Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-05-02
AN ODD KIND OF CLUB.
1T RESEMBLES A FULL PLEDGED
TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

An Amateur Organization. the Members
Of which Have Their Houses Connect
ed by Wires. 80 That They May COM
niunicsss with Bach other by Telegraph.
one Of the most novel or unique or
CARNATIONS IN Brooklyn Is ono that has
recently gained n new lease Of liio
through tho infusion Of new and Wig
orous blood and by u thorough rcorgau'
ization. II Is called the phenix Morse
Telegraph club, and Is perhaps the only
one Of iH kind In the United States.
The old organization WINS formed in
1870 aud started In lifo under tho namo
of the Phcnix club. II WINS innuguratCd
by a number Of young people some OF
whom were engaged In occupation rs
telegraphors. and others Of different yo'
cations. who took pleasure in studying
the mysterious language of dots and
dashcs. A private telegraph limo WINS
established md connected with tho res
idcncos Of the members. a busy wir1
1t was too. The hum Of conversation,
II 1t can be termed such, was constant
throughout the evening. Stories We're
passed over tho electrical current, iosis
nnd Jokes banded. chess and checkers
played by individuals who liked this
sort Of recreation. and In fact ~ good
time was usually pagcd ~ II the mem
hers wero brought In contact with each
other by person IN ono room.
Jokes Of an innocent character We're
also carried ON over tho Circuit, which
had the advantage IN NO far ~ 10 allow
the porpotrator TO remain unknown or
making IL unnecessary TO flee from the
wrath Of the person upon whom II was
inflicted. Quite n number Of these are
stock property among the old members,
who relate them 20 friends with ~ much
gusto and enjoyment rs N they had oc-
Cured only yesterday. One Of these Is
10 the effect that two members after
praotiuing with another in the early
evening, during which tho sender trans
nitted the Morse characters ~ fast rs
he could. or ns photographers would say
crushed" tho receiver, Notwithstanding
the protests Of this unfortunate disciple
Of Americas noted inventor. Tho latter
promised himself that speedy revenge
would follow, and sought to find some
means whereby he could make the
''ruaher" ~ uncomfortable Us he had
been previously.
The practicing finally camo TO an end,
and the receiver waited until an un.
earthly hour Of the morning, WHEN he
supposed his victim had gone to bed and
when the click Of soundcr would strike
the gloom and quiet with the distinct
ness Of blow from u trip hammer. AT
about o'clock In the morning he went
10 tho instrument and began TO call his
victim In a manner which would indi.
cate that II lire had perhaps broken out
or that the transmittcr had serious need
Of aid In some dire calamity. He called
In this furious style until he had awuli,
oned the sleeper, who jumped up out Of
bod and went TO the instrument, OK.
pocting TO hear that something dreadful
had happened. Ho answered the call
qual,ingly. His indignation can be i'm.
agined when the query came slowly and
distinctly;
"Will you please tell mo tho time; my
clock has run down.
His answer u not recorded, hut II I,
safe to assume that tho immediate vicin
ity became as warm US a hot box Of NJ
overheated wheel,
The organization went on In the ever
tenor OF it's way until two or three year
ago, when 1t begun TO languish, partl,
on account Of detection Of mombor
who moved away from the city or bc
cause the remaining persons would no
shoulder in the proper or necessary man
ner the worry and expense OF conduct
ing such and organization. Then cam
another club which was purely socia
In its character and which was ais
called tho phcnix club. II may hay
been that the similarity ofnamcs cause
u bond Of friendship TO be establisho
or that some of tine members Of thi
body were capable Of handling u Ike
and working tho electrical currgn
However this may be, the two organ
izations wcro amalgpimted and q ne
order Of affairs brought about thcrub,
Tho name was changed to tho proscI
one, and under which Il started ont wit
bright and prosporousmuspiccs.
a flat, corner Of Marcy avenue an
Fulton street, has been made the heat
quarters of the club, and which may
termed tho main o:ltre II this nmatol
telegraph company. Here are locat,
the battery room, which furnishes u
powerful fluid by which the wire
worked, and another, which ia called Il
operating room, in whicharo placed 10,
gots OF instruments and double practi
ing outfit, a gulyonometor, wherel
the wire Is measured, 40 that the wheI
abouts Of any trouble ON the line can
detected, IL also included in this spaC
Meetings md social gatherings are he
in hrgcr room running or from Il
one, Eighty coils of battery work t
circuit. which covers distance Of ne,