Waterbury evening Democrat., 1893-12-12
AT A CABLE STATION.
ISOLATED OPERATORS LIVE IN A
WORLD ALL THEIR OWN.

meaning, such as the term life on board
ship" would imply to one who had new
or been to sea. The very popularity Of
cable life attaches to it something of a
special interest. 1t will be my endeavor
here to portray as far as possible what
life is Mt one of the busiest and most i'm
portaut cable stations in the world, land
ing two ocean cables from Waterville
Ireland, two from New York city, one
of which is operated direct from Wall
street; also a cable to st. Pierre, Anque-
Ion, and working direct land system
in connection with and over the Cana
dian Pacific railway.
1t is a we'll known fact that cable sta
tons, rs a rule, are placed upon the most
outlandish spots imaginable, in thus
wise throwing the operators out of touch
with society and the world at large.
Just picture to yourself a moment a
small cape running out into the Atlantic
on the most northcaStcrly point of the
American continent. \ little TO the
south and situated somewhat ON a hill
you will see what appears to be a small
village Circling into the shape of Il horse
shoe. The background is thickly clothed
with small fir trees, ana Immediately at
the foot of the hill is large lake with
miniature islands clothed in rich green
foliage.
Beyond the lake and as far rs the eve
| can reach is one vast expanse of water lii
viding the eastern and western CONT
nents of Europe and America. At once
| you are brought to the "Canso station"
of the Commercial Cable company
To the southeast of the lake the broad
! Atlantic rolls along in heavy monotone.
while far away ON the horizon 4 dark
line of smoke floats leisurely in the wake
of passing steamer. The station itself
has picturesque appearance i'll the
glistening sunlight, the handsome office
with its bold frontage standing like 4
/ sentinel at the western gateway. There
are the finely laid out tennis courts. the
/ broad crescent of substantial villas, with
/ their small patches of GreenSward and
flower beds in front. and the neat little
clubhouse with Its small piazza. where
the men enjoy their pipes of an evening
and watch the fleet of fishing boats or
ocean travellers passing round the cape
AT the eastern entrance are the baChC-
lors' quarters-a large 2-story building,
accommodating nearly 80 men. Two and
half miles away is the fishing town of
Q NJdllSO. WIFI us ~.NNu lIllsl DlI1llIS.
There is nothing outside to portray the
amount of activity going ON within the
Office. The commercial world is in full
swing. the cables are being worked at
top speed, and messages are pouring in
10 be transmitted IL all parts of the hab-
liable globe. Business Is being transact
ed between the London and New York
. Stock Exchanges almost as speedily as in
/ the exchanges themselves. Here one
gets general idea of the Importance of
submarine teleSraphy to the world at
large and the value of time. No stop
ping, no pausing. nothing hut rush. rush,
rush. the clicking of saunders. the work
ing of automatic senderS, the tapping OF
keys, and the steady buZzing Of recording
instruments.
The operators have the money market
under their control: are cdifying the po-
litiCal world with the latest conundrums
or flashing forth the tidings of some
dreadful calamity across the submerged
chains which link the old world with the
new.
Life at 4 cable station Is not all sun.
shine. neither is ii all shadow. Wehavc
our periods of dullncss aSwcll as our sea.
sons of pleasure, advantages as well Il,
disadvantages. We live in an uncon.
ventional manner. but there are times
when we experience thirst for town
life with all its rush and rattle, merely
for n change. On the whole. however
we are very contcnted and happy; there
is such n sense of freedom so far removed
from the congested atmosphere of city
life. Roam where one will. there is no
one to say, Whittier goCSt thou:" On
can shoot all over no mans land" OF
cast the deceptive fly on lake or stream
and wilc the silvery trout from their Va
rious haunts. There are no preserves,
therefore no gamekeepers or watchers.
In season We have boating. tennis
cricket, riding and other sports 10 brace
us up for the mental strain of the oper-
ating room; also our concerts, dances
and p;cnics to mark the superficial side
of life. Naturally we have to rely on
our own resources for amusement and
entertainment. and at a largo station
there is generally : fair supply OF talent
in various directions.
When winter Is upon us with its icy
grasp. when tine trees and everything
around are clad in beautiful gIrb al
white anu glistoninS Cnow. we don our
furs, and away We 20 across country tC
At4t AAAN4AN AAAA-AAI ~ EAGAAsAAA<AA- G.-4NN
shooting and skating also form important
features of our winters pastime.
When the shades Of evening cast their
dark mantles around us. we gather il
the CHEEKY clubhouse and over our pipe:
discuss the latest news from the outside
world, sum up "reminiscences of Other
days, talk of episodes in our lives and
experiences ut other stations in Other
lands. with no foreign element To breal
our bond Of fraternity.
There is Il strange Bohemianism in tbs
life of u cable operator. The constant
moving about he is subject to. the living
in foreign countries and mixing witt
different races give him = cosmopolitan
education. with n broad and generOu.
view of humanity. to the downfall o.
many narrow and popular prejudices.
do not know of any other profession
where exists the same fraterual feeling
or spirit of clannishness rs is met with IL
the cable service. Let a man travel the
globe. and the mere fact of his being &
Son of Mercury" will insure him 4
warm welcome at any cable station Ia
may visit.-Cor. New York Herald
4 FruSy Existence.
Little Dick-I don't believe I'll learn "a
be a sailor after all
| Little Dot-Wby mott
Little Dick talked with an old man
to-day who had been sailor Tor - years
and never Eut shtpwrccked GA II desert is
land yet-Ciood News.
a Mistake Somewhere.
Clara-what makes champagne 80 dif-
I fprpnt FINN Clnrpt anil ttnrf aud sharr-wE