The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-10-11
LINCOLN AND THE OPERATOR.

General Superintenden, Charles A.
Tinker. OF the Western Union Tele-
graph Company. has written for the
Telegraph Age a remarkably interest
ing paper. touching upon the evantful
period of the history Of the United
States when the Civil War was rag
ing
At that time Supt. Tinker then
mere boy, was I'm daily communication
with the president and saw him in all
his unparalleled simplicity, In telling
OF the first time Supt. Tinker met "Old
Abe" in Pekin. H.. before the great
emancipator became president, he
writes of the meeting:
"one afternoon. as i was sitting on
my high stool listening to the click of
the register. and waiting for Gus
toner. he came to the office. and look
ing over the tall railing. said; Mr.. OPP
orator. / have always had curiosity
10 see the telegraph work. You don
seem to be very busy. and as / nave "A
half hour or 50 to wait FOR dlpner,
wonder il YOU VIII not explain IL 10
me?' | replied Certainly, sir, ! shoulu
be pleased 10 do So and inviting him
inside the gate | proceeded TO show
him the working of the telegraph-ex-
plained the battery and its connection
TO the Instruments and the wires lead
ing thence out OF the window and away
to the world without. | was encourage
ed by the readiness with which he COM
pretended IL all. He seemed 10 grasp
Hs intricacies. and remarked' HOW
simple IL is when YOU know IL ALL 1
called up Chicago. and requested the
operator TO send Il message 10 old Abe
Lincoln who was standing at my SIDE.
He sent the usual complimentary greet
ing MIR Lincoln watched me closely
as | copied IL from ear, and thougnt
that was the mystery Of II all, as ne
could not take il in. lie wished me TO
thank the Chicago operator. ana L.
say that he was greatly uleased at ths
opportunity 20 see the operation OF the
telegraph. He then left me-
Some time after that young Tinker
entered the United states telegraph
service and most Of the telegrams 10
the president passed through his HANDS.
or the second nomination of Lincoln
ne writes:
During the progress Of The Baltl-
more convention bv which Mr.. LIN
coin was nominated Tor second term,
one Of his t'cretaties. Mr. Nicolay who
attended the convertirl. kept the
president constantly advised Of the pro-
ceedings. Finally came the message
quickly 90 the white House by an or
derby. Shortly after the message hal
gone Mr.. Lincoln came into the Office,
and conr tulated him upou his rom-
nation. He exclaimed: 7 hadn't heard
Of IT, with soma surprise | explained
that / had sent Mr.. Nicclcy's message
over 10 the White House by an orderly
He said: well. / guess he took the
short cut. | came around by the public
highway ! then showed him a copy
81 the mcssaGe IIo read 1t hasUlX>and
said: I guess YOU had better gend Jhat
over t1 the Madam. she Will be as
much interested hD 10 as me-
1T h1ppeucd that when the message
announci-E the nomination or ANDREW
Johnson to tho co-prosideucv was re-
ceived the Drcsida-t was IN he office
He read it c1rofr. ard s'llcuuized
aloud. 'Wcu I thGJght possible he
night be the man. Perhaps he is
the best man. but ord rising
from his chair he passed out ot the Of
fee leaving me imDresscd with tho sir-
nincance % the unfinished doubt witch
IN the lighi cf subsonuent events. BE-
came a ttri'Nng nrophecv."
Suut. Tiltor is also presidcr-t OF tho
lincoln -el44i.---f -Brealylvn. and hiss
tes of the dnad president ere regarded
as invaluable history that VIII add
much go the Information to b. handed
down 90 posteritv.