McCook weekly tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 188?-1886, 1884-10-02
LEARNING UNDER DIFFICULT
TIES.
HO,r Tiro Farmer Boys Learned to be Teie-
0rapLers-A Miniature Telegraph Line
at Home.

Hor 1ro FARMER B0Us Learned to De Iefe
vraphers-A Miniature Telegraph Line
at Home.
, Washington Star.
In one of the towns on the Baltimor,
and Potomac railroad, from which the
block system is worked, the traveller
sees at night as he is whisked rapid,
by, the figure of young man, whose
perseverance, and difficulties and dis.
=, couragemcnts in learning the business
of telegraphy entitled him to the most
abundant success in the profession he
has chosen. A younger brother, who,
with him, shared his tolls and trials in
learning, only waits for a few days for
his majority to enter the service of the
railroad company as an operator.
These two young men are of fam
lily of three boys, who lived with their
father, a plain, Woodworking farmer,
residing about mile from station on
the railroad. When not otherwise en-
gagged, the boys spent much of their
time at the station, and watched with
curious eye the manipulations of the
telegraph keys. They discussed be-
tween themselves the ACCESSIBILITY of
learning the business, and came to the
conclusion that it would be far better
for them to follow this business than
that of working corn and tobacco.
There were, however, many difficult
ties in the way, the gravest being lack
of knowledge and want of time to de-
vote to learning as well as the neces-
sary instruments for practice. They
were nonplussed, knowing that it would
be tedious and almost impossible to
learn by picking up a sound now and
then at the station. After few days,
however, they had reason to rejoice,
for chance threw into their way the
very thing they wanted. This was a
fragment of book containing few
pages on telegraphy, including the
Morse alphabet, found in the rubbish
barrel bought by their father. They
then commenced a regular course of
study, and arranging some nails in two
pieces of wood so as to strike the heads
together to initiate the ticking of the
instrument they went into practice. As
soon as they had learned how to man
ipulate this rude sounding key another
instrument was made, and during the
long winter evenings in separate rooms
they would communicate with each
other. Sometimes they used their
school lessons and transmitted from
one to the other in their course of their
practice the whole of the Sixth Reader
The father did not, however, take much |
stock in their proceedings, hardly real |
izing that they would become expert |
operators without a practical teacher;
but the tapping of the nail heads con-
tinued. As they seemed determined,
and withal did not neglect the work |
on the farm, he interposed no
objection. One fall the father |
proposed to his three boys |
that if they would cut and load eight |
carloads of wood he would give each of |
them the proceeds of one carload. The
offer they accepted, and in due time had |
the cars loaded and the wood sold; each |
netting S25 or $50. This was given |
them to do with as they pleased, and it |
was thought that most of it would be |
spent in clothing, in which they stood |
in some need. When, however, they |
returned from Baltimore, each with a |
cheap suit of clothes, they brought |
home with them batteries, instruments |
and wires. 1t was apparent that not |
only had the two disciples of the art |
laid out most of their money to further
prosecute their studies. but that the
third brother had helped them. With
their plan line was erected, with
about mile of wire running around
the place, one instrument being placed
in the corn house and the other in the
and the practice went on. Dur
ing the great Guiteau trial in this city,
on receiving paper one would go to
the corn house, and calling the brother
up at the kitchen end of the line, would
telegraph the whole report, thus the
whole family would learn the news.
This practice was kept up until few
months ago, when the elder boy re-
ceived an appointment on the Baltimore
and Potomac railroad, and, as stated
before, may be seen every night in his
tower as he signals that his block is
clear by raising the red (danger) sig
nal out of sight and showing the white
Safety signal.