Weird NewsPolitics and GovernmentgovernmentRon DeSantis

SOS: Florida Senate Wants To Remove State Laws Regulating The Telegraph

The Florida Senate sent Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill Thursday that removes an entire chapter of state law regulating the telegraph industry, including $50 penalties for not promptly delivering messages.
Brendan Farrington

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — The telegraph era in Florida is ending without a flash. Not even a flicker, really.

It’s more like a snicker.

The Florida Senate sent Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis a bill Thursday that removes an entire chapter of state law regulating the telegraph industry, including $50 penalties for not promptly delivering messages.

In the days before hashtags, texts and FaceTime chats, telegraphs were a big deal. Western Union completed the first transcontinental telegraph line in 1861, dealing a death blow to the struggling Pony Express, which began operations the year before.

Florida laws regarding telegraphs haven’t had any substantial changes since 1913, and there haven’t been any court opinions involving the statutes since 1945, according to a legislative staff analysis.

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Before You Go

inventions
(01 of12)
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No Place Like Home, GPS shoes. (The world's first shoes that navigate the wearer to their destination.
(02 of12)
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Tree Branch Work Desk. (Dominic Wilcox at work with pens and cup of tea) Photo by Joe McGorty.
(03 of12)
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Watch Sculpture: The Sitting Man. (One example of the Watch Sculpture collection)
(04 of12)
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Luxury Skimming Stone (Each stone gold leafed with custom made leather belt pouch for each stone)
(05 of12)
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Binaudios, (A device that allows listening to the sounds of the city)
(06 of12)
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Xylophone Bin. (Created for the Vipp Charity auction, New York)
(07 of12)
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Pre-handshake Handshake Device (To start a reconciliation process between those who can't even bare to shake hands. Allowing shaking hands without touching skin). Photo credit: David Sykes
(08 of12)
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Shoe Field. (A field of shoes with laces rising into the air)
(09 of12)
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From Dominic Wilcox's new absurd inventions book 'Variations on Normal.'
(10 of12)
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From Dominic Wilcox's new absurd inventions book 'Variations on Normal.'
(11 of12)
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From Dominic Wilcox's new absurd inventions book 'Variations on Normal.'
(12 of12)
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Wilcox vs 3D Printer (Dominic Wilcox challenges a 3D Printer to make the same thing)
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