Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-12-16
EARLY TELEGRAPHY.
ROUGH EXPERIENCES IN THE LIVES OF
PIosEER PACIFIC OPERATORS
How Breik In the Limo Between san Fran
cisco and Virginia City Was
Repaired BY n Tsamster'

coast was nonplussed over break ia the
line between Virginia City and San Fran
cisco, The wire carried the stock quota
tons. and the market was Frustrated by
the failure to hear from the mines. sta
.ions were long way apart seventy
miles frequently intervening between
operators. Frank Bell was superintend-
ent OF the mountain division, where
grades were so heavy that linemen had
to Chamber up the bills by hand over
band process. An inspection did not
disclose the break. Another lineman
was sent. and lie returned with the news
that the wire was sll right Three days
had elapsed without o message between
the two feverish markets OF Nevada and
/ California, and spectators surmised that
some one was pla}i ing crooked. Then
/ Frank BELL got MAD. lie swore ne
/ would 90 over the line himself amt ex-
anime every inch OF wire. Then he
sailed forth with blood in his eye and
couple of six-shooters in his belt.
/ lie Jared 10 better than his prede-
cessors, although he stuck to his resolu-
ton 20 inspect every inch of that wire.
/ Once only did be falter. TIE wire was
stretched across the top Of high bill,
where 1t passed behind tree. He could
see both ends held iaut. but not salts
fed he scaled the cliff, climbed in be-
hind tue tree. and found the break.
/ The wire. which had parted, had been
Joined bv some one who used piece OF
/ hay rope. thus efIectually breaking Che
circuit. The air was sulphurous about
this time and tue superintendent wore
himself out apostrophizing the man who
had done the job.
Nothing was heard Of the break until
one day during the following summer,
when Frank Bell was out making certain
repairs. A teamster pulled uphis mules
on the road below and shouted to Bell
Say, you telegraph feller," heyelled,
al guess you owe me drink.
"Not by - sight, was the posi-
tive rejoinder.
"Yes, You do" came back from the
mule-whscker. 81 found your -- old
line down here last winter and tied 1t
up for you.
"Then you are the blasted fool I've
been looking for, replied Bell, who be-
gan to get hot over the recollection as
he started down the bluff.
The teamster saw there was something
he could not understand and lit out with
out delay.
The Los Angeles circuit of the south
ern overland became interrupted in 1868.
Linemen who were sent out returned,
stating that they could not repair the
break without a lot OF supplies. About
a mile of wire and poles had as complete
" disappeared as though they had been
swallowed up by the earth. No trace
could be found Of the missing material,
and the line was reconstructed. After
ward a detective was engaged to solve
the mystery. He worked for three
weeks on the case, exploring n country
that was mere desert. He was de-
spondent and about to abandon all
further search when he ran across the
material il question. He was stopping
overnight at a small ranch which was
surrounded 10y neat wire fence. Barb
ed wire WAS unknown and the ranchman
was taxed with stealing the Overland
line. The old settler, who had built q
tirst-class corral at little cost, admitted
the impeachment.
yes" he said, give been living here
nigh onto three years, and have watched
that burned old line. ! never saw any
thing 20 over and thought no one was
using it.
lhe settler was honest, and after read
ing him a lecture on the invisible nature
of electricity the detective reported. NO
prosecution followed.
On the San joaquin trail the daring
engineers who had climbed crag and pre-
cipice TO stretch their wires were out
wltted 10y the long-horncd Spanish cat
tie that grazed in the valley. No timber
graced the country ana flies were trouble
some. The cattle were tOrmented 10y
these winged pests and to get rid Of them
crowded to the telegraph line. They
would rub against tho poles and
paw the earth away from the base.
Heavy poles would be worn out
in few months, causing frequent
Interruptions The line could not be
fenced in and it would not pay to hire
vaqueros to drive away the stock. One
Of those brilliant ideas that change the
! fate Of nations suggested cure for the
evil. Spikes were driven in the poles
and the ends sharpened so as to tickle
the thick hide of the steers and keep
/ them away from their daily pleasure.
/ The theory was good, but 1t failed IN
practice. The cattle actually appreciated
| the change and brought all their horned
companions from twenty miles to enjoy
the prickly sensation produced by the in
ventiOn. After this twice as many poles
were needed and the spike feature was
| abandoned.
Dave Williams was the smartest tele.
grapher of the day. Qnick-witted and
fertile in expedients he ran up to Vir-
/ ginia City IN 1866. when the mining
world was lying awake nights expecting
| TO hear the decision IN the famous Chol-
! lar and Wide West claims. Whichever
way the Judgment went meant fortune
for the first man that got tho news.
| Williams boldly entered the Office at
Virginia City and openly engaged the
three wires running TO San Francisco by
filing copy of newspaper for trans
mission. The court was tardy and
the newspaper was exhausted before
the decision was announced Williams
then passed q Bible over the counter.
telling the Office staff to grind out
on that on three wires. Agents of bro
kers, who had been sent 10 Virginia City
on the same mission, tumbled to the
deal to shut them out and induced the
manager to wire to headquarters for
special instructions The question Of
priority on three wires was raised and
the President wired back that priority
could only be claimed on a single wire
and not on the whole system. Williams
was knocked out, but fortune favored
him by delaying the decision several
days, Hastily collecting a camping out
fit and hiring q wagon the plucky opera
tor started for the brush, where he con-
cealed himself at a spot convenient to
the telegraph line.
The wire was tapped and receiver
and transmitter cut Into the circuit In
this way Williams learned everything
that passed over the wires. Nothing in