New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-03-21
LIFE OF A TELEGRAPH LINEMAN.
TALK WITH MAN WHOSE BUSINESS IS TO CLIMB


ooh. it's not half as dangerous rs it LOOKS an nn
nse6 to working high up in the air. ana nina my no
more than working the ground pest US vooS
1ot CLEAR head and strong nerves Wnen Ine MoV4
S I'D solid there's mighty little DANGER and
dig in my spurs tight and feel perieClY S0eui0 'A'
feet up in the air" a. 1;rorron
Who had inst descended from telegraph poie, ana
tbe person he addressed was TRIBUNE reporter, 70
whom he talked without reserve about his RecuIlaI
calling. The apparatus which enables the ilneman
to ascand a telegraph pole with the agility OF Q
monkey consists Of leather leRgln9s Iastens9
tightly about the legs with straps and buckles, aho
see spurs on the feet The spurs are nat bars mace
of steel, passing under the instep, with sharp,
nointed attachment fastened at right angles 10
them The latter 9s pf it,
"Thare are two kinds of telegraph repairers, line
men. or climbers, and ground men," continued t h
speaker climbers are the men Ess e. w tHe
mole and do the repairing and get from S40 TO 80
month, The ground men carry the wire, dig noles,
plant poles and do other odd jobs. They getordinar
aborers wages, The tools use are ylse' Q pair OF
pliers and strap. When o wire snaps In TWO 4
catch tho broken ends with the wise and strap ana
then splice them with the pliers. Or course 1oh
tie the wires quite tight togetner 6ns Little
snap again. In cities Tvs always easy 20 nno ~
where there's break whom the telegraph Won
work and the damage is soon rephired. Inere
are always lot OF linemen kept at headquarters.
and thew are ready to be sent out OF any time; II
notice comes IN that there's break and pole mas
opged hs %sa 60 % 1nS U pG new po
and then M this the climbers go and spice tne
wirea Sometimes anew hole has got to be dug ana
wa nse q machine called an earth augur,' when
does the work much better and quicker than q
Have Won ever been line man In the country p
"Yes. for short time and mighty hard IT 10
when there is any work. Each man has beat oil
from twenty-five to fifty miles, over which he must
make an inspection tour at least once week. III
his route is along railroad track he usually goes
on a hand.car. If the poles don't run alongside q
track but across open country, he has beat aoout
twenty miles long and goes ont on horseback. hes
got to live near station 50 that no can be quickly
notified when there's break, and must be ready TO
90 out OF any time, day or night in rain or snow
cold or hot had cross-country beat ohce.
g Have you ever encountered any great diincuitles
In the performance of your dutyP
We'll should say so. i was called ont In the
middle OF the night once IN January in biindmg
snowstorm and the thermometer about 10y below
zero The snow Law several feet deep on the rough
mountain path had 20 ride over. and kept nyinR
into nv eyes binding me that could not see the
wires and had TO climb mp every other pole Tor q
couple of miles before | could find the break and
repair It, It's pretty hard life when there's stormy
weather and there are many breaks But then,
again. yOu may not have to 90 out IN month, anu
YOU can lust loaf around while your wages go nght
on. Bnt you've got to be always ready for call.
Poles are either chestnut or cedar. Cedar looks
nicer but chestnut lasts good deal longer. Wires
are usually destroyed By rust. They last from seven
IN eiOhf venrs.U