, 1877-02-03
A LIGHTNING kHECD0TE.
How a shreWd Operator Helped n Hail
read Train.

General AnsOn Stsger, vice president and
western manager, used 10 be York State
printer boy. aad about the time the telegraph
got into running order. be turned his atten-
/ tion to telegrsphy, and soon became al eX-
pert at The business. About twenty years AK
be was -till operator, and the possibilities
OF the telegraph were yet, in a large measure,
! in embryo. At this time Pittsbnrg was the
| Generals headquarters. One bitter cold
night be found himself on the cars on the
/ Pittsburg and Fort Wayne railroad. All Of
sudden the train came 10 halt. Time
passed and still there was no forward move
ment. Finally. after half an hour had Pass-
! ed, oar operator made bold TO inquire Uhat
! the matter was, End was informed that the
| locomotive had gone back them, and that
I they would be compelled 70 wait at least four
hours for relief.
How are We to be relieved ? inquired
Mr.. Srager.
The conductor is hoofing it to the next
station, nine miles away was the answer.
why didn't you call me ? inquired our
operator.
Call you? What cOuld you have done"
Il would have telegraphed.'
Are you an operator Z
Yes, sir
Have you an instrument!
NO
Then what good would it have done to
have called you; you cant telegraph with
ont an instrument 2
Yes, can, said the ambitious Anson
and If the officers Of the road are willing,
I'll make the attempt"
1t should be remarked here that the direc-
tors car, well filed with
DIGNITAuES OF THE ROAD.
was attached so the train. These were ex-
eeedin.ly anxious TO reach Pit,sburg TO at
tend an important meeting, and the delay
wes exceedingly annoying 10 them. Al
though inerrdulous 10 the last degree, they
gave the word to 70 ahead. and all OF them
stood round IN the bitter cold 10 witness
the experiment.
Dstaching several car length of the con-
dnctor's bell rope, on. operator threw it over
the telegraph wire, and broke it a. near as
possible in the middle between two poles.
Having succeeded in this enterprise, he was
not little chagrined 80 find that the wire
was not charged. Nothing dIun,e1. the san
only other one thoro ".s. ia. r-~.,I
TO te wsll charged, and repaired to act r.
sp1nsiye TO his desires. lie now prepared to
make both euds meet, in more than
metapborieal sense. Securing all the slack
he could, ne brought the two euds together.
and by expert touches succeeded IN calling
the nearest Office. He then sent brief ms
sage calling fresh locomotive to their aid.
The operator felt Considerable coufienee
,lat his message had been properly transmit
Ted and received, but he wanted TO be fully
satisfied. and how TO receive a message IL re-
turn was the problem.
The sense OF hearing, on which the oper-
ator had beeu accustomed to rely, failing him
tor want Of an instrument, Is Was necessary
to call some other sense of faculty into requi-
sitiou, and hence he decided on that OF
FEELING, OR TOUCH.
and concluding that the tongue was the
most seusit: gs to electricity Of all the parts
Of the human body, be accordingly applied
the wire thereto. But this was n1t enough.
Ground connection had to be established
However, even this want was overcome
The railroad track was made 70 do duty, and
did its work rcmarkably well, though 1t was
cold comfort for our operator to bold on TO
the rail in the nippiny frost with the bare
hand But he made biS circrit, and a. he
held the end OF the wire to bis tongue be
soou felt the shocks, and was thus enabled
through cactual impression, TO read what the
operator nine miles away was putting on The
wire.
Meauwhile The conductor Was rrndging his
lonely way along, bnt before be had gone
half the distance to the station be was met
BY the locomotive hurryins to the rescue
lie was utterly confounded and not little
terrified TO sse The monster booming along,
and made frantic efforts 10 bring it TO bait
by placing himself directly on its path ON the
track aud swinging his arms for dear HE
He succeeded in attracting The engineer : Ii
,eurion. and az soon as he came III speaking
distance be wautei 10 know what IN tho
hi he was doing on the track Oh has time
Bern oallrd,' was the answer Who called
YOU z Been telegraphed for by orOksn-
Down train some five miles along here. he |
Sup-rir tendent himself sent the order The |
conductor row funud himself III regular |
fo,. br, got On the locomotive, AID v hen h |
,e,ehsi the train lost no time IN seeking /
light.-Chday0 7hae'.