The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1869-07-24
FOUR HUNDRED MILES UP
STAIRS.

Reading about electricity, lightning
and the telegraph, the other day" said
Uncle Peter {. reminded me Of q curious
story | once heard, when | was in Eog.
land"
1t seems there was newspaper in the
city OF Glasgow, IN Scotland, which EN-.
ployed London correspondent. This
correspondent made it his duty to gather
the news every day, and send it to G las
gov every night by telegraph.
lie had made an agreement with an
operator at a certain Office, by which his
news was sent to Glasgow at u reduction,
by the year.
One night he arrived at the lower door.
at the foot Of the stairs leading up into
the telegraph Office. The door was
locked, aud he could not open it.
The telegraph Office was way up 10 the
top of the building, in the sixth story.
The operator had bed there, TO which
he retired promptly at three O'Clock; and
1t was now half.past two.
The operator upstairs. yaWned and
looked at his watch. jenkins won't come
to night" said he; I" l may as we'll go TO
bed !"
And there was poor Jenkens all the
time pounding away on the door at the
foot Of the loug stairs, unable to 90; in.
Hillo up there r he cried looking at
the window of the telegraph Office that
glowed with light Hil!o Jones Some
body has locked tho outside door, and
can't get in"
What's the row ?" said policeman
coming along.
I'm locked out," said Jcnkens.
" Here I've got batch Of the most impor-
tant news Tor my paper,-a murder, three
Gres and riot-and the door locked in.
my face, and / cant get in. What will
| do?
60 the policeman began banging the
door, but, Jones, the operator, up in his
Office was a. unconscious Of the tumult as
IT it had been in the moon. lie was
whistling to himself and yawning prodig-
iously.
Why don't you go to some hother
hofficc = asked the policeman.
&" NO authority to use any other Iine,"
said the correspondent "Ahl I've got
it J" he added, and before the policeman
could ask what " il" was, the excited
jenkins had dashed of down street as if
mad dog was after him.
jenkins rushed breathlessly into an.
other telegraph office, six blocks of.
" / say" said he to the operator, g Tam
in fix Got news to 60 off inside OF
half an hour, and the stupid operator at
my Office has gone TO sleep, aud can't get
in-and-and-and-"
Well, that is fix"
Z" Tell you what | want" said jenkins,
endcavoring TO catch his breath, ~ | wfnt
you 10 telegraph down to Glasgow, and
ask the operator there to telegraph up
here to Jones, and bid him come down
stairs aud Jet me in ~
The operator roared with laughter ut
this, but went at once to his instrument
and began rattling away at great rate.
This is the message he sent.
Glasgow. Wake up Jones, Station
X; tell him jenkins at tho foot of the
stairs can't get IN"
Jones was looking at his watch again,
aud concluding that he had better put out
the lights aud go to his little bedroom
across the hallway, when clatter clatter
went his instrument.
There's Glasgow calling me-" said
Jones, and hurried to his instrument and
.tieked off:
What's wanting? Z"
Back came the answer:
jenkins down stairs-door fast-go
let him in"
OFF went Jones with q rush down stairs
threw open the door-and at last the
anxious jenkins got up aud sent off his
news.
So you see how man sent message
through solid door, aud up four pair of
stairs, four hundred miles around, and by
way of Glasgow, and all within twenty
minutes.
Wasn't that four hundred miles up
stairs ?"