Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1878-06-12
Tom Edison.


e first knew Tom Edison" said Mr.
Stewart, in 1866. At that time was an
operator in Tennessee. Tom was employ
ed by Colonel Coleman, the superintendent
of the Western Union office in Memphis
He was gawky boy. about eighteen OIL
nineteen, and was reading everything
about electricity that he could pick up. He
had lean and hungry look, and aiway:
seemed to be under the influence of some
secret excitement. He had got into his
head the idea of sending duplex dispatche:
and all his spare time was devoted to ex.
perlments in the Office Coleman stood il
Tor some time, but at last began to growl
He allowed that Tom was crazy, and said
that any damned fool ought to know that
I wire cant be worked both ways, He
declared that he wouldn't have Tom put.
lerin9 around the Office with such Stiffness.
md finally discharged him in disgust.
lhe boy went back home to some town in
Michigan, and lost track of him.
Some time afterward was transferred
to the Boston Office. At that time wire
No. /, as it was then called, was consider
ed the track wire Of the country. The
fastest men were working it. For some
cause the operator in Boston resigned. 1t
was difficult to find Il man to take his
place. A half dozen fellows tried it, but
found it too much for them. One after
another they dropped it like hot" potato,
and sloped, wiser than when thew came.
There was man in the office named NJ
f. Adams. He thought the world of Tom
Edison and, recommended him 10 the
| place, vouchiDg for him rs a first.caSs
/ n
telegraphed to the little town in Michigan,
asking Tom if he would come on and ac-
cept the position. Tom answered yes, and
without further words started for Boston.
via the Michigan Central and Grand
Trunk railroads. In running through
Canada he got showed under, and was
kept on the track in one spot twenty-four
hours. cold and hungry, without a bed
AS usual he Owned but one suit of clothes,
and that WAS on his back. He might have
frozen to death had he not bought an old
round about overcoat from Canuck rail
road laborer. But he finally got through
all right.
Il was in the Boston office when he ar.
rived and | must say continued Mr..
Stewart, "he was the worst looking
specimen Of humanity | ever saw. The
modern telegraph tramp isn't marker.
lie wore pair of Jeans breeches six
inches too short for him, pair of very
low shoes, the Canuck jacket, and II broad
bllmmed butternut hat, II relic of his life
in Memphis. The wide rim was badly
torn, and hung down so that you could see
his ears through the opening. There was
the slightest trace of dirt on his upper lip,
that he called mustache. His hair
hadn't been cnmbed for IA week and he
wore the blacklist white shirt that was ever
seen on the back of human being. Ner-
vously pinehing his upper lip-a habit that
he had-he Inquired for the manager, and
was sent 10 Milliken.
"' Are you the bosS?' Tom asked.
Mlliken said he was manager. Tom then
introduced himself, and asked when they
wanted him to go TO work. Milliken star
ed at him as though he could not believe
his ears, and then said, AT half past five.
1t was then well along in the afternoon.
lom began to look around the office for
clock, and Milli kin said, young man you
have to work II pretty heavy wire Tom
gave what he called his mustache an extra
twist, and with all the assurance in the |
world blurted out, All right, boss; III be |
here at halt past five.' He sloped SO quick
that il made Milliken's head swim.
The operators burst into peal of |
laughter. They had seen and heard every !
thing and their remarks were ANYTHING |
but complimentary to Tom. Oh said |
one of them, he won't last rs long as
that Je seS man that tackled the wire the
other day. Why, that frllew can't read
by paper, let alone 10y sound shouted an
other. A third declared that Tom was the
wort he ever SAW, and when II fourth
whether the walking between
Michigan and Boston was very good
there was II general roar.
We'll" continued Stewart, " half past
i've came, and so did Tom. Everybody
was on the qal rire. Allliken was lust
.aking from the vault the supply of blanks
or tie night operators. As Tom came up
ne pointed to II pile of them saying. Take
What blanks you want and I'll show YOU
your table, Tom innocrntly picked up
he whole bundle and followed Milliken
o his table. The operators began to grin
md smoker. They all thought that he
would get bounced after trying to catch
me message. 1t was the No. wire to
New York. jerry BorSt, then considered
me Of the fastest senders in the country,
worked the New York end. As Tom seat.
I'd himself he heard the call b. and turn
ng to Mllken, asked if that was the call
or Boston. Yes, replied the manager.
Toms movements with intense
Thereupon Tom opened his
Key and licked the answer |, L. Jerry
'egan to whoop 'em up in his best style.
md every eye was turned on Tom. He
Iispayed no anxiety, but kept right on
With his WORK as though he had been tax
ng Jerry all his life. For four mortal
lourS did Jerry keep it up with a hundred |
'ounds to the square inch, and for four
Mortal hours did Tom take it down in :
and writing as neat and plain as reprint i
'or the first time in his life jerry had
ushed it until he was tired without !
reak from the receiver He was astonish-
d. When he had finished, the following i
assage passed between them: u
FROM JERRY.
Who the devil are you, anyhow?
FROM TOM.
I'm the new man. My name is Tom g
Olson. :
FROM JERRY. i
Well. by ripper-liep,] you're the man
We been looking for for the last ten wears, c
nd y u're the only man | ever found that Il
ould take me without break Shake. |
"And they shook. The establishment
the boys in the Office was unhounded b
here was no more gbing nor snickerng.
verybody was Toms friend at once. The b
ext day Milliken picked up sheet of L
ON is manuscript. and rehectively strok- |
d his long beard. | never saw such
retty copy, be said He's as good IN c
as l ever met '"-Sun.
HfNDoo PROVERBS. Beware of errors o