Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-09-28
TELEGRAPH CLIMBERS.
A VOCATION WHICH REQUIRES 4
CLEAR HEAD AND SURE NERVES.

CLEAR HEAD AND SURE NERVES.
The Dangers Which Beset Climbers-Dur-
ing n Thunder Storm-Wonderful Skill
Tramp-Names of the Wires.
The work and experiences of a telegraph |
climber have much in them to interest not |
only the small boy but older persons as well.
There is enough of danger and adventure in
their work to make their occupation an in
teresting one. Particularly is this true where
telegraph line is being put up or repaired in
wild and almost uninhabited region. Tele-
graph lines have been run through sections so
infested with hostile Indians that detach-
ment of soldiers had to be sent along to pro-
tect the workmen Repairing wires broken
by falling trees or branches has not infre-
quently to be done now in the west in dis
tricts where life is more or less in danger
The climbers and linemen out west often go
as completely armed as do hunters and scouts
But the chief dangers which beset climbers
are not occasioned by Indians or wild beasts
There is great danger of falling unless the
man is experienced AS is well known, those
who have to climb telegraph poles strap
climbers" onto their foot to enable them to
obtain foothod as they ascend or descend
| These may be loosely described by saying
that they are sort of open work iron boot
| strapped TO the foot and leg and provided
just beneath the instep with sharp spike,
| which with each step taken by the wearer is
stamped or rather jabbed by the leg into the
| pole. These spikes are artificial substitutes
| for claws The experienced climber will jab
the pole with each step so as to get secure
| footing every time, and do it as readily as
he would take step on pavement The
inexperienced one will often find his footing
insecure, and as he raises one foot the other
| sustaining his weight will slip and he will
fall unless be is quick and fortunate enough
to get new foothold, which is a difficult
matter.
Another danger which climbers have to
undergo at certain times is from electricity.
Often during a storm and for some time
afterward the wires are heavily charged
with electricity or lightning, and a wet tele-
graph pole is sufficiently good conductor,
frequently, to convey it from the wires TO
the body of any one who may happen to be
]
ceived is very likely to knock the climber to
the ground Repairers, on this account.
usually suspend work during thunder storm
and for short time afterward 1t is impos-
sible, however, always TO tell when the dan
ger is over.
In the country each stretch of about $50
miles of telegraph line is in charge of one
man so far as repairs are concerned. He
hn Iii
stand his business. Light repairing he does
alone, and occasional help, such as is neces-
sary in putting up poles that have been
blown down, he gets from the railroad sec
ton hands. He is generally paid jointly by
the railroad and telegraph company. When
ever any considerable damage is done to the
lines by severe storm or otherwise full
crew of men is sent out from Chicago or the
nearest large city to repair them. A force of
twenty-five lnemen, groundmen and repair
ers is Kept at the Western Union office in
Chicago. Ten or twelve Of them are kept
busy in shifting poles and lines, and the
others attend 10 the repairing necessary to
be done in the city and within radius Of
fifteen miles or little more
The skill displayed in locating breaks is
wonderful In or near the city, whether the
wires are underground or overhead, breaks
can quite easily be located by means of test
stations As these are generally only two or
three blocks apart, when it is ascertained
that the break is between two given stations
but little time is required in finding it, Out
in the country there is more difficulty. By
means of tests it can be found out that the
break or crossing of wires is between two
certain stations, but these stations are often
ten, twenty or thirty miles apart 1t has,
; for example, been ascertained in the main
Office that wire fails to work and that the
trouble lies somewhere between Kenosha and
Racine, a distance OF about twenty miles
The lineman takes the train for Kenosha
: He does not get off there, but remains on the
2 train and looks intently at the telegraph
. wires to discover where the break is If thu
wire is broken and hangs down he can usn
ally discover it from the train. Should th,
I | trouble arise from two wires being crossed
: merely the discovery of the location is mucl
more difficult and cannot be made from tn,
moving train with any certainty. If tn
lineman goes clear TO Racine without locat
ing the trouble he starts back afoot walkin,
, as nearly possible under the wires ant
looking up at them Sooner or later he j
pretty sure to locate the difficulty, though
may be only after a tiresome tramp of tel
: or fifteen miles and ''crick in the neck"
e The experienced lneman, when out on sucl
t g tramp, does not have to look at all the wire
: overhead. He knows the particular wire tina
has failed TO work, and he knows its locatio
e on the crosstrees at the top of the poles, so
d has only to watch that particular wire, tn
" experienced lineman can stand by a POI
: which srstains fifty wires and can name ever
one of them and tell their terminal point
= The railroad wires always take their nan
!, from the road, as Michigan Southern 4
4 Grand Trunk =" etc The commercial wir,
are some of them named after the roads an
i some of them after their terminal point
When named from the roads they differ
n designation from the railroad wires only
number Michigan Southern 4 may be
u railroad wire, while Michigan Southern
~ may be a commercial wire. st Louis 8
y Cincinnati II Milwaukee 81 are exampl
of wires named from their terminal point
A. All 'St. Louis wires go to st. Louis, b
-. they do not all go along the same railroa
"A They 20 by all roads, and some go by &
a., highway along the canuL-Chicago Herald