New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-07-22
TRAMP TELEGRAPHERS.
A STORY WRITTEN BY ONE OF THEM.
HOW TIE wIRE-woRKERs WANDER ALL OVER
THE CoUNTRY-sTRANGE EXPERIENCES
WHICH THEY MEET.

the average operator for changing about from once
10 Office and roaming from town to town all over me
country. Among the operators IN the Dig western
Unio, Office are men who have worked in nearly
every state and Territory in the Union ana there Is
scarcely man who has been in the service any con
siderable length Of time but is more less travelled
A few DAYS ago the city papers chroniced the fact
that Skate DOnOhue had struck town. most INFER
csting item Of to telegraph operators Dut one
that needed some explanation TO the general public
Donohue is an extreme type Of the tramp operator
He has worked in every large telegraph Office ana In
multitude Of the smaller in every part OF me
United stacs in Canada. and in Old Mexico ana ne Is
known either personally or by reputation to almost
every operator in the three countries HIS repu'a
ton as tramp Is perhaps only equalied Oy .Nat Vi
w. Bogardus or Old Boyle a. he IS iamlllary KNOW"
to the boys Bogaus IS getting quite an Ola man.
and he does not change his base oil operations ocie'
than every second or third week now while Donohuc
is as active as ever Although the latter possesses
this wandering propensity In an abnormal degree ne
may yet be taken as type OF very large CLASS Oh
operators.
A few wears ago the teegraphc profession was al
most entirely composed Of persons HAVING ho "A0u
abode and who came quite properly under the CLASH
fcatiOn Of tTamps, although perhaps oy III ue s70
of being nomadic in their habits They shared inc
rowing habit about equally with printers, ana thoUen
matters have changed somewhat OF late, they cou'A
even now challenge comparison In tins respect "iUn
any outside the regular gypsy tribes IL u'eu 10
be altogether exceptional for operator to sctue
permanently In Office or one town, ana changes
occurred almost daily In every office In the country
The telegraph business perhaps not quite 50 large
so uniform steady then now, and operators were
subject the law OF supply and demand, the WORKINGS
Of which undoubtedly gave considerable cause LOT ire
quent changes, but this could only account IN sISho
degree for the innumcrabc changes that took place
every payday. But in the Eastern states these con-
dltions have been considerably modified in the last
few years Managers have discontenanced and dis
couraged the practice, and operators IN th's part Oh
| the country are fairly stad and settled ctIenS
There are always number of arrivals and departures
every month at large offices, such a. Ncw-forb hos
ton and Philadelphia but as rule operators ia inc
| East have settled down 10 Become solid citizens
| But I'm the States and Territories west OF the Oho'
and particularly those west Of the Mississippi Tie
operator has altered but very little in character ana
| habits, and IS st tramp, ever on the move RON
place place. with varying fortunes and more varied
experiences lie usually samples all localities and
will on the shortest notice and often with no notice
at ALL pack his grip, should he be 50 fortunate a. 70
posses, one or have any effects 10 neccssitaic his
| possessing one. and depart for parts unknown and
uncarcd. 1t has been said that many Of them believe
or used to believe, In the old saying that II Is much
| cheaper to move than to pay board II is not an
uncommon thing for the personnel of the staff Of such
| Office, as Omaha ogden. Galveston. Dcming and
other large telegraph points in the West and South
to be completely changed I'm the course OF a few weeks
The work I'm Of these onice, Is constant roast
| and few operators Will remain there long. st. Louis
Chicago Ncw-Orlcans and other large Offices have a
dozen changes every month SO, while on the
| Western railroads it would be almost impossible 10
keep complete record OF the changes that occur I'm "A
| year. Usually great deal Of the train diSpacheF'
| time and attention +, taken up In keeping track OF
| the different operators who come and 20 at the
stations on hl, division, and IN seeing that all the
| positions properly llled.
To bc q successful tramp man must combine eX-
pcricncc in the two entirely different departments Of
tho business railroad and commercial biography, and
be equal to any emergency and tho average Western
tourist usually does possess a sufficient general knowl
edge 10 enable him 10 hold down anything that comes
along at least temporarily and until h. can get ont OF
town crcditabv. The tramp, experiences cover tho
entire field and one week hc viii be hiltt9 plttC
u.s. owl might opcrptorl at prairie side tract,
aud the next copying Associated Press reports for a
city paper. AZ the smaller railroad stations his skill
In handling the harnco,cd thuudcrboito Of JOKE Is
usually % secondary consideration 10 his ability A.
express, agent ticket ,cllor station agent and baggage
,iuu-hcr. and he occasionally has 10 performs -'c
mental dutic, a. cleaning switch lamps, handling mis-,
cclaucou, freight and acting general utiltS man.
But places Of tai, Kind. though quite numerous are
not often accepted by the tourist bu; are filed
| By uovicc- and struggling plug
At this time of the year there is always large mum
Der Of operators ION the road travelling from point
to point "-ubbiue1 here for man on leave Tor a
month and there for sick FOR day or two and az
! ,cpfne any number Of permanent places. Today ne
will probably make the forty first operator who IN the
,our,c of the year has been appointed permanently
lt "A water tank side track in western 1eNa> OF
arizona: next week he VII, be holding down pace
As night report man in Colorado, or california oil
Louisiana summer g. the great season for tourist eIe
arapher@ but they Away deem it advisable to nave
ui d 10 fls the Wllllff