Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-02-10
TAsyzNG THE LIGHTNING.
How u shrcwd Operator Helped u Rail-
road Train.

How a shrewd Operator Helped a Rail
road Train.
General Anson Stager, vice-presideu
and Western manager Of q TELEGRAPH
company, used to be New York Stat
printer boy, and about the time the tele
graph got into running order he turne,
his attention to telegraphy and soon be
came an expert at the business. Abou
twenty-five years ago he was still ~
operator, and he possibilities of tn
telegraph were yet in large measure
in embryo. At this time Pittsburgh
WAS the generals headquarters. On,
bitter cold night he found himself on tn,
cars on the Pittsburgh and Fort Wayn,
railroad. All of sudden the train cam,
ton halt Time passed and still ther,
Was no forward movement. Finally
after half IN hour had gone our operator
made bold to inquire what the matter
was, and was informed that the locomo
tive had gone back on them and that
they would be compelled to wait at least
four hours for relief.
How are we to be relieved ?" in.
quirel Mr.. Stager.
"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 ?"
81 would have telegraphed."
Are You an operator ?"
"Yes, sir.
Have you M instrument ?"
"No."
"Then what good would it have done
to have called you-you can't telegraph
without an instrument ?"
eyes, can," said the ambitious An
son; "and if the officers of the road are
willing, I'll make the attempt
1t should be remarked here that the
directors car, well filled with dignitaries
of the road, was attached to the train.
These were exceedingly anxious to reach
Pittsburgh to attend an important meet
ing, and the delay was exceedingly an
noying to them. Although incredulous
to the last degree, they gave the word to
"go ahead" and all of them "stood
round in the bitter cold to witness the
Detaching several car lengths of the
conductors bell rope our operator threw
it over the telegraph wire and broke it as
near as possible in the middle between
two poles. Having succeeded in this en-
terprise he was not little chagrined to
find that the wire was not charged.
daunted, the sanguine Anson
tackled another wire, and the only other
one there was. This proved to be we'll
charged ana prepared to act responsive to
his desires. He prepared to "make both
ends meet " in more than a mctapherical
sense. Securing all the slack he could
ne brought the two ends together, and,
0y expert touches, succeeded in calling
he nearest office. He then sent brief
Message calling fresh locomotive to
heir aid. The operator felt considerable
confidence that his message had been
transmitted and received, but
lie wanted to be fully satisfied, and how
o receive message in return was the
The sense of hearing, on which the
operator had been accustomed to rely,
ailing him for want of an instrument, it |
vas necessary to call some other sense of
aculty into requisition, and hence he de-
ided on that of feeling or touch,
nd concluding that the tongue
vas the most sensitive to electricity of
IL the parts Of the human body, he ac-
ordingly applied the wire thereto. But
his was not enough. Ground connec-
ion had to be established. However,
ven this want was overcome. The rail-
Dad track was made to do duty, and did
IS work remarkably well, though it was
old comfort for our operator to hold on
, the rail in the nipping frost with the
are hand. But he made his circuit
nd as he held the end of the wire to his
1nglle he soon felt the shocks, and was
nus enabled, through actual impress
ion, to read what the operator nine
lilies away was putting on the wire.
Meanwhile the conductor was trudging
is way along, but before he had gone
alf the distance to the station he was
let by the locomotive hurrying to the
sscue. He was utterly confounded and
OF little terrified to see the monster
coming along, and made frantic efforts
} bring it to halt by placing himself
irectly in it's path on the track and
yinging his arms for dear life. He sue
seded in attracting the engineers atten-
on, and as soon as he came within
,eaking distance he wanted to know
what in blazes he was doing on the
ack on his time ?" "Been called, was
le answer. "Who called ?" "Been
legraphed for by broken down train
me five miles along here. The super
tendent himself sent the order" The
'nductor now found himself in regular
g, but got on the'locomotive, and when
} reached the train he lost no time in