Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1885-11-14
STORIES OF rE1EGRAPHMe.

systsms of Signaling That Preceded ,h
Use of Electricify-A Lovers Telegraph.
telegraph operators have queer expe
riences," said veteran. "Many strange
things and good deal of private in
formation come to their knowledge"
"They profit by information sent be
tween brokers and dealers, do they not?'
"Very seldom. You see, such mes
sages are usually in cipher, and the OPP
orator is ignorant of their meaning.
remember young man who was at Oh
City during the Pennsylvania oil
excitement By studying the ciphers
of certain heavy spectators he
was at last able to translate
them. He gave the information to q
friend, who used it to their joint profit.
He was finally detected and discharged,
but not until he had made quite for
tune. which was afterward increased
until he became very wealthy. This
man is still alive, and has served more
than one term in the Pennsylvania leg
islature. KNEW of another case some
what different. / was one of the first
operotors on the Morse instrt-
ment sent to Philadelphia when
the telegraph reached there. The
instrument marked the characters on
slip of paper. Of course the instrument
licked. but this was long before there
was any thought of taking by ear. Among
our visitors were brokers and members
of the exchange, and they were much
interested in what has already become
very valuable to them. One of them,
"Bull" Bridges, spent 80 much time IN
the Office that we gave him q great deal
of information, and explained the
workings of the instruments. About
this time we began to receive complaints
that the contents of messages sent
from New York to Philadelphia we're
known to outside persons. In the office
We began to look upon each other with
suspicion, and I finally determined to
dosome detective work. l kept watch
of our visitors, and finally discovered
that complaints only reached US con-
corning such kilograms as were received
while our friend "Bull" was in the office
therefore determined to have all visi-
tors excluded, and an order was posted
to that effect. Our trouble ceased at
once. and my suspicious were confirmed.
Il knew Bridges had not seen any
messages, and wondered how he could
accused him he burst out laughing and
admitted the whole thing. He had the
tick of the recorder down 80 fine that
he could take message by ear, and
he was the first man that ever did 1t.
Not long afterward the sounder was in
troduced, and since then almost all tele-
graphing in this country has been taken
by ear"
"Was there any system of rapid COM
munication before the invention of the
lecric telegraph"
eyes indeed, quite. number. The
system most used was the invention of
the Chappe brothers, two French boys, |
VIII first utilized it in 1874 at school,
where they saw each other only at a
distance. They used pivoted beam,
which being placed in different posi-
tions, indicated different characters. |
Afterward the French government
adopted this system, and one of the
inventors was made Geographic engi- |
neer and placed in charge. Lines were |
established all along the coast from Paris |
to the frontier"
Show were these signals seen?"
"By the use of powerful glasses. The
stations were only about ten miles apart, |
and with good telescopes the signals
could readily be distinguished, and the |
receiving station would then commune |
cate with the next station"
"Could this be done rapidly?"
ayes. I remember q line that was
worked from the top of the old custom
house here to Sandy Hook. The oper-
ators used blocks of wood with large let
tiers on them, and could telegraph at the
rate of about 100 letters in five minutes
between stations ten miles apart.
"Beacons were first used. Long before
the Christian era Roman generals were
able to communicate with each other oy
means of flames in different positions,
and of various numbers. Some of the
Indian mounds in the west are supposed
to have been constructed for signal pur-
poses, fire and smoke being used.
The fiery cross OF the High
land chief quickly summoned the
faithful to war. In later times drums,
trumpets, and flags were used for signal
purposes, particularly by armies. Most
barbarous people have methods OF tele-
graphing. Among the negroes in the
Cameroons country on the west coast OF
Africa, they communicate by means of
sound for great distances. The lnstru-
ment they use is q sort of drum, and the
words are represented by various beats
upon it. l will tell you an incident con-
nected with telegraphing by sound.
after came to New York lived in
a quiet street, which is now noisy
thoroughfare. Ispent most of my time
when away from the Office in my
room. One evening, while sitting at the
window, happened to look across to
the opposite house, where saw pretty
girl at one of the windows. She was
was leaning against the easement, tap
ping the glass with pencil.
After this I saw her at the
same place many times. We
had got as far as nodding acquai ntance,
but l had no opportunity of speaking to
her. One afternoon, having come home
somewhat early, 1 was at my window
thinking of my pretty friend opposite.
I almost unconsciously tapped q salute
to her on the window pane with my pen
Gil, using the telegraph signs. 1 was
very much surprised when q re-
ply came from her in the same
way. She understood the signs
and could use them. After that we had
long talks across the street, and, as our
interest in each other deepened into al
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