New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-21
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TELEGRAPHERS BACK IN THE OLD BUILD
ING TO-DAY.


THE WESTERN UNION COMPANY PREPARED 70
HANDLE ITS BUSINESS AS USUAL.
The object of attraction downtown yesterday
was the burned Western Union Building. All
day long crowds of men and boys stood at the
street near at hand gazing up at the
blackened walls and at the men at work in and
around the place. On rush day there are seldom
more life and hustle within this big structure
than there were throughout yesterday. IL was
n different kind of confusion than is generally
seen there. In place of ceaseless clicking OF
scores of instruments telling in their mysterious
and mOnotonous way of various happenings some
causing sorrow, some joy and others of ordi-
nary business nature, there the rattle OF ham
mers, the scraping of many saws and the shout
ing Of men engaged in the work of getting the
building into suitable condition for occupancy
again at the earliest possible moment. There
was no Sunday peace for those in the building.
Each man seemed to work as if on his individual
efforts alone rested the responsibility of repair
ing the damage caused by the fire and accomplish
ing his task in the shortest possible time. con-
tractor in charge Of big gang of men built an
enormous wooden chute, which extended from the
sixth floor nearly to the ground
In front of the building in Broadway stood sew
eral large trucks, which were rapidly loaded with
debris from the burned portions OF the build
ing Into the trucks were loaded coils of
burned wire, ruined instruments and pieces OF
the wrecked switchboard. The incOngruous mix
of telcgraphic materials n constant source
Of interest to the iders and onlookers. and many
Of them carried off pieces of wire and bits OF
brass and copper TO preserve as souvenirs Of the
fire On the fourth and fifth floors of the build
ing linemen worked industrousy making connec-
tions between the wires in the street and those
in the building, while carpenters pounded and
sawed lumber into tables which will be used by
the operators.
SO far as handling the business is concerned
the public would not know when it gets up
this morning that there had been fire in tho
Western Union Building. The work Of the COM
pany will he transacted with practically the same
expedition as heretofore, the only difference being
that there will be four general Offices in place
Of one. In the burned building the fifth floor,
with the exception of a two. has been
given over TO the Operators and last night the
work had gone 50 far along that by the hour
for beginning work this morning at least $40
operators will sit down in front of many in
strumcnts. The new quarters are not large
by about 0ne-quarter as were those on the burned
out floor hut with the force at the old Balti-
more and Ohio building at Broadway and Canal
ST. and in Broad-st. and at Twenly-thrd-st the
usual amount of business will he handled. Eight
of the sixteen sections of the big switchboard were
put into place yesterday, and more will he added
as rapidly as possible All Of the operators
Nho were sent to Jersey City, lioboken. Com
muu. paw. Brooklyn and other nearby offices
,,cr. ordered yesterday to report for duty at tho
u.ia uGcc at the usual hour this morning Re-
Sides t.e $40 who will be set 10 work in the
no.n tiilding. the force in the temporary Office
a A.. 80
in both the Brdid-st and Twenty-thrd-st Offices
there will be large additions to the regular stafs.
By this means the officers Of the Western Union
Company expect 10 be amply able 10 cope with
the business aS fast as il comes in.
W. J. Dcay, manager Of the company. was at
the main Office all day yesterday attending per-
sonaly to the arrangements which were being
made to rcc>taolish part OF the operators in the
building. lie was apparently greatly pleased with
tie expeditions manner IN WnIch the work Iad
been dOnc and he seemed 10 be- entirely satisfied
with II 50 far. lie not sure that the after
noon papers would get the loops 10 their Offices
repaired IN time to be of service to-day. but the
wires into the mOrnirG newspaper offices, hc said,
would be- working all ri2ht before they are needed
tonight.
Workmen were also engaged in fitting up quar-
tcrs for the Associated Press. and they will he
ready for this morning, when the \. r
will lee moved from the temporary quarters in
Jersey CiIy back TO the building from
was made last Friday morning. Tie preu-
matte tules which connect the Western Union
luilding With ttc several newspaper onces have
been repaired, and no soon the Office Is moved
from the other side of the river the messenger
service which has been used 10 transmit the
daily mass of copy" from the Associated Press
office to the newspapers will be no longer neces-
sary The messengers who have been doing this
Will not receive this intcll gencc with great favor.
for il has hccn great sport Tor them 10 ride on
the tcrrvhout. 10 and from Jersey City. Bdt the
Associatcd Pres, will he settled in the new quar-
icrS thus morning in time 20 handle the news from
all over the world for the evening papers which
it serves. 80,
There is still doubt rs 10 what repairs Will he
made 10 the burned building. Builders and con-
tractor, who have gone over II since the fire say
that the foundations and walls have not been in
mr,d ard that they are strong enough 10 stand
four or five added stories Whether or rot this
will be done remains for the directors Of the COM
pnnv IN decide II is understood that meeting
Of the directors will he held NJ early day. when
Ibis Question viii he settled. None Of the officers
of the compnnV has Vet given an opinion On
what is likely 10 he done. and neither Jay Gould
nor Or Noryin Green would discuss the prob
abilities
The caus., Of the fire has not vet been deter
mined bat an investigation is 10 he made by tho
fire marshal some time this week.