The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1888-08-17
WIRES IN THE WAR
Reunion of the Ancient and
Army Telegraphsrs
ErroHr EDISON WAS soEs.
H2rSsAyvs 4za TEersfszn 81 the OPP
srssars Darf~< sh= EehetIisn-
Their EesprzsEsFEsfis<-a Gre..
GztherEnx At chisaxo-A Feast eft
Es~ssrse yeIaIsy sd FIsw ef Fem
tossren.-s.

FzsrKse. Arg fGs-It wzs . satsy.
fneYry. grs4E hezTEed ezoW3 wAiea
throzges tbs decks x cEp1 David
l,och rarzess s.ezEner. the Jean A DIX.
fkss afternoon. The represeatasives
C sEo gr.sf srzs Il TIE hEto-y OF the
gTai1eel STATS bad heen tsB4e-szgi az
excursion On Lake Mlehigaa By the
iocal association. an1 4 EaS nas 81 Al
inappropriate that ~ least one Of the
oFrsFsazzfi rrsseas sho-l5 sake IL
osfilg oa boat rzEsesa zEzeT ore zho
hsd szi3 taa. instant death alcae
eoalsi atone for any disrespeet 70 the
American H1g.
The ergwd on this occasio7 vas CON-
Fsosed a the representatives Of the
0l3-Tine Telegraph Operators and the
United Stztes Military Telegraph
Corp. formed dariag the civi1 zaF.
who Tor tgo days have met together in
joint session Tor the fsrtheraaee OF
gs-p5-feiloRship. The FIRST Of these
organiz atloGS repre- cents the entire
Telegraph service a the United States
daring The FIRST IS wears of it, ex-
istance r. includes IN it, member
ship the boys Aho handled the first
rude Instruments at the time Of their
inveE ton By Morse
" then the armies OF the Union
swept across the vast theaTer Of war,
some III the FAR West along the Mis-
sissippi. some marching on Atlanta
and Others lighting on bloody fields in
Virginia, i was necessary to keep in
secret communication with headqlar-
tiers in Washington This could oaly
he done by means Of the telegraph.
Each army had its corps Of telegraph
eFS with H. and their duties were par
ticniarly ar1aous None o. the relay
atiens attendant upon the incidents Of
camp life we're theirs. They worked
early and late. receiving and sending
translating eiphers and
keeping in constant communication
with detached corps and with head
quarter.
Sometimes the operator was exposed
TO peculiar dangers. Often during the
retirement Of an army be would he
LETT ia the rear, exposed 10 the enemy,
until the last moment, in order 70 take
advantage OF any hope which might
be sent in the Hay Of a telegram that
reinforcement were at hand. After
the operator climbed the poles, and
his instrument with the
sire Hoald hold communication while
exposed 10 the shsrpsbooters. He
slept in swamps and iaii his life down
on the battle field as brayely a. the
brayest soldier
Bat the peculiar rcsypans ihility of the
service lay with the cipher operators.
There were about FIVE Of these in
Washington. and each general had one
with him. The cipher operator re-
ceiyed and interpreted dispatches OF
the most momenfous nature After
he heard the password long in advance
OF the time when il was 70 be used.
Mr. RosewafeF. editor OF the Omaha
Be. had the password af the corps
which he was connected for weeks in
in advance. when not even the general
Of the army had H. Daring the great
civil struggle about 5000 miles of
wire we're in operation. and over l3,-
EsB1 coo messages were estimated 10
have been sent. ABOUT i201 operators
were employed, and nearly 80 were
killed. wounded or captured on the
field % battle.
Through the efforts OF Gen. Rose
Grams q bill was introduced in the
hon e which recognized the value OF
their services duriog the war ami made
provisions for pensions. This was re-
ferfed % a committee OF the house and
finally was passed with the exception
u the pension clause. No more re-
suited, and finally il got to the senate,
where now, with the exception OF the
uensiga provision. IL laws awaiting
passage by that body
Among the many present at Chi
eago are the following r. r. Wool
sev. II. A. Taylor, T.. L. Larcross, K.
W. Dngan, g. \. Duean, ]. II White,
X. Mckenzie. W. w. Smith, ] D.
Cruiza w. ~. Woodruff. Charles New
ton. W X. Dealg manager OF the New
York branch Of the Western Union
service, John Grant. r. b. Fuller, jos.
Knittlek, 4. 6. Stephenson. l.. ).
Jones. a l.. ire-, Th0s. Finnegan. r.
NJ Tomlinson. T. J. Hutchinson. J
ID. kuisd. &. Chine. D. X. Smith and
other gentlemen from all points OF the
Union who hold 20 itions Of response
tility and trust in the various localities
in which they re lie.
This morning the Old Timers had a
briet session. choosing the following
officer President. Col. Chas. TAYLOR
Frankfort, KY: vice-president. u. j.
smith, Kansas CITY; secretary and
treasurer. ". J. DeaIy. New York.
The next snuual meeting will he held
in Louisville. XIV. during the third
week Ia September. issg.
After the return from the excursion
Il.