The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-06-21
AFTER OPERATING, WHAT?
now THE 1ELEGRAPHERS ANSWER
THE QUESTION.
Tho Hest Operators Got Out OF the Bust
ness when They Cnn-Medicine. Law,
and the NoMspnper RuaInean Fn Nored

thirds are continually thinking OF doing 30. OF
the 100 men working on tho regular night
force in tho Western Union main office at 1876
broadway, SO Of them are other studying or
working at something else days They are di-
vded up as follows: Doctors, 8: lawyers, G {:
ministers, 3; brokers' . nctors, 9; theatrical
managers, 2; real estate dealers, q inventors.
2: book agents, / manufacturers, 1: civil en-
gneers, | authors, commercial business, / :
electrical supply agents, 1 /; composer OF music,
/. This represents only ono Office The Of
fees OF the various othor companies in this
city have lust as large n list in proportion to
the men they employ while those Of other cities
are also numbered in what is called tho pro-
gressive procession.
This evolutionary business has been going
on for years, and scores o; prominent men in
all branches OF business and In all professions
can be traced back to tho telegraph ranks.
Among them arc Andrew Carnegie, eN-Gov.
Cornell, Thomas A. Edison. and George Ken
nan, tho Siberian traveller. The fever didn't be-
come general howoveruntil about twenty years
ago whom OK Gov Cornell, at tho unwilling of
tho statue OF Prof. Morse In Central Park spoke
slightingly Of the future OF the business, and
advised all operators to get into something
else as soon as possible. Since then there has
been a vcritable stampede.
no 'i'o'"o" " ~ -, 80
CIV mn, no, ,., ni.ot on Ia ~.
places thrust upon them. This is bo-
cause they never como In contact with
leaders in the business world. So II they
ever expect to get anything better they must
reach for it. Most Of the operators who desire
Il change are men OF families, consequently
they have to move discreetly and do consider
able economical juggling. Being without any
capital except their own energy ana ambition
they choose q profession. The two most in
g. 49,. ,Iioin, and Inv Tbo no,t ,hin,
i"'or are iieuielno nlu i""' no heA' 'nins
to be done is to acquire IT, But this isn't such
The onlv thing in their favor IA their boura
Of duty. These arc regular TELEGRAPH offices
,or,s TO- JutyotaA NJ and Ia orT ,,6kp NJ
~! 10 lo' IVY az , 1,' 20 n'i ~ No.
the regular night force relieves the day force at
that hour the all night force relieves the night
forcoot1r NJ and ia in turn roIior,d NJ q
iorce NJ a A. M'' anu Is III turn renewed ato
by the day force again. mo regular night
force Is the most available. and the small army
NJ osnirants for creotness in other rnnl;a s,r,g.
gle upon 1t. They are gwen no extra privileges
by the companies, but are subjected to the
same stringent rules ana regulations that gov
ern the rest OF the men. In lact they have
harder time OF it than the majority OF the
operatols because 'lio, arc o'ulnurliy Strictly
first class. and are consequently compelled to
w r ,.io .,,,tn,.a o,1,, In, ,o,, 49,. =,
1nis SPURIOUS eo'p9 na' iealheu .ne arr Oh
condensinG time, and the method OF one Is the
method of nil The case OF W. NJ H. McEnroe
y, ~ ~ -. 49,, ,,,,oi. -, 49, 49,
NJ ~ assistant 10 'ne ch".I VI huterla heuica
Mt the University OF the City of New York. can
he cited as an illustration, although ho is no
longer connected with the telegraph company
hrrak away from the ranks in This citv and
wrest,o With a three yeats course OF medicine.
lie entered the University Of the City II New
YNrI; in ISS6 While employed as nm onera,or Mt
1876 Broadway Alter lie had become a doctor
Ii" had built up a substantial practices. lie
ccn.ed 10 rattle a KEY about three Years aro
Dr. Mci:nroe was member Of the
5:'T when the regular force did. he went on
hnlf an hour earlier Each operator is allowed
thirty, minutes TO lunch but the Doctor didn't
was OF every night at I2;:Sn. lie had to be mt
the college Mt 9 o'clock for the first lecture, and
he was out, and. after htsty lunch he locked
himself up In his room ana plunged into his
WORK. This he kept up during each college
year and continued to work right on through
diploma and swung his sign he still wnrk cd Tor
tho telegraph company nights. and waited
days Tor the patients that came at last.
In the telegl aphic profession is Southern Wiro |
{ thief Haleck also of 1875 Broadway He Is n |
u. Y. S., also Dr. Halleck ut first aspircd to !
relieve horses OF their pains After he Ind
graduated he changed his mind and decided |
that he would rather relieve men. SO he began |
ali over again and is now practising George |
". Williams one OF the Western Unions star !
operators, was also made a doctor this spring,
but he hash { decided yet where 10 BEGIN one |
rations Both Dr. Halleck and he are married |
men and wore when they began studying for |
the profession.
Ofthe prosperous lawyers who once worked |
at los Broadway, John IS. Sabine is nm example. |
For many years he was night Western chief |
and ono Of the most popular man in the ofIire
When the wires worked we'll he ponderod over
his BIackstonC. He was admitted to tho bar
and set IN in business on lower BroadwaS He
to work nights. because he had 10,
Tor several years, until his practice would war
rant his making the change. Oporntor CANA
ron, also OF tho Western Union. Inns lust
Opened a law office on Broadway too But he
lasn' I quit tho kay yet He FIRST studieI civil
enRineering After devoting severai yenrs 10
d he discovered that that field was In xnriousIy
covered He decided to tackle the law next.
and mas lust graduated from COLLAGE -N'
In striking contrast to the men Who arc dahl
ding in medicine and law are the actors 10
hem teleCrnphy has been a gold mine on mora
occasions than one Walter Perkins is one Of
he most successful on the stage lila IL at
present working at 1875 Brondwav inataad nf
Walking on tho Rialto He hns travelled win
MAGGIE Mitchell and has ust closaI n sanenn |