The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-05-03
ANODD KIND 0FCLUB.
IN RESEMBLES A FULL FLEDoED
TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

Of which Have Their Houses Connect
ed BY wires, So That they May Com
munIcate with Each Other by Telegraph.
One Of the most novel or unique or
CARNATIONS in Brooklyn is one that has
recently gained q new lease Of life
through the infusion Of new and Wig
orous blood and by a thorough reorganS
ization. It Is called the Phenix Morse
/ Telegraph club, and Is perhaps the only
| one Of its kind in the United Stated.
The old organization was formed in
/ 1879 and started in life under the name
Of the Phenix club. 1t was inaugurated
by number Of young people, some Of
whom were engaged in occupation as
telegraphers, and others Of different yo-
cations, who took pleasure in studying
the mysterious language Of dots and
dashes. A private telegraph line was
established and connected with the res
licences OF the members. A busy wire
it was too. The hum Of conversation,
/ II IL can be termed such, was constant
throughout the evening. Stories were
passed over the electrical current, jests
and jokes banded, chess and checkers
4 played by individuals who liked this
sort Of recreation, and in fact as good
| time was usually passed as II the MEM
bers were brought IN contact with each
other by person IN one room.
Jokes Of an innocent character were
also carried ON over the circuit, which
had the advantage in 80 far as to allow
the perpetrat0r to remain unknown or
making it unnecessary to fee from the
wrath Of the person upon whom It was
inflicted. Quite number Of these are
stock property among the old members,
who relate them to friends with as much
gusto and enjoyment as If they had oc-
CURED only yesterday. One Of these Is
10 the effect that two members after
practicing with another In the early
evening, during which the sender trans
mitted the Morse characters as fast as
he could, or as telegraphers would say
rushed" the receiver, Notwithstanding
the protests Of this unfortunate disciple
of Americas noted inventor. The latter
promised himself that speedy revenge
, would follow, and sought TO find some
|, means whereby he could make the
"rusher' as uncomfortable as he had
been previously.
The practicing finally came 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 soundr would strike
the gloom and quiet with the distinct
mess Of blow from trip hammer. At
about 3 O'Clock IN the morning he went
10 the instrument and began to call his
victim in q manner which would midi
cate that . ire had perhaps broken out
i or that the transmitter had serious need
, Of aid in some dire calamity. He called
in this furious style until he had awak-
ened the sleeper, who jumped mp out Of
, bed and went to the instrument, ex-
r pecting to hear that something dreadful
| had happened. He answered the cal
quakingly. His indignation can be mn.
agined when the query came slowly and
DISTINCTLY:
"WM you please tell me the time; my
clock has rum down"
| His answer Is not recorded, but it il
safe to assume that the immediate vicin,
ity became as warm as hot box of an
| oygheated wheel,
The organization went on in the even
tenor of its way until two or three year.
! ago, when it began to languish, partly
on account of detection Of members
who moved away from the city or be.
) cause the remaining persons would moi
shoulder in the proper or necessary man.
, ner the worry and expense of conduct.
ing such and organization. Then came
another club which was purely social
0 in its character and which was also
! called the Phenix club. It may have
been that the similarity of names caused
a bond of friendship to be established
: or that some of the members of this
G body were capable of handling key
y and working the electrical current
!, However this may be, the two organ
izations were amalgamated and new
order of affairs brought about thereby
The name was changed to the present
one, and under which it started out with
bright and prosperous auspices.
A flat, corner of Marcy avenue and
| Fulton street, has been made the head
: quarters of the club, and which may bt
termed the main Office of this amateur
I telegraph company. Here are located
the battery room, which furnishes thu
! powerful fluid by which the wire il
worked, and another which is called tn,
operating room, in which are placed foul
sets of instruments and double practic
ing outfit. A galvonometer, whereof,
the wire is measured, so that the where
abouts of any trouble on the line can b,
d detected, is also included in this space
Meetings and social gatherings are HEX
in larger room running off from thi
one Eighty cells of battery work tn,
! circuit, which covers distance of near
ly eighteen miles in this city, mainly ii
the upper residence section.
The old string was overhauled b,
; an experienced ineman recently ant
: put in sufficiently substantial shape il
order to enable it to more readily resis
the wear and tear of line in larg,