The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-25
TROUBLE HUNTERS.
MEN WHO CLIMB TELEGRAPH POLES
AND THINGS THEY SEE.

How Breaks IN the system Re Discovered
and Gemedied-Looking on Beecher's
Bexthbrd-A Tinemap Who hid "a NO
man a Service and Had 10 Fay FOR H.
To person not thoroughly vcrsed in
matters pertaining TO telcgraphing the
limo room on the seventh floor OF the
Western Union building on Broadway
would provo particularly interesting. 1t
is situated Immediately beneath the
switchboard and has over 5000 wires
entering the different windows. This Is
lhe linemen's headquarters, and the
starting point Of the trouble hunters.
II am often asked what n trouble
hunter il. and III tell you said one OF
the oldest hands 70 Star reporter who
was sitting in the room yesterday. eve
are notified by one of the operators at
the switchboard that circuit thirty-six,
say. is dead. and the trouble hunter
starts from tbs point and follows the
wiro carefully TO the spot where the
break is There his responsibility ceases
and the repair gang take hold and
remedy what defect they find. There
are three classes Of difficulties we en-
counter They are designated as open
ground and escape An open IS a
complete break in the wire when Is
easily enough repaired when found
A cool HEAD REQUIRED.
when q wire grounds it's different
thing. The earth, Of course, Is a reposi-
tory for all electrical fluids, and If an
exposed wire touches at any place II nat
uralv iutcrfcres with the circuit.
green pole. when wet. is also an excel
lent conductor. and frequently causes us
DO end OF trouble. a telegraph pole
should DO thoroughly seasoned before
being put into use, but frequently agreen
one Is put up, and then after a heavy
shower the wrapper around the wire
nav become worn, and, the line coming
n contact with the green wood, the cleo
liical current. instead Of being carried
along ON the circuit, runs into The earth;
and until the defect is remedicd the line
is practically useless. green pole from
q window, touching an exposed wire,
would not Interfere with the working
unless the pole in some way ran into the
earth.
"An escape is on the same principle
..H II ElNiilAs A. tAtlNi any Nt++' ''''''N
the insulation ON q wire becomes worn
and part Of The electrical luiJ escapes
and part runs on the circuit.
What are the principal qualifications
20 become linCman|
"A cool head. Any one could per
form the mechanical part of the work
after q little experience, hut 20 DO Il at
am elevation Of q couple Of hundred
feet on a slim pole. when fail means
certain death. IS another thing. When
o strong wind IL blowing it makes the
task particularly hard and dangerous
The spurs we wear, attached 10 our
boots, sometimes give way; and then
again the wood is often rotten, and one
misstep means falI There's o knack
in climbing up q pole properly, but it's
not half as bad as the coming down
The sensation can tell you, is very
peculiar To- q new hand.
SEN FROM TIE POLES TOP.
According TO the statement Of half
dozen inemen spoken 20, some very
strange sights have been witnessed by
them while perched on a crOssbar of a
pole One ~ them in relating his ex-
poricnce said lac was working for tele-
phone company in Brooklyn and had
been sent TO repair a wire on Clark
street. 10 was necessary for him TO
climb nearly every pole in the street,
and while ascending one near the corner
OF Hicks street he was enabled to look
diagonally into the windows Of house.
The sight ne saw riyeted his attention
for a few moments. There was an
elderly gentleman on the bed surrounded
by members Of his family, and was evi-
IDENTIFY diving. The man gazed at the
picture moment in surprise, and then
proceeded with his work and descended
10 the ground. The house faced on
Hicks street. and before the door a small
crowd had gathered, and were discussing
some news
Whose house Is that" he asked an
old gentleman who had come down the
steps. The gentleman looked at him in
surprise a moment.
That is Henry Ward Beccher's house
he replied. "and he has Just died"
Another lineman related peculiar ex-
pcrience he had while perched on pole
on Third avenue. near Seventy-thlrd
street lie had pair Of pinchers in his
hand, and was in the act Of twisting the
two ends of a broken wire when he
heard a woman scream. He turned his
head and saw a man in room abusing
q woman, who was screaming at the top /
Of her voice. On the impulse Of the /
moment he threw his piuchcrs through |
the window at the brute, who beat a
nasty retreat. When he reached the /
ground the woman was waiting for him.
She had called an officer and wanted to
have him arrested for assaulting her /
husband 10y throwing the pinchers at /
him. The lineman was obliged 10 pay
for a pane Of glass, through which he
had thrown the pinchers, notwith- +
standing he considers his act saved the |
woman's life. The various experiences /
they relate, many Of them Of very /
dramatic and interesting character, would /
hll volumes and show tie different phases |
Of life 10 be found in a great city.-New |
York Star.