The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1892-05-06
AN ODD KIND OF CLUB.
1T RESEMBLES A FULL PLEDGED
TELEGRAPH COMPANY.

municatc with Each other by Telegraph.
eanizations in Brooklyn Is one that has
recently gained new lease of life
through the infusion of new and Wig
urous blood and by thorough reorgan.
ization. 1t is called the Phenix Morse
Telegraph club, and is perhaps the only
one OF its kind in the United States.
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 vo-
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.
if it can be termed such, was constant
throughout the evening. Stories were
passed over the electrical current, jests
and jokes banded. chess and checkers
played by individuals who liked this
sort Of recreation, and in fact as good
a time was usually passed as if the men,
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 so far as to allow
the perpetrator to remain unknown or
making it unnecessary to flee from the
wrath of the person upon whom it was
inflicted. Quite a 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
to 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 sounder would strike
the gloom and quiet with the distinct
ness of a blow from trip hammer. AT
about 3 o'clock in the morning he went
to the instrument and began to call his
victim in manner which would indi-
cate that fire had perhaps broken out
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 up out of
Sed and went to the instrument, ex-
3ecting to hear that something dreadful
had happened. He answered the call
Iuakingly. His indignation can be i'm
Igined when the query came slowly and
distinctly:
"Will you please tell me the time; my
clock has run down"
His answer is not recorded, but it is
safe to assume that the immediate vicin-
.ty became as warm as hot box of an
Jverheated wheel.
The organization went on in the even
;enor of its way until two or three years
ago, when it began TO languish, partly
IN account of a detection of members
Who moved away from the city or be-
cause the remaining persons would not
shoulder in the proper or necessary man
Ter the worry and expense of conduct
ing such and organization. Then came
another club which was purely social
n its character and which was also
called the Phenix club. 1t may have
oeen that the similarity of names caused
bond of friendship to be established
ar that some of the members of this
body were capable of handling a key
md working the electrical current.
However this may be, the two organ
cations were amalgamated and new
lrder 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 fiat, corner of Marcy avenue and
Fulton street, has been made the head
quarters of the club, and which may be
:er1ned the main Office of this amateur
telegraph company. Here are located
slc DdllcTN room, winch furnishes the
powerful fluid by which the wire is
worked, and another. which is called the
operating room. in which are placed four
sets of instruments and double practic-
ing outfit. \ galvonometer, whereby
he wire is measured, so that the where
lbouts of any trouble on the line can be
detected, is also included in this space.
Meetings and social gatherings are held
n a larger room running off from this
Jne. Eighty cells of battery work the
circuit. which covers a distance of near
" eighteen miles in this city, mainly in
the upper residence section.
The old "string" was overhauled by
IN experienced lincmaE recently and
put in sufficiently substantial shape in
order to enable it to more readily resist
he wear and tear of line in large
md busy city. The circuit is placed
along the housetops on the route, and
,rouble of any kind or, as an operator
would say, bugs are rarely met with
or experienced. Twenty-three so called
81 IN