by
1070:Preceded by
1062:
1061:
1049:
1041:
1033:
1012:
992:
959:
957:
956:
915:
914:
912:
911:
901:
895:
894:
892:
891:
886:. 3 January 1920
881:
873:
867:
864:
858:
850:
844:
843:
832:
826:
823:
817:
816:
810:
802:
795:
789:
788:
780:
772:
766:
757:Harper & Row
749:
743:
740:Notable Vail Kin
737:
706:
705:
697:
689:
680:
679:
661:
655:
654:
652:
650:
627:
608:Lyndon Institute
573:Lyndon Institute
548:Public Relations
351:Washington, D.C.
256:
254:
250:
218:
201:
199:
187:Personal details
173:
165:Inaugural holder
161:
152:
130:
118:
109:
85:
71:
70:
64:
61:
55:
35:
27:
21:
18:Theodore N. Vail
1193:
1192:
1188:
1187:
1186:
1184:
1183:
1182:
1153:AT&T people
1123:
1122:
1117:
1108:
1100:
1090:
1081:
1073:
1036:
1019:
1009:
954:
952:
923:
921:Further reading
918:
909:
907:
903:
902:
898:
889:
887:
879:
875:
874:
870:
865:
861:
851:
847:
834:
833:
829:
824:
820:
804:
803:
797:
796:
792:
778:
774:
773:
769:
750:
746:
738:
709:
695:
691:
690:
683:
676:
662:
658:
648:
646:
644:
628:
624:
620:
612:Lyndon, Vermont
603:
569:Lyndon, Vermont
561:
535:
467:
436:Lyndon, Vermont
410:
378:
332:Omaha, Nebraska
294:
289:
258:
246:
242:
239:
220:
216:
203:
197:
195:
171:
159:
153:
148:
128:
116:
110:
105:
88:
76:
65:
59:
56:
49:
36:
23:
22:
15:
12:
11:
5:
1191:
1181:
1180:
1175:
1170:
1165:
1160:
1155:
1150:
1145:
1140:
1135:
1119:
1118:
1113:
1110:
1101:
1096:
1092:
1091:
1086:
1083:
1074:
1071:
1067:
1066:
1060:
1059:
1050:
1034:
1018:
1017:External links
1015:
1014:
1013:
1007:
980:
979:
972:
961:
960:
934:
922:
919:
917:
916:
896:
868:
859:
845:
827:
818:
790:
767:
744:
707:
701:New York Times
681:
674:
656:
642:
621:
619:
616:
615:
614:
602:
599:
560:
557:
556:
555:
534:
531:
466:
463:
451:Algonquin Club
409:
406:
377:
374:
293:
290:
288:
285:
264:
263:
260:
259:
244:
240:
237:
236:
234:
230:
229:
219:(aged 74)
215:April 16, 1920
213:
209:
208:
193:
189:
188:
184:
183:
180:
179:
174:
168:
167:
162:
156:
155:
145:
144:
137:
136:
131:
125:
124:
119:
113:
112:
102:
101:
94:
93:
90:
89:
86:
78:
77:
74:
67:
66:
39:
37:
30:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1190:
1179:
1176:
1174:
1171:
1169:
1166:
1164:
1161:
1159:
1156:
1154:
1151:
1149:
1146:
1144:
1141:
1139:
1136:
1134:
1131:
1130:
1128:
1116:
1107:
1106:
1099:
1093:
1089:
1080:
1079:
1068:
1063:
1058:
1054:
1051:
1047:
1046:
1040:
1035:
1032:
1028:
1024:
1021:
1020:
1010:
1008:0-679-40064-8
1004:
1000:
996:
991:
986:
985:Sobel, Robert
982:
981:
977:
973:
971:
967:
963:
962:
950:
946:
945:
940:
935:
933:
929:
925:
924:
906:
900:
885:
878:
872:
863:
857:
855:
849:
841:
837:
831:
822:
814:
808:
800:
794:
786:
785:
777:
771:
765:
764:0-06-010540-2
761:
758:
754:
748:
741:
736:
734:
732:
730:
728:
726:
724:
722:
720:
