New-York tribune., 1885-01-11
PRACTICAL TELEGRAPHY.
HOW TO LEARN THE TRADE - OPERATORS AND
THEIR SALARIES.

HOW TO LEARN THE TRADE oPEhAiohs hNO
THEIR SALARIES.
q NV daughter has been studying telegraphy
for two months and she is perfect her teacher tells
me- exclaimed buxon wOinan In the superintendent
oce n, the Western Union Building yesterday afternoon
You say she has been practising aud studyine ior
fully two MONTHS" asked superintendent hr"ih
nlea,anty as be narrowly observed the young girl in
short dresses who accompanied her mother
ayes two months"
Aud Won rysl-"
~You TO give her position your operating room.
She ought to get $50 a month"
Pardon madame. but experience has taught us
that two months study does not make competeht
opertor Your da lghter is very young. hardly SIX
teen should say, and she would nat be equal to the
task CT handling three hundred Important mes
sagcs daily; neither has she sufficient experience t"
warrant in thinking that she co I'D take charge OF
an oice Let yonr daughter study fOu: or five months
longer vacancies at present will enter
her name the list Of applicants and she Will be duly
and fairly considered"
Had not Letter get letter for Der from some one In
That viii be no good. madame. Itisa question of
efficiency wholly. We aka appointments Iro'n the
most competent operators our list Of applicants
snail bear your daughter in mind Drop IN OCCASIONALLY
and tell me how she IL progressing. Good day
The ambitious mother with visions Of 800 month %
scnt ont with dazyd expression her face. and there
were of disappointment In the yes of tue little girl
hive" said superIntendent Erwin turning TO the
reporfer" nearly like that TO dispose OF
each day. Il often extremely unpleasant Our Offices
.CH and We cannot encourage more than snia pr
Others have TO he DISCOURAGED aud some few, who
promise To he exceedingly nsefa operators we advise
and aid We have large number OF young operators
learning the u%e Of the n5rnnenis and learn
ing the routine busness OF tho company Ihese opefa-
all able TO lake key anl 20 to work wheneyer
aytcancy offers itseli They form oar reserve corps
"ynu have diniculty III securing g0Od opcfatOrs W
this time. do voui'
"oh no do not recal- season when there were more @
unemployed expert operators se"king situations. Ine
railroads discharged great many OF their opera
the ersons We tho ~ all applicants Tor
situations book kept for that purpose aud select
thins ahst to or who We have reason to tank be
oonvsrre into good operators We choose those whom
| we honestly believe to he tho best. poor operator
could not discharge The duties assigned MIN
Zach day and would he dropped Tae applicant
whom YOU lust expected u get $50 mouth for her
services some private teacher perhaps. pu, that into
her head FEW female operators who are PAID
$50 month some OF tle most proficient ones get sha' ia
amount bat the great majority "t them got $50 or Tio'
Beginners paid So month"; -. -,
DO the cheap commercial colleges graduate good
y. No. they do not The applicants who come To US
have a good before they aie III TO enter the
colleg. can teach tiem IN but they
have IN addition ~ tnat Ia lcaru onr business lDr ana
@ ,,r. Is.rp,e "details and listening 20 the sonnd Of
the before they can be intristed with tue
grarh school In the country girls Cooper Institute.
The company pays trst-cas- tearher- there every
sn rr,rt,. Snd they often become thoroughly proh
oieui. cf the beet telegraph orer In Tue cau
their business In tue offices where they nave
scryei a. mc4,eugcrs am often surprised by little
mes niger from city here appearing before he am
asking "A siiu t0n ad oIerIt"r 1hcy Always zen
INC that they have jus; liked 1t NJ and We hhl tbiJ
steady boys who pick mp make A. inle success
| ful operators 49,. - -, ~ -,
Generally do not Women c.np9t WoTk as long
as men: they break d1Sn sooner. hey cannot WORK
the long circuits well, becinsa tho strain Oh We
nervous system great. Women useful In &C tain
places 1hry do regular and hniilrd amount OF
work exceedingly veil t1ink u Is adn,ttes M, @ .ey
AZ railroad Stations ana Ia hotels Ihoy are
often preferred 10 Iinn :or these piac -. , ,.,
T. the bnsuess 0f The western Union tunlmhy large
| M pr,scnf; that is. is large ~ n should bc Z
Tine business 1f this telegraph Company Is pretty
country Wsn bu nes- 4 depressed and hard times are
| thrc Itcur1. the telegraph business becomes smut
People "bo are not So.ns e r Ie Iaa y 70 Snta
tho lu. gye operators tiine ior VACATIONS ana
rra,aiion. Many yt thrm have atalled then-eyes OF
opportunity and have gone a"Hy Tor ten hSs or Two
s1rc YOU reducing your force by dsclarsins your
| No. hut We are not increasing the force. when
operators resign Try TO n the places ~ shifting our
q, A. tue thai the conIpany has issued an order
In: that DO ;sy NIL y. allowed ioF cAtra tiiIc :
! NO sir: the complny has is@ned 40 shoh orsor "
any one works oud s resIar hours he VIII e p1ii
FOR r. The company rUpo-cs t1 50 ARRANGE ts
that there viii b. necessity for extra hours " ~
Thought that with careful MANAGE nent a the business
h- done within the fesu ar NorkhE tlne " VIII nc
the atm company not 20 ass It's cnpnjes To work
extra time but any Jc docs additional W1ik
| he with be paid fdT H.. 49,. -.
We do not fear a STRIKE Ih"rH u no reason why
there should be II ne operators wished 10 strhc
they would hardly choose thls when business u ic-
prcssei anl when our doors are crowded WIN expert
nnera'ors In search or employment cannot see now
telegraph operators or any otter omploo TonM h1p. 70
gaia any thing by striking at tina time There aye Ten
men really MI every situation, and rympaihy WIN the
strikers would not deter them all from seiLnG Oh tue
! vacancies