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The Telephone 155 a far-reaching and elaborate structure, and he left the building of the fabric to other more competent men. But the early days of the pioneer company were dark indeed. Lack of funds was sorely felt, while the rival was applying the pressure of competition very tightly. Matters rapidly approached a crisis. Sanders, who had supported the idea with the whole of his fortune, saw himself confronted with bank- ruptcy. It was only the optimism and doggedness of Hubbard which kept things going. Then came the turning point in the fortunes of the telephone. Hub- bard realised that a man of tremendous energy, ima- gination, determination, and commercial ability was requisite to handle the reins. He made up his mind to secure such a controlling force. At that time a young man who had organised the mail service of the United States was quarrelling with an unsympathetic Government. His work was appreciated, but the powers that be did not think he was worth his salary of £700 per annum, and they forthwith reduced it. The young man, Theodore Newton Vail, who had started life as a telegraph operator and who had risen rapidly to his responsible position, entertained quite a different opinion, with the result that he bade farewell to the mail service. Hubbard got into touch with Vail, offered him the supreme position in the telephone company, pro- mised him the salary which the Government had refused to pay, and gave him a free hand. Young Vail had heard of the telephone and was keenly interested in it. He saw that if properly handled it would become one of the greatest commercial assets of the day and become indispensable to everyone.