Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-11-26
TELEGRAPHTC TALK.

Some Rsmibiseenees OF Veteran Operator.
Mr.. J. c. Courtney, Of Atlanta,
who was in the city yesterday to
witness the marriage ceremony Of
his son, has remarkable history,
which will be Of interest to many
people in this city. Mr.. Courtney
was a former resident Of Richmond
and is q native virginian. He is
now general auditor for the Western
and Atlantic railroad. He is an old
telegrapher, and has the distinction Of
being the first operator in the world
to read by sound, an honor which was
for long time in dispute until settled
some years ago at a convention OF
telegraphers from all parts OF the
country. He became an operator in
the early part of lS49, and in
October Of the same year commenced
to discard the old Morse register, con-
trary to the belief Of and direct orders
from the company managers. Mr.. Dow
ell, it will be remembered, was the su-
perintendent at that time, and when
Mr.. Courtney was suggested as man
ager for the Petersburg office, Mr.. Dowcll
refused to permit him to take charge
unless the register was allowed to run
as a check upon what he considered q
possibly. .erring ear. This Mr.. Court
ney agreed to do; but never after that
did he have occasion to use the little
white tape.
During the war Mr.. Courtney had
charge of the construction of lines for
the Confederate Government, and had
also very lively time dodging Federal
bullets, on several occasions making
narrow escapes from the enemy's
clutches. 1t was he who gave General
Beauregard the first news Of Lees sur
render, while at Greensboro, n. c., in
advance OF the official announcement
which came later from headquarters.
The personal "reminiscences Of nearly
every old-time telegrapher are interest
ing to a degree, and Mr.. Courtney
having a wonderfully retentiye me-
mory, is full to the brm of ante and
post-bellum stories concerning his own
and the experience of others. He re-
lates the fact that as early as 1852 he
discovered his ability to receive
message over wire by touching
the end of the line to his tongue.
lie first noticed it one day while re-
pairing a cable in the water near Smith
field, between Norfolk and Petersburg,
and a number of times thereafter. just
after the war, at a wreck on the West
ern and Atlantic railroad near Smyrna,
he cut the wire, made a ground connec-
tion with his hand, and by tapping the
end Of the line communicated the facts
of the wreck to the railroad offices at
Atlanta, and then received orders over
the same wire by touching the end with
his tongue, using neither key nor bat
terry. A wrecking train was sent out
at once, thus saving much valuable
time.
A very incredulous story of atmos-
pheric induction is told by Mr.. Court
ney. While at Petersburg most brilliant
display Of aurora borealis occurred.
The current became so strong over the
wire to Norfolk that he tried an ex-
pertinent, asking the Norfolk ope-
rator to take off the battery. Without
a battery at either end, the current was
strong enough to send and receive mes
sages. This would continue some four or
five minutes, until the aurora died down,
when the current would weaken. Then
in a few minutes it would grow
stronger as the aurora frightened, be-
coming very severe at the apex, and
again subsiding as before. This is
considered almost beyond belief by
operators, and not many times has
such induction been noticeable. Mr..
Courtney is quite modest about his
career as a pioneer telegrapher, and
only let these facts drop in casual
talk with representative Of the Dis
patch. lie returns to Atlanta this eve-
ming with his party.