The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1866-1891, 1889-03-21
WIRE TROUBLE HUNTERS.
FINDING AND FIXING BREAKS IN
TELEGRAPH LINES.
Three Glasses Of bifHcu1ties-The
Lineman's Dangerous OcCupa.
tion-What a Pole Climber Saw.

Three Glasses Of Dffaculties-The
Lineman's Dangerous Ocoupa4
tion-What a Pole Climber Saw.
To person not thoroughly versed in
matters pertaining to telegraphing the
line room on the seventh floor of the West.
crn Union Building on Broadway would
prove particularly interesting. II Is
situated Immediately beneath the switch
board, and has over five thousand wires
entering the different windows. This is
the linemen's headquarters, and the
starting point of the "trouble hunters"
II am often asked what a trouble
hunter is, and will tell YOU" said one
of the oldest hands to Star reporter.
s'We are notified by one Of the operators
at the switchboard TINT circuit thirty.
six, soy, is dead, and the trouble e-hunter'
starts from this point and follows the
wire carefully to the spot where the
break is. There his responsibility ceases
and the repair gang take hold and reme-
dy what defect they find. There are
three classes of difficulties we encounter.
They are designated as 'open,' ground
and escape An open is complete
break IN the wire, which is easily
enough repaired when found. =,
"When wire grounds it's different
thing. The earth, of course, Is a re-
pository for all electrical fluids, and If
an exposed wire touches at any place 1t
naturally interfefes with the circuit. A
green pole. when wet, is also an ex-
cellent conductor, and frequently causes
us no end of trouble. A telegraph pole
should be thoroughly seasoned before
being put into use, but frequently q
green one is put up, and then after
heavy shower the wrapper around the
wire may become worn, and, the line
coming in contact with the green wood,
the electrical current instead OF being
carried along on the circuit, runs into
the earth; and until the defect Is
remedied the line Is practically useless.
A green pole from window, touching
an exposed wire, would not interfere
with the working unless the POE IN some
way ran into the earth.
IAN escape is on the same principle
as a ground 1t generally occurs where
the insulation on wire becomes worn
and part of the electrical fluid escapes
and part runs on the circuit"
"What are the principal qualifications
to become lineman2"
"a cool head. Anyone c2uld perform
the mechanical part of the work after a
little experience, but to do it at an eleva-
ton of couple of hundred feet on a
slim pole, when fall means certain
death, is another thing. When strong
wind is blowing it makes'the task par
ticularly hard and dangerous. The spurs
we wear, attached to our boots, some
times give wa; and then again the
wood Is often rotten, and one misstep
means fall. There's knack in climb
ing up a poll properly, but it's not hall
as bad as coming down. The sensation,
I can tell you, is very peculiar to a new
hand"
According to the statement OF half
dozen linemen spoken to, some very
strange sights have been witnessed by
them while perched on u crossbar of
pole. One of them in relating his ex
perience said he was working for tele.
phone company In Brooklyn and hao
been sent to repair wire on Clark street
It was necessary for him to climb nearly
every pule in the street, and while ascend
ing one near the corner of Hicks stree
he was enabled to look diagonally into
7-tbe #indous-ek.a kease. Hha-stgylafss TX *
saw riveted his attention for o few mo.
ments. There was an elderly gentle.
man on the bed surrounded by members
of his family, and was evidently dying
The man gazed at the picture a moment
in surprise, aud then proceeded. with MI
work and descended to the ground. Thu
house faced on Hicks street, and befor'
the door small crowd had gathered
and were discussing some news.
"Whose house is that7" he asked al
old gentleman who had come down tn
stems. The gentleman looked at him il
surprise moment. ,
.tThss is Henry Ward Beecher'
house." he replied, '.'and he has jus
died"