The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-08-18
STOLE THE LIGHTNING.
War Telegraphers to Meet in Kan
sas City in Short
Time.
Thrilling Stories Of the Battle
Field and Camp Will
Be Recalled.
Brave Men Who Tapped tho Wires and
Secured Useful 1nformation-Somc
Noted Old Timers.

tspecisl Correspondence of TIE ISD1pEsDEST.l
KANSAS Cry, Aug. 13.-"Nothing could
be more complete than the organization OF
this body of brave and intelligent men,
So wrote Gen. Grant of body of men
who will meet in national convention dur
ing the second week of September in Kan
sas City-a body of which Gen. John A.
Logan also said: mo part of the army dis
charged its duties more intelligently and
faithfully than the Geographic corps"
This organization is known as the United
States military telegraph corps and it is
this corps that is to meet. It will be IN
conjunction with another organization
known as the Old Time Telegraphers' soci-
ETY.. The two are distinct, but really there
is little difference between them Many of
the old timers were military telegraphers
and needless to say all of tho military tele-
graphers are now old timers. That is why
they meet in such unity and in joint con-
vention some 500 strong.
Not few of them are very prominent
men who, though they long ago deserted
the key and the switch board, still find
warm spot in their hearts for their old line
of business. The two organizations have
two sets of officers. The national officers
of the Old Timers are: Day K. Smith,
president; Barney nsy Hughes, Of Memphis Mis-
York. secretary. The officers of the United
States Military Corps are: w. r. Plum, of
Chicago, president; VIM. b. Wilson, of
Holmesburg, Pa, vice-president; and j. +.
Petit, of Chicago, secretary and treasurer.
Among those who accompanied the armies
into the field on both sides good many
v,no NV IN inin tho kinr
majority. Some of them were killed in bat
tie, more died in prison, 1919 were killed,
wounded or captured, and 100 more were
wounded. One of the most famous of them
all, Thomas Scott, the great railroad mag
nate. died years ago. But there are still a
goodly number of the veterans who are hale
and hearty.
The organization did great work, did
the military telegraph corps. 1t began
work simultaneously with the beginning of
the war, but not in thoroughly organized
way. II was not until Gen. Thomas T.
Eotert, now vice--president of the Western
Onion Telegraph company, took charge
first OF the department of Virginia and
North Carolina that the corps began to
play highly important part in the con-
duct of the war. Later, General Eckert
under General Arson Stafer directed also
the departments Of West Virginia, Ohio,
the Cumberland, Missouri, Tennessee. the
South and Gulf and then the corps was
fully and thoroughly organized and had in
it some of the most competent telegraphers
in the country.
Gen. Badeau in his history says that when
Gen. Grant crossed the Rapidan in his final
campaign he moved synchronously by tels-
valley and Butler in the peninsula, and re-
ceived responses from each before night,
while all the remaining union forces were
directed by the same agency. The i'm
portance of the position Of the tele-
graphers is shown by the fact that the
wires were in cipher, the keys of which
were held by confidential operators and
were not to be revealed even to commanding
generals. On one occasion at Norfolk an
operator was offered several thousand dol
lars in gold and passage to England on a
certain telegram from President Lincoln.
The offer was refused. It was such service
that caused Secretary Stanton to report to
President Lincoln that Gin diligence, fidel-
ity and important aid the Telegraph Corps
has been unsurpassed by any branch of the
service
Many Of the military telegraphers and
those who were old time operators and who
will be present at the coming meeting at
Kansas City either in person or sympathy
have long since deserted the operators tc
win both fame and fortune in other pur.
suits. Among these may be mentioned An
drew Carnegie, who says to this day that hi
owes most Of his success to what he Learned
as . telegraph operator. Another old timel
is Ex-Governor Cornell; and another vete
ran who has won for himself position
such as it has been given to but few mer
to attain is Wizard Thomas A: Edison. A
younger man than any of these but one
A. Kennan. the Russian traveller.
The present president of the corps, w. R
Plum, il no longer an operator. He is {
prominent lawyer in Chicago and author Of
History Of the Military Telegraph" I'll
vice-president, WIN; B. Wilson, is q bust
Hughes, the president of the Old Time
Telegraph society. was military operator
with the confederates. He il now rail
road agent at Memphis. E. Rosewater
who is q leading officer among the militar,
operators, drifted into the newspaper bust
owner of the Omaha Bee. l.. G. Weir
another bright light. 10 superintendent o
the Adams Express Office at Cincinnati. ]
II. Emenck, another, is in business in New
York City. And 90 it goes. 1t may b.
said, however, that wherever the operation
of long ago have gone into another bust
ness they have succeeded.
But not few of the veterans of teleg
raphy have continued in their original bus
iness. Gen. Eckert has won high fame il
his business, being now vice-president o.
that great organization, the Western Unior
company. William b. Somerville was in
good many campaigns, serving unde
Grant, Sherman and others, and was will
Mcpherson when he was killed. He is nov
superintendent Of the Western Union com
pany. Walter b. Phillips is an old timel
and when he was an operator he was con
sidered one of the fastest that ever sat be-
fore telegraph instrument. He has {
medal which was presented to him by Prof
Morse in recognition of his skill. He is
now at the head of the United Press as
ISOLATION and is making, they say, some
$4,000 year.
Superintendent somerville, of the West.
ern Union Telegraph company, was in .
subject of the coming convention wal
broached.
''Hot times, were those,'' he said, re-
ferrinR to the war period, '.and sometimes
when the balls would come near enough K
you to cut your wire it used to be bit I'M
pleasant"
Some other veterans who happened abou
assented very heartily to this.
II don't want to see again any hottie
times than I saw when I was with Nc
Pherson and with Grant. There was on
time remember at Holly Springs when v
were two miles in advance OF the army an
didn't know when Nc wouiG 90 snapped up
Then there were other times when we woul
be sent TO tap the rebel wirel
and that was job that mean
danger every time. It's won
der that more men were not lost than re0ll
WERE" Then the old time operator beRa
70 recall ineidents Of telegraph service. an