Idaho semi-weekly world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1875-1908, 1893-09-26
AT A CABLE STATION.
ISOLATED OPERATORS LIVE IN A
WORLD ALL THEIR OWN.
Picturesque Scenes at the American Ter
minus of the Great Transatlantic Cables.
Thirty MGR Live a Peculiar Kind of Ex-
istepce by Themselves

I
cable station" convey a vague sort o
meaning. such as the term "life on boar'
ship" would imply to one who had new
er been to sea. The very popularity o
cable life attaches TO it something OF
special interest 1t will be my endeavol
here to portray as far as possible VIVA
life is at one of the busiest and most i'm
portant cable stations in the world, land
ing two ocean cables from Waterville
Ireland, two from New York city, ont
of which is operated direct from Wal
street; also a cable to st. Pierre, Mique
lon, and working direct land system
in connection with and over the Cana
dian Pacific railway.
1t is a well known fact that cable sta
tons, as 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 moment a
small cape running out into the Atlantic
on the most northeasterly point Of the
American continent. A little to the
south and situated somewhat on hill
you will see what appears to be small
village circling into the shape of horse
shoe. The background is thickly clothed
with small fir trees, and Immediately at
the foot of the hill is large lake with
miniature islands clothed in rich green
foliage.
Beyond the lake and as far as the eye
can reach is one vast expanse of water di-
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 a dark
line of smoke floats leisurely in the wake
of passing steamer. The station itself
has a picturesque appearance in the
sunlight, the handsome Office
with its bold frontage standing like
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
lower beds in front, and the neat little
clubhouse with its small piazza, where
The men enjoy their pipes of an evening
md watch the feet of fishing boats or
ocean travellers passing round the cape
At the eastern entrance are the bache-
ors' quarters-a large 2-story building,
accommodating nearly 80 men. Two and
half miles away is the fishing town of
Canso, with its 1000 inhabitants.
There is nothing outside to portray the |
of activity going on within the |
ftice. The commercial world is in full |
wing, the cables are being worked at
op speed, and messages are pouring in
o be transmitted to all parts of the hab-
table globe. Business is being transact
d between the London and New York
took Exchanges almost as speedily as il,
he exchanges themselves. Here ono
cts general idea of the Importance of
lbmarlne telegraphy to the world at
urge and the value of time. No stop
ing, no pausing, nothing but rush, rush.
ash, the clicking of saunders, the work
lg OF automatic senders, the tapping of
eys, and the steady buzzing of RECORDING
The operators have the money market
1der their control; are edifying the no.
'lcal world with the latest conundrums
flashing forth the tidings of some
'eadful calamity across the submerged
lalns which link the old world with tba
wv.
Life at cable station is not all sun.
line, neither is it all shadow. We have
IT periods of dullness as well as our sea.
ms OF pleasure, advantages as well as
We live in an uncon-
ntional manner, but there are times
nen we experience a thirst for town
Q with all its rush and rattle, merely
change. On the whole, however
are very contented and happy; there
sucn sense of freedom so far removed :
'm the congested atmosphere of civ ,
D. Roam where one will, there is no t
9 10 say, Whittier goest thouf" One r
n Shoot all over mo mans land" or /
81 the deceptive fly on lake or stream +
d VILE the silvery trout from their va |
us haunts. There are no preserves :
ere1ore no gamekeepers or watchers J.
N season we have boating, tennis
cket' riding and other sports to brace c.
up TOT the mental strain of the onar. W
ng room; also our concerts. dancoo O.
plcnlcs to mark the superficial sida il
life Naturally we have to re,v ON p
own resources for amusement and a.
and at a large station 10
re Is generally fair supply of talent is
various directions '"-en' 10 10
men winter is upon US with its io,,
sp' when the trees and evervtb;no tn
W. una are clad in beautiful garb Of In
lite and glistening snow, we Don oIr tit
s. ana away we go across country 70 BE-
merry tlnkle of sleighbells. snow. NJ
eng ana skating also form importan, u, IN
lures OF our winters pastime ''-' 1n
', men the shades of evening cast their pc pc
n NANTES around us, we gather !, W
enee,y clubhouse and over our pines to
, !, the latest news from the ontsida cac
III, sum up "reminiscences of othau Int
s. TAX OF episodes in our Eves 49, jus
5iiences at other stations in otber nee St
a. with no foreign element TO brea1, ~;
pond of fraternity. - Gan cli
mere is a strange Bohemianism in tho sch sch
oi cable operator. The cons+snt pie
.o lrs ABOUT he is subject to, the living con
srant countries and mixing with tur
,ation races ICES give him cosmopolitan thr
|, W WIN a broad and generous can
oi humanity, to the downfall as am
y narrow and popular preiudices t tna
ro' know of any other profassion c cop'
,ir;t of - same fraternal feeling tho
ali, .lli VI eiannishness as is met with IN low