New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-08-17
HEARING MUCH AND SEEING LITTLI
TIE iDREARY LIFE OF TELEGRAPH CABLE
OPERATORS on TIE COAST

OPERATORS ON THE COAST
There is something extremely weird about the lives
OF the men who work in the telegraph cable Offices on
the Eastern coast. They the most successful OF
all teegaphers for the slightest errors in trans
mission would great trouble. Nearly all 81
the cable dispatches In cipher and the operators
cannot possibly understand the nature Of the mos
sages that pass through their hands they Sust work
IN the dark a. il were The cipher code IS to then
equivalent to unknown language; it has no sense
or meaning 10 guide the operator Alright and every
letter. as ii Is formed by the instrument, must b,
transcribed upon paper with a mechanical exactneSS.
The words disconnected targon and the memory
cannot be trusted To- the extent Of single word.
Ordinarily operators receiving commercial or press
dispatches copy the commercial characters and words
some distance behind the transmiter. the OF tho
dispatch being then guide 10 correctness in tram
scrlbing There telegraphers who In receiving
press news. copy from four to twenty words behind
the sender. This is impossible with those who handle
the cable messages. Every letter must G. on paper
the instant It IS formed by the arInatue. To do
this requires A directness OF attention, concentra
ton Of thought that Is scarcely less than painful
As a rule cables land at outo the way places, and
those employed the work OF interpreting the signals
flashed under the must spend their lives In what
amounts almost 10 seclision.
The cable Office at Duxbury, Mass. Is good Illus
tration Of these conditions. There eight operators
who work on the cables themselves, and a similar
number Of ulcn who man the Morse lines over which
the cable news Is forwarded 10 New-Yorl In former
times before the adoption of the now perfected auto
matte machinery for receiving signals the cables
the operators used TO sit IN perfectly dark room.
mirror behind the instrument reflected the dots and
dashcs coming from beneath the armatur like sparks.
The operator. each signal came, announced It in
loud voice and 1t was transcribed by clerk in an adj
Joining light BY the present method the char
actcrs registered tape and are transcribed 10y
the operators themselves. As each dispatch is re
celved IL is recorded and is then passed to tho
Morse operators, who forward Il TO New-lork Mter
the dispatches reach here they distributed ana
forwarded to their respective destinations. The force
Of men at Duxbury is divided into day and highs
tricks" four cable operators and four Morse men oo
| ing on duty at all times
Lih is not glittcrlng round OF pleasure at DnNbury
II Is little old fashioned. quiet village, whose ihhao
tants, for the most part, are fishermen OF s'''o'
Their lives spent the water and when .hc' a'S
not at they stay at home In comfort ihe'c az"
no amusemcats other than those former " "t
| tie domestic groups. The operators hos'H "o"
who have come from large cities ana afe a0'
| cuSomed to the sparkle OF city IRE n',u p"N'".'
| rather dull at times. In summer, ine tncfc u OH
obe enough Tie then Is salm te r s1e A. II
bite they anywhere. and the ioaSe a. r S ,bs
Operators can ind pienty Of enjoyment. They can
fish 10 their hearts content s. away , be urf roll,
s'Ii' tHe Winter ali this is changed. Life ont OF
doors i is hardly eSdnrable. The east winds blow
Geprc,v ov"r lie waters scattering the spray sent up
la thc angry waves A. they beat upon the rocky or
0cr the entire village. No raiment can Withstand ,IS
| penetrating power OF an east wind laden win SAW
| ,ray and Consequently the men OF the Nlt.' a,
| 6uxbury remain under cover during most noar,h n.
bass by and all they do Is TO listen 10 the clicAn
Il their instruments when on dnty, and the roar Ok
| The snrf when they at leisure. OF course uicy
read and study great deal, but this becomes tlfSome
nj times some Of the men use their leisure III pr;
norinr themselves for other professions. Charles H.
Thomas nm odtine operator became a thorough prs
sician while working at Duxbury, and l. now p,So
| ,iSin, medicine Boston. TWO other men pcfmiio
LAWYERS and several are now expert electricians
| Is probably the most valuable method vet ais'o's
of killlpx Tune