Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1881-04-09
"REMINISCENCES OF THE PACIFIC COAST
TELEGRAPH.

intervals, strung with wire with cross
arm ON each pole, conceived the idea aud
expressed it as their belief that the Yam
KEGS were fencing in the country with
crosses to keep the devil out. From this
period the work was successfully carried
on without any incident of Importance
until we reached San Jose. At this place
the first regular station was opened. The
office was fitted up ON the day following
our arrival, and | soon had it prepared for
business. While these preparations were
being made the portion of the street 'front.'
ing the office had rapidly filed up with a
crowd of people, large proportion of
whom were native Californians, all mani
Testing the greatest interest and desiring
to know what was going on. The day
being warm, the windows of the Office
We're wide open. As they opened on the
sidewalk all that | was doing inside was
plainly visible to those standing without.
Observing the anxious and inquiring ex-
preston on the faces of those who had
mansged to get near enough to thrust their
heads through the open window, it &C.
Cured TO me to act IN very mysterious
manner in order to see what effect it would
have upon my spectators. | had just re-
ceived the first message from San Fran
cisco, which, after it had been copied,
placed IN an envelope. On seeing me do
this my audience thought, as | supposed.
| was preparing the message for transmits
sion. l took it from the table on which
had placed it, and instead of handing it to
the boy for delivery, put it, holding it in
my hand, under the table, which was pro-
lnI flxrI 70 la
the envelope from their view. As | did
this | kept my eyes fixed ON the wire,
while, with my right hand, took hold OF
the key and began working it. The mo-
ment the crowd heard the first click of the
instrument they all rushed from under the
veranda out into the street to see the mes
sage III the envelope pass along the wire.
On seeing them rush out tumbling one
over the other to catch glimpse of the
message, we on the inside burst out into
one long and continued roar OF laughter.
Our laughing seemed to puzzle them still
more. But lit5le by little they began to
realize that they had been made the VIC
Tins of an innocent joke. They at first
manifested signs of disappointment that
their expectations had not been realized (;
but instead of passing any time In vain re-
grets, they Immediately set to work to find
out what really had become of the mystic
rious message And, after all, their con-
ception of this, although a mistaken one,
was a very rational one. To one who had
neither heard of the telegraph and cleo
tricity, nor conceived the possible exist
ence of the latter, what could be more
natural than to suppose that the envelope
and its contents were propelled under the
agency of motive power along the wire
from one point to another. AS they had
failed to see it pass along the wire their
second supposition was that the wire was
hollow and that the envelope with its
message inclosed was forced through the
hollow part, and with this idea they asked
whether such was not the case nor would
they believe the contrary until, for them
selves, they had examined the end OF the
wire. Conviction on this point put an end
to their conjectures. The telegraph was
to them the very hardest kind of conun-
drum. It was impossible of solution.
Their final conclusion was that it was an
enchanted spirit-but whether a good one
or an evil one they could not quite deter
nine-over which [ had such control that
it was obliged to do my bidding. Under
this impression they departed one by one,
looking upon both the telegraph and myself
as something, as the Scotchman would sag,
''uucauny. After having fully equipped
the Office at San Jose for business and
placed it in regular TELEGRAPH commune
cation with San Francisco, l prepared to
push on the next day for Stockton, when,
just as we were on the point OF starting, l
discovered that the coils of wire that had
been stored at San Jose were much larger
than those we had used between San Fran
cisco and that point, and were conse-
quently more difficult TO handle without
changing the reel. We made only three
miles that day, camping at night in front
of a farm house, the occupant of which
had left the Eastern States before the adj
vent Of the telegraph. When supper was
over he visited our camp ard appeared
much interested, watching me attentively
while | was communicating with San Jose
and San Francisco He could not realize
that it was possible for me to hold con-
versation, through the medium of little
ticking instrument, with persons so far
distant. In fact, he expressed grave
doubts as 10 the truthfulness of my asser-
ton that | was speaking with any one at
all, saying that it was impossible for any
one TO read or interpret the clicks made by
the little instrument in front of me. And
so satisfied was he of the correctness of his
views that he stated his willingness to
back them up by wager. He then re-
quested me to tell him what it was | had
Just communicated | told him l had in
formed the operator at San Jose that the
machinery / was using for paying out the
wire needed some alterations, and that l
would return there the next morning to
have the necessary changes made. He
thereupon very kindly volunteered on GER
tain conditions to take me to San Jose in
his wagon. The conditions were that l
would accept his offer to furnish water
melons for the whole party on its being
proved that the communication | had
stated as having been sent by me to San
Jose had been received at that office over
the line. But to make sure that no advan-
tage should be taken of him, he requested
me, to send another message to the effect
that on our arrival at San Jose in the
morning the operator must promptly APP
pear at the door of the office and say
" Watermelons. My agreement to do
rancher friend held in me, and he very
generously rendered me the hospitality of
his house, in which | enjoyed the luxury
of an excellent bed. After hearty break
fast in the morning, good pair of horses
were brought out and attached to buggy,
in which was placed my reel, and we
started for San Jose. Drawing up in front
OF the office we were met by the operator
at the door, who promptly saluted us with
" Where are the lcdtegmeIons 2" My COM
panion slapped me on the back, delighted
at being fully convinced of the reality and
Importance of the telegraph. The water
melons were quickly provided, and as they
were worth at that time dollar or more
apiece, they were considered great treat.
When the feast was over, he made many
inquiries about the telegraph, examining
into the mysteries of its working after
which, the changes in the wire-reel having
in the meantime been made, we set out on
our return TO the camp, where, on our
arrival in tho nftarunnn work WAS again