Omaha daily bee., 1885-05-01
FAST TELEaRaPHERs.
A National Transmitting Tournament
to Take Place shortly-speedy
and Accurate Sending
Quick Receiving,
Philadelphia Call.

Philadelphia Call.
There Is, perhaps, no class Of workers
who possess q higher standard Of intelli-
gence than the telegraph operators. 1t
Is a business which requires much time
and patience, combined with unwearied
application. The chief attributes Of q
good operator are punctuality, regularity,
ability to work any apparatus, CAREFUL
ness, acquaintance with frequently used
names and terms, patience and q knowl-
edge of the general features of the vari-
Gus systems of telegrsphy. Punctuality
Is one of the principal requisites, since q
second or two to a telegraph operator Is
much more valuable than it Is to most
persons. Trials of speed have frequently
been INDUCED In, but no one particular
operator claims to be the fastest trans
mitter. 1t Is a sort of a tradition
among telegrAphers that the best
record wa, made in 1867 by Nicholas j.
Snyder, a brother of George w. Snyder,
now superintendent OF the Bell Tele.
phone company in this city, but just ex-
actly what Mr.. Snyder did to acquire
fame is not known. Oh October 8, 1884,
q. B. Gunther of the New York Stock
exchange received the answer "All
right" In t~wenty.six seconds after writ
Ing q message to q customer at the ex-
change in this city.
j. Chapman of the London Stock ex-
change took z minutes and 90 3-5 sec
onds to send $50 words In March, 1884,
In the same tournament j. Denett OF the
Central telegraph Office did it In min
utes and 80 4-5 seconds, and A. Blocker,
also of the Central, In z minutes and 48
seconds. Morse instruments were used,
and accuracy as we'll as dispatch was con
sidered. Hence Mr.. Chapman, though
not the fastest of the three, won by rea.
son of his accuracy.
A CONTEST IN NEW YORK,
There has never been any local con-
tests in Philadelphia of skill In rapid
sending, but several have taken place in
New York City. The Latest occurred on
Sunday, April 9th, in the rooms of the
United Press. Great interest was man.
Tested by the operators In all parts OF
the country, as it was understood that
this trial was but the f%orerunner of . ma
tional contest In which oil the famous
"fyers" of the profession will take part,
and the winner of which will be the
acknowledged champion. The contest
was q successful affair, and the time
made was astonishing. Five hundred
words of ielected matter was sent, and
twelve operators competed for fame and
money. Mr., j. w. Robson, of the
Stock Exchange, proved to be the win.
ner, making a record of 10 minutes and
80 seconds. Frank j. Kihm, of the
United Press, finished with the next best
time, 1898; but was only awarded third
prize for slight faults In the formation OF
certain characters. VIM. M. Gibson, OF
the Stock Exchange, received second
money, transmitting the matter in 1867.
A contest of this kind is very trying to
the competitors, as the slightest nervous
ness on the part of the sender will
cause him to ''break," and before he can
recover himself a few seconds are lost.
Thus it may readily be seen that q few
breaks made during a contest of only SOC
words will materially change the time of
the result. Messrs. Robson, kim and
other competitors were 80 nervous while
sending that they broke themselve no less
than five or six times, which made the
time slower than it would have been.
ARRANGEMENTS o TEE NATIONAL TRIAL.
At a supper given by the contestants q
committee was appointed to make the
necessary arrangements for the national
contest, and 1t was resolved to have the
men at this tournament send for one
hour, each sender being allowed to choose
an operator who will receive what Is sent.
This will nc doubt prove more satIsfacto-
ry to all concerned, as it is claimed that
500 words Is too short for q fair test.
The United Press, it Is understood,
will offer $500 for a first prize, and
if the record of 2,731 words In one
hour Is collapsed Its general manager,
Mr.. Walter P. Philips, who was the re.
ceiver when this record was accom-.
plished, will personally give a good
medal to the winner. Other prizes will
be offered by the manufacturers of tele.
graph instruments, and a fund will be
subscribed to entertain the competitors
from distant cities. This should prove q
very interesting tournament, not only In
telegraphlc circles, but also to the com
mercial world. Many sold timers" are
already shaking off their rustiness by
practlcing, aud cause the managers Of
their Offices much surprise by the manner
in which they are now getting off the
business.
Other cities will 1901 have local con
tests, the winners of which will probably
be sent as representatives. Some very
fast transmitting will no doubt be devel,
opad, and the winner will have to make
the lightning travel very fast to be sue
c%essful. The prizes are 30 liberal that
the tournament will attract attention IL
all parts of the country, and 1t will settle
the much vexed question as to who is the
fastest sender In this country.
Philadelphia has some very fast men t.
choose from to uphold the honor of the
Quaker City, and will not be very fal
behind at the finish.
FAST PHILADELPHIA MEN,
Among the fastest operators of thil
city are W. r. Weaver. who has a record
OF eighty-three messages an hour for foul
consecutive hours; William A. Conner Of
the Associated Press, Walter Blair, John
A. Hartman, Charles Mcdonnell, Harry
WALTON and A. G.. and Elgin Saylor, al
Of the Western Union; Jules Ewes of the
Stock Exchange, and j. b. freshman,
Thomas Tibbets, Harry @. Leahy, An
drew Wallace and Il. w. Sohussler of the
Baltimore and Ohio. Paul Hemus Of the
Bankers and Merchants, q boy of ID
1885,