Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-01

system Of biography At the death Of Gen.
John A. Logan he sent matter that filed seven
columns OF the Inter Ocean. and sent il in less
than four hours. Recently he sent over :. 900
words in twenty-five minutes. using the code
system, and 1t was received in Chicago BY Mr..
Charles Hayes
| Mr.. McKeldin has always been selected as one
OF any detail which was sent out to do especially
rapid work He was one of the seven expert
| operators at the Jail when Guiteau was hung and
| he also went to Long Branch when President
Garfield was removed thither. From 1890 he
worked for the Associated Press and since the
consolidation he has worked the southern wire
for the United Press. No man in the telegraph
profession has more friends than Harry Nc
keldin. a state Of things brought about BY an
abnormally big heart. sunny disposition and
Willingness to sacrifice his pleasure for Others
BENEFIT TO THE PUBLIC.
Did the public but know their interests are
enhanced by these tournaments they would I'M
doubleday take a still greater interest in them.
OF course the ticking of telegraph sounder is
all Greek to the Impractical ear, but the stand
ing of the different cities as to individual ability
and the speed attained will eventually arouse
sectional pride. and an advancement of the pro-
fession will follow. Back in the early seventies
record OF forty words a minute WAS cons idered
something above the average, while the con-
testants in last Saturdays tournament who
came in at the fag emf all secured record of
forty-seven words minute or better.
When tournament is announced to come off
a couple of months later the operators of the
entire country are immediately on the alert to
ascertain the particulars As they are dis
cussed over the wires the fingers Of the men
tnge with enthusiasm. and as a result they are
all doing their best work. and messages fly over
the wires with unwonted speed. Even the
ladies of the profession catch the excitement
of the period. and better work than usual is
turned out by them. Herein the public de-
rives the benefit, their messages are delivered
to whom they are intended on an average of
about ten minutes earlier than usual Take for
instance an operator In any of the eastern cities
who intends to enter the tournament He is at
once on the hptoe of expectation. and imme-
diately proceeds to timber up and get into first
class condition. At ordinary times he will send
a certain number of messages a day. but now
he handles fully fifty more. and the public and
telegraph companies receives the benefit of this
enthusiasm 1t Is the same the press wires,
where the cream of the profession is EMPLOYED
At ordinary times more than average good
speed Is continually kept up. but now sudden
spurts are INDUCED in. and the receiving men
have to buckle down to work or be classed
among the experts who are losing their grip as
operators.
SOME GOOD MEN HERE.
This city das several good men in the tele-
graph profession. but their modesty and lack Of
steady nerves prevent them from making ma
tional regulations At the tournament held a
little over a year ago one of Washing.on-s
brightest men was sent over to New York to
bring the trophy to this city. but the facing Of
so many people with regulations of the best in
the telegraph ranks unnerved him and speed
o. forty words minute all that he coud
put to his credit. Good judges of fast sending
claimed that this man could send at least forty
eight words minute and he no doubt can I'M
der more quoting circumstances This lack of
nerve has no doubt robbed Washington of the
honor this year. but at future tournament we
can look fo- this city to make good showing
and perhaps bring the trophy to the city Of
magnificent distances.
To illustrate the great advantage OF speed in
sending the Morse alphabet. and in also receiy-
ing the same the following stories will be found
opportune:
STORY OF THE BIG STRIKE.
In a little Office adjoining the round house Of
the Pennsylvania road in Pittsburg in the year
1877 sat an operator facing almost certain
death. The yard was crowded with shrieking
strikers thirsting for blood and plumber; the
round house was on fire. and even his own
office had commenced to burn. The attack had
been SO sudden. and wires cut so badly, that but
little Of the true situation known to tho
officials In Philadelphia. Out over the wire
went the words:
For Gods sake, boys, don't break: my Office
is on fire, and l can't last long"
Then followed the sending Of particulars Of
the situation in as fine style, both as to speed
and formation of characters. as the most ex
acting could wish. The operator had almost
finished his tale when ''cic1'' went the wire
ana FOR hours afterward nothing was known Of
the tragic situation. 1t was learned later on
that the operator barely escaped with his life
and with no hair on his head But the officials
had received enough information to fully COM
prehend Its importance, and in a few hours
regiments of militia we're en- route to the
Cyfv fO ha.~
A JOKE UPON A RECEIVER.
rather humorous story is told at the ex-
pense Of an expert operator named Idemller
living in Pittsburg, wherein fast sending also
plays an important part. Idemiller in his day
ranked as one OF the best operators In the
country. At that time the really frst-class
men could be counted on the fingers Of ones
hands. For this reason the styles OF the Diff
ferent men in manipulating the keys were
known to each other well as 'he writing with
pen and ink.
Morse characters and registering them on a
tape was patented. 1t worked with q crank and
a speed Of fully 500 words minute could be
made. or course nothing human could trans
late this matter direct from the wire.
One day Idemiller was working with New
York and knowing his reputation as q receiver
the wire chief In the latter city determined to
try him. Unknown to Idemiller the fast"
machine was switched on to his wire and
started at a moderate speed. Then it COM
menced climbing up from forty to forty-three,
then forty-fve, then forty-seven, then ffty.
and finally reached ffty-fve. The other men
in the Pittsburg office had been put on to the
joke, and gathering around Idemiler proceeded
TO enjoy the joke. Idemiller sustained his repu-
tation like thoroughbred and hung to it until
the fifty-fve- word minute gait was reached.
when the pencil dropped from his fingers and
falling back in his chair he gasped out:
I'm done. It's either Patsy Ayres or the
devil"
FLOWERS FOR EASTER WEDDINGS.