Cornell having thus cleverly cut the Gordian knot, it was decided to
string wires on poles, and Cornell himself thus describes the solution of
the insulation problem:--

"In the latter part of March Professor Morse gave me the order to put the
wires on poles, and the question at once arose as to the mode of
_fastening the wires to the poles_, and the insulation of them at the
point of fastening. I submitted a plan to the Professor which I was
confident would be successful as an insulating medium, and which was
easily available then and inexpensive. Mr. Vail also submitted a plan for
the same purpose, which involved the necessity of going to New York or
New Jersey to get it executed. Professor Morse gave preference to Mr.
Vail's plan, and started for New York to get the fixtures, directing me
to get the wire ready for use and arrange for setting the poles.

"At the end of a week Professor Morse returned from New York and came to
the shop where I was at work, and said he wanted to provide the
insulators for putting the wires on the poles upon the plan I had
suggested; to which I responded: 'How is that, Professor; I thought you
had decided to use Mr. Vail's plan?' Professor Morse replied: 'Yes, I did
so decide, and on my way to New York, where I went to order the fixtures,
I stopped at Princeton and called on my old friend, Professor Henry, who
inquired how I was getting along with my Telegraph.

"'I explained to him the failure of the insulation in the pipes, and
stated that I had decided to place the wires on poles in the air. He then
inquired how I proposed to insulate the wires when they were attached to
the poles. I showed him the model I had of Mr. Vail's plan, and he said,
"It will not do; you will meet the same difficulty you had in the pipes."