The slips of paper in yellow envelopes that brought Americans urgent news of birth, death and everything in between for more than 150 years have been consigned to the wastepaper basket of history. Western Union has sent its last telegram.

The company, which long ago switched the bulk of its business to money transfers, broke the news on its website. Clicking on the telegram option leads to a terse message saying that Western Union has discontinued "all telegram and commercial messaging services".

"We regret any inconvenience this may cause you, and we thank you for your loyal patronage," the statement says, pronouncing the death of a long-forsaken emblem of American culture.

Telegraph messages went commercial in 1851 with the formation of The New York and Mississippi Valley Printing Telegraph Company.

It changed its name to Western Union five years later to mark the linking of western and eastern telegraph networks into one system.

It was the internet of its age, and played an important role in the American civil war. After the bombardment of Fort Sumter, which triggered the conflict, the Confederate general in Charleston sent a telegram to his adversary, telling him: "Give in like a good fellow, and bring your garrison to dinner, and beds afterwards. Nobody injured, I hope?"

A century of the country's history could be told in Western Union telegrams. One was used to relay news of the first flight in 1903 and the start of the first world war.

In April 1912, the SS Carpathia transmitted a message from the north Atlantic to the New York offices of the White Star Line, saying: "Deeply regret advise your Titanic sunk this morning fifteenth after collision iceberg resulting serious loss life further particulars later."

Using the word "STOP" instead of a full stop saved money because four-letter words were free and punctuation cost extra.

It was the internet and instant messaging that led to Western Union's decision. Last year only 20,000 telegrams were sent at the cost of $10 each.