New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-06-28
AWAKE UNDER Difficulties
TROUBLES OF THE NIGHT TELEGRAPH on.
ORATORS SIGNALLING TRAINS

when | young fellow | was nigh, tea.
graph operator az a little way station on A rail.
road, said the individual who works the Washing.
ton wire. as he removed a shade from his forehead
and Joined the rest Of the fellows at lunch
Il remember that our chief ambition in those davs
was TO get much sleep as We could nights with.
out being found out. that We could get along
without wasting 50 much OF the day In bed Pound
We used TO call sleep In those days because We
stopped pounding brass TO pound our ears on an
express-package pillow with waitng-room benca
for a bunk. Funny thing is trade slang In those
days there were very few semaphore signals. and
we had to get out the track with red and white
lanterns and swing trains up. and our chefest bans
a holding order. for there be sleep
with them on our hands.
For instance II westbound trains had the right
of way, the dispatcher might send me an order 10
"Hod No. IS for orders. and then run trains east
bound against II all the way up the line. Quite
sponsrbility 10 put on seventeen-year-old boy
Well, II We happened to be terribly sleepy II was
hard fight. | have been sleepy that daren't cit
in my chair for fear would fall asleep, and have
stood up and walked around many time FOR an
nour or so along In the small hours OF the morning
until the order was revoked the train got In. one
way we had was 10 put high stool cut IN the cen.
ire OF the floor and st that. IL we went 10 sleep
we would tumble off | nearly broke M neck once
that WAY | have Oftel had my call on the wire
wake me up There's some thing peculiar ABOUT Una.
| have been sound asleep In room ADJOINING tns
telegraph office. had a train 70 oy and an aiafia
clock 20 off without waking me uD, with TWO OF
three instruments clicking away Ike MAD an 0, tAe
time and then start up suddenly wide awake wne1
some one called my ofice on the wire. II away
seemed 70 wake me up in the same way wouIa
dream that my station was beng called, and that
some was holding me down, 70 pIecen s.a ~
answering H. would struggle ana STRAIN 10 esearv
and then suddenly wake up to find the Instrument
calling Just as | Dire AIMED they were once WIEN ~,
very sound asleep actuay got up III ny s efes
and had my hands on the key TO answer can pe'os
woke up ,...u.,,o houevar unfortunately.
and we used 20 try all sorts OF schemes 10 aWahea
ourselves, usually beginning VITA an alir 800 ~.
The trouble with an alarm COCK Is sa We learned
that the way TO use one was 10 give me aaiIn S',
one the first two or three lln:es we ~ VA
then turns for awhile, ana so on h u ~ ioss
fully wound up each time. and when II oes4h 70 20
its effect as II would, like the continued Us. %
opiates we discontinued II Tor a"hile anu . Hx
Something else | have often set my COCK tMeny
minutes ahead lay down and slept peace'uHy I"
The Greatest trouble We had in reporting tss
passing of trains. Some or the ngh! e rs nor
would rush by SO quick tnat we afar Inc train
had heen reported from two or three
we would perhaps wake up ard ma he IIsin'I mi
caing mn ansyer not VET there would be PAD
few minutes in store for us for very severe
can be said over wre e;o ahu ." a6use
For awhile l had a dog VINO wouia Nd Ses would
provl when a train was nlle a"d - 49, a. ma
wake me up but after awhile he got alnc.eu -, mn
regular way and would only grow ior '' Tsb,
Al asst | devised lovel scheme .a. sr q iSs
string across the track about I'VE eet I'm s o,ser
ground tied one end the fence ana RAJ, ue co,l
through the keyhoe To this eni attacn s, wSss
hod filled with poksrs. tin cans etc, - nS down
the train passed the string would oreSS s' and
would come the hod with terrloie ca cay, ,vss f,r
would be reused. Well ! had II al nlcsls SSou,
the Chicago express tho tirst night WIFI nS ,os
O'Clock a tramp trudged along up the "S.n he vas
string caught him just under the nose. az "a, had nv
the maddest man | ever heard. II ha,' ,a- bays
dog with me | don't believe he wou.d eve
Gained down. ,s>.or,, for quite .
while but got so that III sleep tAIoussn sIi and
sometimes Il would get caugh; OCCASIONS, - az.
wouldn't work. and 1t was 4 me- 50 Est pan
range anyway so I decided that the saivr a., tThs
was 10 tie the end OF the string TO my am ns -
first time / tried tina; was out OF Sot.ona bsll ..
rummaged around in the Office ana iounu sonie Use
this fine hard Irvine which the express Pm brs erd
and stretched that. like a bIs too. nc. co, Ia
OF II around my wrist and laid down one on limited
about an hour along came the New o' ma, irvine
about fifty miles an hour. and say,wny ,"f hike /,
would have towel a canal-boat betorss ,y across
had tipped the cot. dragged me hslln ss,S Gu.
the floor nearly frightened me 10 DEAN - nv
into the flesh OF my wrist nearly 10 tne ,Sof used
arm was nearly disocated. You can oo' '
cotton Irvine after that.