The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-11-13
STORIES OF TELEGRAPHING.
The First Man Read by Ear-Getting a
Wife "On Tick"

The First Man to Read by Ear-Getsing a
Wife "On Tick"
New York sun
Telegraph operators have queer experiences, !"
said veteran in the employ of the Western
Union company. MANY strange things and a
knowledge"
''They profit by information sent between
brokers and dealers, do they notf'
Very seldom You see. such messages are
usually In cipher, and the operator is ignorant
of their meaning / remember young man
who was at Oil 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 a
friend. who used it to their joint profit. He was
finally detected and discharged, but not until he
mad made quite fortune, which was afterward
increased until he became very wealthy. This
man is still alive, and has served more than one
term In the Pennsylvania Legislature knew
of another case somewhat different / was one
of the first operators on the Morse instrument
sent to Philadelphia when the telegraph reached
there The instrument marked the characters on
a slip OF paper Of course the instrument licked,
but TINS was long before there was any thought
OF taking by ear Among visitors were
brokers and members of the Exchange, and they
were much interested in what had already be-
come very valuable to them. One of them,
buif Bridges, spent SO much time in the Office
that we gave him a 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 were known to outside per-
sons In the Office we began 20 look upon each
other with suspicion, and l finally de-
termned to do some detective work.
kept watch of visitors, and finally
discovered that complaints only reached US
corning such kilograms as were received while
our friend Bull was in the office therefore
determined to have all visitors excluded, and an
order was posted to that effect Our trouble
ceased at once, and my suspicious were con-
frmed..
Il knew Bridges had not seen any messages
and wondered how he could have known their
contents. When 1 accused him he burst out
laughing and admitted the whole thing. He had
the tick of the recorder down so fine that he
could take message by ear, and he was the first
man that ever did it. Not long afterward the
sounder was introduced. and since then almost
all telegraphing in this country has been taken
by ear"
"Was there any system of rapid communica-
ton before the invention of the electric tele-
graph"
''Yes, indeed, quite a number. The system
most generally used was the invention of the
Chappe brothers. two French boys, who first
utilized it in 1874 at school, where they each
beam, which, being placed in different positions,
indicated different characters. Afterward the
French government adopted this system. and
one of the inventors was made Geographic en-
gineer and placed in charge. Lines were estab-
lished all along the coast, and from Paris to the
frontier"
'How were these signals seen2"
"By the use of powerful glasses. The sta
lions were only about ten miles apart and with
good telescopes the signals could readily be dis
tlngushed, and the receiving station would then
communicate with the next station"
Gould this be done ready9'
Eyes. l remember line that was worked
from the top Of the old custom house here to
kS nf
wood with large letters on them, and could tel
egraph at the rate of about one hundred letters
in five minutes between stations ten miles apart.
"Beacons were first used. Long before .he
Christian era Roman generals were able to COM
municate with each other by means OF flames In
different positions and of various numbers.
Some of the Indian mounds in the West are sup
posed to have beeh constructed for signal pur
poses. fire and smoke being used The fiery cross
of the Highland chief quickly summoned the
faithful to war. In later times drums. trumpets
and flags were used for signal purposes. par
ticularly by armies. Most barbarous peo-
pie amone have the methods
country on the west coast of Africa they COM
municate, by means of sound, for great dis
tances. The instrument they use is a sort of
drum, and the words are represented by various
beats upon it. | will tell you an incident con-
nected with telegraphing by sound.
after l came to New York lived in quiet
street, which is now noisy thoroughfare l
spent most of my time when away from the
Office in my room. One evening, while sitting
at my window, I happened to look across to
the opposite house, where 1 saw pretty girl
at one of the windows. She was leaning against
the easement tapping the glass with
pencil After this saw her at the same place
many times. We had got as far as a nodding
acquaintance, but l had no opportunity of
speaking to her. One afternoon, having come
| home somewhat early, l was at my window
thinking of my pretty friend opposite, almost
unconsciously tapped salute to her on the win
| dow pane with my pencil, using the telegraphic
| signs. / was very much surprised when a reply
came from her in the same way. She under
| stood the signs and could use them After that
| we had long talks across the street. and, as our
| interest in each other deepened into warmer
| feeling, many tender message was sent by the
| airline. You may not believe it, but we were
| engaged to be married before we had ever ex-
| changed a word. or before either had heard the
other speak word. Afterward I was introduced
properly, and married the young lady the follow
ing Christmas, and that is what l call getting a
| wife on tick"