Daily Yellowstone journal., 1891-03-07
OLD socY
A Telegraph Operator who IL xssx.Ss
wherever There IL = Wire.

A Telegraph Operator who IL xssx.Ss
wherever There IL = Wire.
He looked like a very ordinary
man as he stood in the doorway Of
the train dispatcher's Office at the pier
Tuesday evening. He was dressed in
an ordinary suit of clothes His rather
thin face was framed in a scant reddish
beard, through which peeped pair Of
blue eyes. Taking it all in all. he wa
very ordinary looking man, and yea
that man was the most noted telegraph
operator in the United States and pos-
sibly in the world. It was Old Bogy.
Everybody WAC Is or pretends to bs
a telegraph operator or train dis
patcher knows Old Bogy. Wherever
there runs line by telegraph wire
there is known that name, and it IL
pretty safe to say that Old Bogy him
self has been pretty nearly wherever
the telegraph has gone. Old Bogys
other name is Bogardus.
Twenty-Five years ago Old B0gy-for
Old Bogy he was even when he was a
lad-was a telegraph operator in the
employ Of the United States govern
ment. Bogy was a telegraph operator
in the Capitol at Washington. and he
handled all of the important messages
that came there from the front. He
was trusted, and the confidence Was
not abused.
After a while he was sent to the
front. and was in the midst of the
fighting with Gen. Grant. and he played
no unimportant part in the great strife
He was an expert OPERATOR better
does not ext -anl "a. held many n
great secret during those trOublon
times.
After the war Old Bogy began IN
drift He wandered from railroad to
railroad, and from telegraph Office to
telegraph Office. from one end of the
country to the other. and before long
the name of Old Bogy became a
proyerb among telegraph men He
had gained the bad habit of unFSst
that had fastened itself upon him
during the war. and before long he be-
came the most noted tramp operator
in the United States. He seemed To
have lost all desire OF ability for steady
work, and while his ability was Of ths
highest he would work a few weeks
and then suddenly leave, and do moth
ing until his money was exhausted
And 80 he travelled, working little,
borrowing a great deal, and often gst-
ting passes from point TO point on rail-
road lines
Train Dispatcher Comstock, now at
Oakland pier, worked with Old BOgy
in Chattanooga some seven or eight
years ago. Bogardus had just beer
sent to China TO put in operation n
system of train dispatching on the firzt
railroad telegraph in that country. He
was gone four years. and when he re-
turned he was given a big reception at
CHATTANOOGA, and that was the begin
ming of his second downfall
Five years or so ago Old Bogy drift
ed out 10 San Francisco. and was EN-
ployed in the Western Union office in
that city He worked there for several
weeks, and just before pay day he went
out of the Office and never returned 10
get the money that was due him
Old Bogyis uncle died in Rochester,
n. Y, not long ago, and left him SO.
600, but so invested that he could draw
only the income, and consequently the
tramp operator is in better financial
condition than ever before. Heis good
natured and good hearted in the ex-
treme, and will share his last penny
with his friends, but he is an inveterate
borrower, and the boys all like him.
and he has no trouble making his way
wherever he goes. travelling mostly ON
his reputation. Oakland Tribune