The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-03
TELEGRAPHIC BULLS"
HOW MISTAKES ARE MADE IN THE
TRANSMITS SION OF MESSAGES,


TRANSMITS SION OF MESSAGES.
Curious Phases of Life as Developed
in Large Telegraph Ofhce-Combi-
nations of Words With Funny Re-
suts-How Broker Lost S25, 900
Stories Told an Evening Star Re-
porter.
From the Washington Star.
For an insight into the follies and foibles,
the bright, the sad aud the coarser strata of
human nature the large operating room of
the Western Union Telegraph Company up
on Fifteenth street is the place to visit.
Day in and day out the hundreds of little
brass saunders and relays are ticking off
messages for every part Of the globe, while
the deft fingers Of half a hundred bright
young men are adding Washington's quota
to the happenings of the world.
Among the thousands of messages that
pass to and fro from that big operating
room and the outer world it would be ex-
traordinary, indeed, if something humor-
GUS, bright or sad were not happening every
day. Take position from which view of
the faces of the operators can be had. and it
will frequently be seen that a smile and
sometimes hearty laugh will illumine the
frontispiece of manipulation of brass, de-
noting that something out of the usual has
come to his notice. Mistakes in spelling or
cementing of words will form q oombinR-
ton that the originator of Volapuk would
look upon with admiration. Then, again,
one of the men whose contact with
the world aud the handling of
products of great minds has made keen and
witty will get off something worthy Of
professional humorist which will be told to
these nearby, and as result ray of sun
shine is scattered in that locality that re-
lieves the hard work. Between the lapses
of NM" mo more I'M two men working a
duplex will tell of their travels; one, per-
haps. hailiug from Canada ana the other
from Florida, While all Old veteran that has
seen service in the field with the union
army will lean over their shoulders and re-
nina them that there are others who have
had experiences beside which theirs are but
gambols in the sunshine.
- MISTAKES IN SENDING.
A reporter of the Euening Star wendell
his way up the thousand and one stairs that
lead to the operating room in the Corcoran
building one day recently and came across
a half dozen photographers Ia the cloak
room. They were talking shop" of course,
aud the reporter became an attentive
listener. Said one Of the party:
LET me tell you about telegraph bull
that came under my observation to-day.
The man that made it was receiving press
matter. 1t concerned the mayoralty contest
in Long Island City between Gleason and
Sanford. My neighbor received the latter
gentleman's name as Mrs. Ann Ford and
maintained that it was sent that way"
Here's better one than that" chimed
in another member Of the gang. "a man
up the country wired q certain sash factory
in a neiRhboring city to Send two dozen
frames The receiving operator made it
read: Send two dozen frags.' He was a
sort of absent-minded fellow and as he
looked over the copy thought the sender
must have misread the message, 80 he cor
rected it to suit his idea Of what it should
be and made 1t read: Send two dozen frogs
In due course of time the frogs were shipped
TO the man up the country an investigation
followed, and the chair OF the absent
minded gentleman held new occupant"
One OF the party who assisted at the big
switchboard here added his mite to the
string OF tales by telling one on somebody
connected with the test circuit. He said
The early morning wire chief in neigh
boring city was busy testing one morning
when he received a message from this Office
by way of Cincinnati telling him: Unable
to raise you; get balloon test Here was
poser. What was a balloon test Soon
afterward communication with this Office
was restored and the message was repeated.
IL read: Unable to raise you; get BALTIC.
on test
GEN. FITz 10.
The approaching inaug Jration of Presi-
dent-elect Cleveland then became the SUBJ
ject Of conversation. An Inauguration is
an event in Geographic circles that Is only
equaled by the national conventions Of the
two great parties Thousands and thou
sands Of words are sent from this city hum
ming over the wires to almost every town
N the country, and the country editor must
indeed be poor who cannot secure q 100
word special of the event. The occurrence
spoken of below took place about the time
of Cleveland's inauguration nearly eight
years ago. Those who were IN Washington
at that time recall the ovation rendered
Gen. Fitzhugh Lee as he rode along at the
head of the great procession. The CORE
spondents naturally gave considerable space
70 this particular event, and one or the gen
erals friends, upon reading the account,
became enthusiastic and sent a message of
Congratuation,
The message was addressed "Gen. Fitz
Lee, Washington" The operator that sent
the message was a f1rst-olass one, and in
almost fault,ess Morse licked off: "To Gen.
ritz Lee" when he was stopped by the re-
ceiver in this city with the query: as that
Gen. Fitz Lo?" mo" came ticking back,
1t is Gen. Fitz Lee" The words we're
spelled off slowly and the receiver must
nave gotten it right this time. for he replied:
"Confound these Cinnamon, never could
get their names right"
The story reached the ears Of Gen. Lees
private secretary and through him the
general was made aware OF the joking with
LIS name. Gen. Lee was governor OF Vir-
Elnia then, and at q banquet few days
iater he retold this tale at bis own expense.
put In such matchless storytelling style
mat 1t was received with roars Of laughter
from all present.
Changing the subject" said one OF the
group, there was funny message went
over my wire to-day. 1t made everybody
On the line laugh aud put in some word Of
comment. 1t read:
Dear Grandma: / am born. Mother
uolng we'll; sends love-
N IL was girl. The message came from
I've" York and was rehandled for Rich