In February 2009 the company entered into an agreement with Fexco to acquire 100% of its shares for $ 159.9 million. In 1884 Western Union has become a joint-stock company and was brought to the stock exchange. The company has entered in the first American stock index Dow Jones. In the early 60s Western Union has put into operation transcontinental microwave system of data transmission via radio waves, completely replacing the web of telegraph poles and wires. Sibley, the founder of Western Union, did not build a new telegraph lines, and persuaded the other players to join. American Telegraph Company, however, still had to buy it. Number of active holders of "Golden Card" of Western Union amounted to 9.5 million people worldwide. In 1860 the U.S. Congress arranged among the telegraph companies a competition to create a national line. The winner was Western Union. Thanks to cooperation with Western Union the Associated Press at the end of the XIX century took almost monopolistic position in the U.S. market news. In October 2006 the company made an initial public offering of shares on the New York Stock Exchange, becoming independent from First Data company. In the 80's of Nineteenth century, Western Union was repeatedly tried capture by the railroad tycoon Jay Gould. He worked with Alexander Graham Bell, inventor of the first phone. Founder of Western Union Hiram Sibley was born in 1807 in Massachusetts (USA). At age of 14 has mastered the profession of shoemaker, at age 16 he left his native cityand moved to New York, where he went into wool carder.