March 20, 1852. J.J. Speed to Ezra Cornell discussing western business and Speed's proposal of a printing telegraph. March 22, 1852. J.J. Speed to Ezra Cornell: "What say you to making one desparate effort to retrieve the past, and provide for the future by going to California & building a line?." Topics: Telegraph business correspondence: New-York & Erie line, office operations, finances. Personal names: Speed, J.J.; Wood, Otis E.; Wood, Benjamin; Hopkins, P.A. Geography: Detroit; Ithaca, N.Y.