Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-07-07
rrRoM A STAFF CORRESPONDENT. !

JoHNsTowS, July 6.-Superirtendent g.
Rowe, of the Western Union Telegraph
Company, has appointed Mr.. S. W. Kirk
manager of the company at this point Mr..
Kirk was formally manager at Connells-
vile, Pa, and is one of the best men in the
Western Union service.
Mr.. Kirk takes the place vacated by the
death Of Mrs. H. NJ. Ogle, who was lost
with three operators, one messenger boy
and one lineman in the food. With the ex-
ception Of the latter, none of the bodies
have been recovered. The remains Of the
lineman was found in the river, above the
stone bridge. He had his climbers on, and
the spur attached to The right leg was
caught in a piece of log in which it was
firmly imbedded. How the log happened
TO catch on to the spur is a mystery, but it
is supposed the lineman straddled the tim
Der while going down the river and in his
death struggles sank the spur deep into the
log.
When the dam burst the lineman was on
the Office pole cutting out the wires. The
telegraph Office stood in front of Wood
Morrell & Co. general Offices, and the oc-
cupants were on the second floor of the
former building. This was Mrs. Ogle's res
idence, and the telegraph instruments were
the lower portof the town Mrs. Ogle and her
force went to the second floor and taking
the instruments with them began work.
DIED AT THE POST OF DUTY.
Only one wire was being used when the
waters from the dam burst upon them.
The four operators and one messenger went
down in the crash and since then nothing
has been heard from them.
Tho lipaman had haen nrdarad mt a fo-p
minutes before to ''cut out" all the through
wires which were then in such a crippled
condition that the operators in Pittsburg
could not work them. By making a
through connection it was expected that the
wires East and West would work all right,
and while doing this Lineman jackson met
his death. He was on the pole at the time
with one leg thrown over the cross arm
when the pole was swept away. When his
body was discovered his watch and papers
were found 10 be stolen. A fund has been
started by Lieutenant Rowe for the benefit
of the lineman's family, who live at Derry
Mrs. Ogle was one of the best Known op-
orators in Pennsylvania, and was the widow
of Charles Ogle, of Somerset county. The
latter was the first volunteer in the
Civil War from that county, and was killed
it the battle of Malvern Hill on the Poto.
mac. He was the son of Hon. Charles
Ogle, VINO was cre0lDeO Win having de-
ieated Martin Van Buren for President by
making his famous gold spoon" speeches
during that campaign.
A PLUCKY WIDOW.
When her husband was killed, Mrs. Ogle
learned the business of telegraphy at the old
Somerset Office, and when competent, was
given charge of the United States Telegraph
Company's Office at that point. At the time
of the operators strike in 1870, Mrs Ogle
was ordered to Philadelphia and there rem
dered valuable aid to the company She
was known among the operators in Pitts
burg as "Mother Ogle." Her quick and
ready repartee on the wire made many ofthe
bows afraid of 90" her private signal. She
had been the manager here for the past 20
years.
At O'Clock Friday morning, when the
water was five feet high on the first floor of
the house, her son went out in a skiff and
asked her to go to place of safety. She
refused to go, saying that duty made her re-
main at her post. Had she gone she would
certainly be alive to-day.
MCSwIGAN.