Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-08-21

There were visible at the reunion Of the old
time and military teiegraphers at National
Rifles Armory last night about two hundred
and fifty persops-veteran operators-with
| the wives of some and some Of their friends
accompanying them. There were many others
participating in the reunion who were no,
visible, but who were in touch with and ex-
changed greetings with their fellows. Mingled
| with the sound Of the voices during general
conversation and accompanying the speeches
of gentlemen from the platform, mysterious,
soft clicking sounded constantly through the
hall. Now and then some one would stop short
| In an animated conversation to lend an ear to
! this sound and would smile and nod his head in
| a way to indicate that he had received some
pleasant communication. Sometimes there
would be general hush as all the telegraphers
present turned attention for q moment to the
click, click, cliek-click-click"
THE MYSTERIOUS CLICK, CLICK.
Somehow this sound seemed to enter into
and be part Of the assemblage, to strongly in
iuence 1t as some mysterious force not visible.
but manifest. To those present to whom this
sound conveyed no intelligence its effect upon
the others seemed strange. as Of some super
natural agent The pulses Of the old timers beat
with the sound and soon there was a conscious
ness of an intercommunication of thought with
out sound among the assemblage as well as
through the faint and monotonous music of the
''click, click, chck-elck-click.'
One man would tap his neighbor gently on
the shoulder or knee, or perhaps on the back of
the hand, gently keeping time in measures
similar to that marked by the clicking and this
hght-fngered touch would be passed on, and
| without sound or look passing between them,
the thoughts Of a dozen or more men thus put
under the spell would run or exactly the same
subject, and perhaps all would laugh heartily
together, though physically not in juxtaposi-
ton.
All this was but ar undercurrent Of a most
enjoyable reception and reunion, not unlike
other receptions except in degree Of interest.
THE CITY OF MEXICo TALKING.
Just as one of the speakers was introduced
Mr.. Ham Young called attention to the fact that
the City of Mexico twas talking" ana asked
for an announcement of the greeting for those
who could not catch it from the click.
The chairman, Mr.. Maynard, replied that the
City of Mexico was Just sending greetings, and
asked the receiver TIC read the dispatch.
The following message was read:
$40 the Old Timers and Military Telegraph
Corps: The operators in the land of the Monte
zumas send warmest greeting. BUESos NoCHEs,
City of Mexico"
by the marvel Of telegraphy the man at the
end of the wire in the City of Mexico was talk
ing with the operator in the hall and in mo-
ment he was made aware Of the applause with
which his greeting was received-ainost as
quickly if he had been in the hall to hear it.
CONNECTED WITH ALL PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.
The assemblsge Lere was connected directly
by slender wire traversing plains, mountains.
forests and deserts where the foot of man sell
dom treads; under the waters of the gulf and
through the wilds of almost unexplored regions
OF Mexico with the capital Of the Montezumas.
The company assembled at the reunion of the
Old-tlme and military IelegraDhQr6 at x O'clock
1t was social gathering, free from formality
and necessarily full Of interest and enjoyment.
The Western Union had placed an instrument
on little table on the stage and an operator
at the key was In communication with all parts
of the country, SO that telegraphers hundreds
and thousands of miles away were able to take
part In the reunion.
WELCOMED By MR.. N. NJ. PARKER
Shortly after o'clock Mr.. Maynard, presi-
dent of the O.d-timers' Association, opened the
more formal part of the proceedings by the in
PRODUCTION of speakers
Assistant Secretary Nettleton, Assistant Post
master General Whitfield, Assistant Secretary
OF War Grant, Assistant Secretary of Agricul-
ture Willis. Mr.. NJ. NJ. Parker and Prof. ]. Z.
Watkins of the National Museum occupied seats
on the stage.
Mr.. NJ. NJ. Parker, on the part Of the Wash
ington board of trade, welcomed the visitors
He paid a high tribute to the telegraphers,
day il would paralyze business. sndif a week
would bankrupt the universe. referring to the
use OF the telegraph in war he said that great
battles we're fought and won by the use of the
telegraph. The click of the operator and the
crack of the musket did the business and the
click OF the operator was generally first. The
great confidence reposed in these men was
illustrated in the case of MIR. Rosewster. the
new president of the old timers, who was an
army operator and was given the countersign
tha Ann of he pot
vance, trust not even reposed in any of The
great generals. The military telegrapher, said
Mr.. Parker, had been practically forgotten by
the government, while the mule driver was reg
ularly drawing his pension. MIR. Parker said
he did not desire to discriminate against the
mule driver, for even in times Of peace his oc-
cupation was dangerous, but he did think the
operators ought also be recognized, and closed
by pledging the services of the board of trade
OF Washington In lobbying the bill through
Congress.
Mt. W. " BUREAUS of the United Press then
read interesting paper on the development
Of telegraphy.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY NETTLEToNs ADDRESS.
Assistant Secretary Nettieton spoke on behalf
of the Treasury Department which department
had charge Of the Morse wire wien first COM
pleted between Washington and Baltimore. He
| said that he never heard the click of an instru-
ment that he did not marvel at the mystery
i tiidt rncOnpahstu u, anu tue WONDER 10 him
| was how the operators could overcome the feel
| ing of awe and the knowledge that they were
dealing with that which approached almost to
I the supernatural OF all the inventions and
discoveries this the only one in which per-
fiction had been attained at a single bound.
While there had been improvements i'll me;ho DDS,
/ the principle established at the outset, and
| il was impossible to excel or surpass that
which was instantaneous.
ASSISTANT POSTMASTER GENERAL WHITFIELD
| Assistant Postmaster General Whitfield
| spoke Of the intimate association Of the postal
and telegraph systems. without discussing the
subject of postal telegraph. He reminded the
| operators that they represented q great corpo-
| ration that held the came confidential relations
with the business and the homes OF the country
| as was held by the department he represented
| The mail and the telegraph were never at rest
| and by day and by night. by wire and by rail
| messages OF JOY and sorrow, OF business and oil
| pleasure. were flying across the country. II
| was a position of great responsibility, and the
men engaged in it, he said, were men whom
he knew appreciated the trust reposed in them
| ASSISTANT SECRETARY WILLIS.
| Assistant Secretary Willis spoke with much
pleasantly and humor of his six weeks asso-
citation with telesraphy through the weather
bureau. He dwelt at length upon the inl-
portance of telegraphy to that bureau. saying
| that there could be no weather bureau without
| il. and III conclusion referred to the great work
\ OF the operators, the subtlety Of the force that
i Needed their commands, and finished by sx-