The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-08-04
TELEGRAPH TALES.
Stories That VIII BE Appreciated by
knights of the Key.
From the New Orleans Picayune.


From the New Orleans Picayune.
Telegraph operators, like their congeners
of other professions and trades, have their
traditions of folk lore, and it would
greatly interest Prof. John Fiske to in
vestigate the origin of some of their
myths.
They are usually of some extraordinary
fast sender or phenomenal receiver, who
is either dead or located in some other
office.
The bug" on this subject mostly affects
the younger operators, but there are oc-
casions when the bug gets" in his bale
full work on some of the older ones. In
instances, men otherwise truthful, will
tell the most incredible yarns, which are
no more to be believed than are the stories
of fishermen about the size of the fish
they have failed to catch.
The stories all bear a strong family re
semblance, and whether heard in San
FRANCISCO or in Boston, Chicago and San
Antonio or New York and New Orleans
they will all be recognized as the same
old yarns furnished up a little here or
there, 10 suit the occasion and the tenn
permanent of those who tell them.
Here is the way one enthusiastic indi-
Vidual will tell it when his bug Is work
ing: old Jim Lawless was the biggest
KIND OF a telegrapher. I've seen the whole
OF them work, know them all by heart
ana there never was man who snatched
brass that could touch him. I'll tell Won
what he did in Savannah. Old Dad Sui
nVan was in Charleston, and in those
times DAD could average about eighty
three words a minute He got lin tho
first night T,qy yIaec CT
had been around the block and was co
drunk the boys had to prop him IN in
his chair; but he sat there and took an
messages without a break. Sullivan did
his level best. And the copy Jim tool,i
Gllt-edged copper plate; couldn't be rushed
out OF 1t nohoW, and talk about copying
behind! Why, that night when sDoJ,
said: IN. NJ. IL no SLOUGH q. N, Ola
man Jim was three commercial MESA oas
a government cipher and a short speciai
behind
The boys stood around and watched
MIN ana after he gave the o X and signed
he went right on and copied all tba+ St,1ee
he had lad back there in mis- bead sT Tj.lI
used to take press a long time AGO. and
they sent it Observation-Disclosures of tbs 49,,
TOOK 1t by registers, but Jim Just took n
by sound and wrote it out in fun. Tho
editors never saw such copy and the pro-
prietors of the paper offered him 81 Oo0 n
year to take charge of their subscrintio1,
books. One night Cincinnati called IN and
wanted to know If he could deliver y roes-
sage to the chief of police-Jim told him
yes-took it and told New York to 90
ahead. Then he jumped up and walked
over to the police station, stopped into a
little dive" on the way back. cot
schooner" came back TO the os1ca and
sat in and went to copying. He caught nm
to New York before he got go" tboue,b
he fell 400 words behind while he was
gone"
These are only a few Of the stories
can tell you of "Old Jim," but these ought
TO suffice"
Some operators will now and then brae
of the wonderful thing they have done
one man in tho long ago, who win be
called Van Dusen, was much given 10 this
sort Of thing. lie was very fond on hie
toddy too. A friend Of the writer told this
story OF him:
y was going from Cincinnati 70 gtuben.
vile. There were not many Ia che car a
young operator from Smlthsyllle. Qolne
70 Fitsburg 10 work for the opposItion.
"a couple OF dry goods drummers ana my
self Just az The train started. "a chan
whom az once recognized as Van Dusen.