Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1884-03-07
ROMANCE OF TELEGRAPHY.
CURIOUS INCIDENTS IN OuNNEC.
TIoN WITH TELEaRAPHING.
The Morse Alphabet as used in Ex-
tyeinisy-SOme odd Adventures of
Telegraph Operators,

The Morse Alphabet as used in Ex-
treinity-SOme Odd Adventures OF
Telegraph Operators,
The delicate instruments of telegraph
office are not indispensable to communi-
eating by telegraph. The Morse alpha
bet may be read by those familiar with it
by hearing, sight, taste and feeling. Its
dots and dashes may be expressed by any
thing that will make asounder, by stick
waved in the air, or by light in the dark.
There are some curious instances of tele-
graphing without key, relay and sounder.
About twenty years ago ColonelJ. j. S.
Wilson, of this city, then an active tele-
graph superintendent, was on tour in
the southern part of this State 1t was
a season of floods. Large portions of the
country adjacent to the Ohio and Missis-
sippi rivers were inundated, and the
wreckage- had included the washing away
of many miles of poles and wire. 1t be-
came necessary to communicate with a
point on the Missouri bank of the Missis-
sippi river by telegraph. The fertile in
vention of Colonel Wilson directed that
a locomotive be run to the Illinois bank.
Mounting the foot-board ne grasped the
valve and soon the shrill screams of the
locomotive whistle were heard by the lis
tening operators on the other shore, whist
ling out Wilson's message in the long and
short sounds of the alphabet familiar to
them as that of their primers. Commun-
ication was kept up in this way for sew
eral hours.
A train on western ralIl oau several
years ago met with a terrible accident
miles from any station. Among the pas
sengers was a young telegrapher. His
ready mind took in the situation, and
climbing the nearest pole it was an easy
task to cut the wire, and using the two
ends as a key send message for help.
To receive the reply was more difficult
task. Here again the young mans inven-
tion stood in good stead and spurred him
on to an exhibition of nerve that is rarely
met with. Admonishing the distant ope-
rator to send slowly, he placed the cut
ends of the wire upon his tongue, and by
the strength of each shock to that deli
cate member made out the letters until
the message was complete. That young
mans sense of taste was destroyed and
returned only in weakened degree after
two or three years.
Z A rich citizen of San Francisco owes
his life to his knowledge of telegraphy
acquired many years ago. Wandering
over Southern California as a prospector,
he was captured by band of Mexican
desperadoes They carried him to an
abandoned hacienda. and with mocking
cruelty set him at their table to feast,
before, as they told him, they killed him.
The prisoner recognized among his cap
tors an old campanion, also an operator,
who had gone to the bad little time
before. The recognition was mutual,
but neither. i, dared to address the other,
sounuer out OF MS knlle anu loFk, anu
while to the others he appeared playing
with them his cry for assistance was
read and understood by his old-time
comrade. They formed in this way a
plan of escape which was successfully
carried out.
The United States government IN
several of its lighthouses have the Ian
terms arranged so as to emit long and
short flashes of light, which form certain
letters of the telegraphic code. This is
a method of distinguishing the beacon,
which is easily understood by little
practice. There happened to be an ope-
rator on board of small coasting
schooner which was cast on Florida
reef in such position that escape from
the ship and aid from the shore were
both out of the question during the night
of the wreck. Throughout the long
hours of suspense he kept up communi-
cation with another operator on shore by
means of lantern, and word of hope,
of sympathy, and encouragement passed
back and forth until day dawned and
made rescue possible Chicago Inter-
Dceun ~