718:
716:
714:
712:
703:
702:
694:
688:
686:
677:
671:
667:
660:
645:
643:0-19-513872-4
639:
635:
634:
626:
622:
613:
609:
605:
604:
598:
596:
591:
589:
585:
581:
576:
574:
570:
566:
553:
549:
544:
543:
542:
540:
530:
528:
523:
521:
517:
513:
508:
506:
501:
499:
495:
491:
487:
486:South America
480:
476:
471:
462:
460:
456:
452:
448:
443:
441:
437:
433:
430:Vail visited
428:
426:
425:typhoid fever
422:
417:
415:
408:Personal life
405:
403:
402:Western Union
397:
395:
391:
387:
383:
373:
371:
366:
363:
358:
356:
352:
348:
343:
339:
337:
333:
328:
326:
325:Union Pacific
322:
318:
313:
311:
310:Western Union
307:
306:New York City
303:
299:
298:Malvern, Ohio
284:
282:
278:
274:
270:
261:
235:
231:
227:
223:
214:
210:
206:
205:Malvern, Ohio
202:July 16, 1845
194:
190:
185:
181:
178:
175:
169:
166:
163:
157:
151:
146:
143:
138:
135:
132:
126:
123:
120:
114:
108:
103:
100:
95:
91:
84:
79:
72:
63:
53:
47:
43:
40:This article
38:
34:
29:
28:
19:
1103:
1076:
1043:
1027:Find a Grave
994:
975:
965:
953:. Retrieved
948:
942:
927:
908:. Retrieved
899:
888:. Retrieved
883:
871:
866:Brooks p 131
862:
853:
848:
830:
821:
793:
782:
770:
752:
747:
699:
665:
659:
647:. Retrieved
632:
625:
592:
577:
562:
551:
536:
524:
509:
502:
498:Buenos Aires
483:
444:
429:
418:
411:
398:
379:
367:
359:
344:
340:
329:
314:
295:
268:
267:
238:Emma Righter
217:(1920-04-16)
172:Succeeded by
164:
149:
129:Succeeded by
106:
87:Vail in 1913
57:
41:
1178:Vail family
1138:1920 deaths
1133:1845 births
539:John Brooks
414:Alfred Vail
370:U.S. Postal
336:Ogden, Utah
160:Preceded by
117:Preceded by
1127:Categories
1109:1907–1919
1082:1885–1889
955:2009-07-10
910:2016-10-28
890:2008-08-25
618:References
198:1845-07-16
951:: 452–457
601:Namesakes
597:in 1919.
516:Baltimore
490:Argentina
427:in 1906.
319:, on the
287:Biography
222:Baltimore
154:1885–1889
150:In office
111:1907–1919
107:In office
52:talk page
987:(1974).
884:The Tech
807:cite web
755:, p 68,
394:Congress
355:Congress
226:Maryland
140:1st
97:4th
60:May 2024
46:AT&T
1055:at the
999:195–246
584:library
552:primary
494:Cordoba
432:Vermont
392:before
257:
245:
241:
1005:
970:online
932:online
840:NJ.com
762:
672:
649:21 May
640:
533:Legacy
457:, and
455:Boston
449:, the
334:, and
233:Spouse
228:, U.S.
207:, U.S.
949:XXIII
880:(PDF)
779:(PDF)
696:(PDF)
255:)
247:(
243:
1003:ISBN
813:link
760:ISBN
670:ISBN
651:2024
638:ISBN
253:1905
212:Died
192:Born
1025:at
610:in
586:of
567:in
514:in
477:in
453:in
349:in
1129::
1042:.
1001:.
993:.
947:.
941:.
882:.
838:.
809:}}
805:{{
781:.
710:^
698:.
684:^
461:.
442:.
312:.
249:m.
224:,
1011:.
958:.
913:.
893:.
815:)
678:.
653:.
200:)
196:(
62:)
58:(
54:.
48:.
20:)
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
