Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1891-05-23
A STUDY IN SOUNDS.


only are they masters of their art as
class, but many of them have developed
the wonderful faculty of reading char
acter by the sharp ticks that emanate
from the little brass instruments. For
instance, any old-time operator who
ranks as first-ratcr can tell by the
tick Of the machine in Philadelphia
what manner of man is at the other
end of the wire, no matter whether he
be in Chicago, New York or any other
distant city. Just as banl, cashiers
recognize the signatures of old GUS
toners, SO do tclcgraphcrs identify
friends by their sending" or writing.
The fast, jcrl1y sender who stops
every few minutes to tighten this screw
or loosen that spring or to talk with
his desl1mate easily tells the receiver
that he Is a nervous, irresponsible
young man of little experience and less
Judgment; he warns the receiver to be
on constant watch for errors, for which
he will shirlx any responsibility. With
out having definite reason to say so,
the receiver will not hesitate to assert
that such a sender would lie himself
out of any difficulty that might arise
The fearless, manly telegrapher is
the man who sends even, well-spaced
Morse, fast, of course, but steady
withal, and sends "all the time" This
man seldom has "cases." He impresses
the receiver at once that he is inva-
riably correct. He never stops for bad
copy, because he always reads a mes
sage ahead of the one he is sending, anu
returns any he cannot deciphcr to the
clerks before starting it. This sort of
man has friend IN every Office. All
the students and operators in way sta
tions know him. They recognize his
sending and appeal to him as would
child to an older brother.
The sneak is quickly discovered and
promptly roasted" He sends slowly
and with an aggravating drag. He
never swears on the wire. which, by the
way, is certain to be rewarded by dis
missal if reported, although majority
OF operators are more or less profanc.
While this man may not have been in
the business at the time of any strike,
he is certain to be called ''scab' by
all the out-of-town men, with whom he
has frequent spats.
Practical jollers and witty men are
generally indifferent operators. but uGu-
ally have 4 reputation reaching from
San Francisco to Boston, which always
secures them work at good salaries.
Their characteristics are denoted by the
small amount of business they handle,
notwithstanding the fact that they
seem to work every minute. They
make all sorts of blundcrs and worry
the receiver sick, depending upon their
good humor and new stories to square
matters.
Dude operators, like their funny
brethren, are poor artists, but they are
fortunate in acquiring regulations
They never need tell the receiver that
they love dress and think of little else.
Their frequent stops and silly chatter
between messages tells it for them.
After six months working with an OPP
orator Of this SORT the recover could de-
scribe him almost to q positive exact
ness without ever having seen him or
heard him described.
Surly, morose, and tramp operators
are alike as to ability. They arc all
fine photographers. Their characters arc
we'll defined by silence, and they are
distinguished one from the other by
bits of information regarding other
cities dropped from day to day by the
tramps. They tell their story when
they correct errors discovered in the adj
dresses of messages rclaying from ono
city to another, and by suggesting some
word to take the place OF one badly
written by some newspaper man whose
copy" they have "handlcd."
Lady operators are identified by tho
Ifrl,f Nff lAs,
being able to work on long distance
wires. On this account "Clara" is q
favorite name for light sendcrs of either
Sex, and their character as we'll as their
Sex is revealed by their constant anxiety
and ovcrfaithfulness, as well as by their
disposition to talk.
Few people understand why tel.
egraphers use so much and such avaric-
ty OF slang. This is easily accounted
for. Tho men in New York and San
Francisco communicate all tho lo+o.4