, 1889-08-15
A BUSY BEEHIVE,
The Tremendous Pressure on the
Western Union Telegraph
Office.
How the Trainers of the Light
ming Have Handled the
Business,

81 have had more difficulties than l
ever want to go through again" was the
remark of Manager Campbell, Of the
Western Union Telegraph Company yes
terday, at the new Office in the stable
near Sprague and Washington.
Sunday night l sat alone on lum-
ber pile working the lines east while |
had man at the other side of the rail-
road yard working west. Not entirely
alone, for had man holding Ian
tern. operated from the lumber pile
until Mouday evening, when I obtained
space in the Northern Pacific freight
warehouse and put up my instrument
there, and we handled business under
somewhat but not greatly better cir
cumstances, the greatest advantage per-
haps being in the direct connection we
were able to make East and West. Dur
ing the week we handled an enormous
amount of business, probably larger
than that handled in the same time by
either the Minneapolis or st, Paul
offices, We moved into the present
quarters Saturday afternoon, where we
are comparatively comfortabl e, with n
good operating room In the loft, and COM
paratively convenient office room below,
We cannot really complain much of our
present quarters, but were pushed ex-
traordinarily last week and compelled to
keep the entire force at work as long as
we could stand it, working from twelve
to eighteen hours day, while | have
worked itilly thirty.six hours at q
stretch. Since then we have two addi-
tional operators, and with night and
day shift we are getting along compara-
lively well and and handling all busi-
ness promptly, with the exception of
the delivery, the difficulty there being
in finding all the persons To whom mes
sages are addressed. The list of mes
sages published every day in the RE-
VIEW has aided us greatly In the deliv-
cry of messages, People to whom mes
sageS are published come here in line as
early as 8 O'Clock in the morning. The
published list has equaled In that re-
have put on three additional boys, and
we are now delivering much more read
lily than we were three % four days ago.
'"The work has been SO.
we're upon the help in the
office but all have pulled through
very well, with the exception of two of
the ladies in the clerical department,
who have been compelled to lay oil II
day. But everything is working easily
now. We have begun work on the
books, by recording up the business
which was necessarily held back during
the confusion
Mr.. A. ID. Campbell, the manager is .
young man, still In the twenties, but of
wide experience as telegrapher and
In 10 81 4
Ontario, and had charge of offices on
the Dominion and Great Northwestern
lines in Ontario before coming to this
country he held the position of chief
operator in the Helena office, and has
been in charge of this office about eight
months, in ali of which positions he has
given equal satisfaction to company and
customers. Following is his office force:
w. IL. Hutton night Managers for
eight years manager of the Western
Union office at Crawfordsville, Ind. He
il iirst.class operator and a thoroughly
experienced aud capable man.
n. Spencer, night press operator, Is an
old.time New York operator and an ex-
cellent man on what is recognized
throughout the country as the heaviest
work in any office
V. =. Temple is an old-time operator
who has been in the employ of the West.
ern Union in different parts of the
country.
T.. u. Cadwakader is a competent
young operator from st. Paul, who is
doing good work and promises well for
the future.
r. KYLE is "a young Canadian from
Dundas, Ont. He has been working
four years with Manager Campbell, and
is doing good work.
c. II. Melrose came here from Port.
land, and was originally an operator
rom New York.
Miss Minnie Kelliher, chief clerk in
the business department, has been en-
gagged in the office for the past three
years, and is well and favorably known
TO the patrons of the office.
NlissO Jessup, bookkeeper, has been
connected with the office about five
months, coming here from Buffalo,
where she held similar position i'll the
Western Union office of that city.
Howard Potter, assistant delivery
clerk, is Il son of DIR. Potter of this city
He is bright and promising young
man, and was recently promoted from
the messenger force.
Seven messengers are employed, all of
whom are bright and promising boys,
each of whom may make his mark in
telcgraphy or general business in good
time. Following are the names: Fred
Patterson Eddie Bcaton Willie Ad-
derly, Joseph Golden, Eddie Golden,
Claude Irish, George Natwick.
A REAL VETERAN