The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
A MEXICAN RAILWAY SALE.
THE COOP THING TURNED LOOSE BY
An AMERICAN TELRGRAPHER.

sale of the OMEGA smash-Up the First
Result-Fnte of the Man while Escaping.
AUSTIN. Tex. July 25.-"The American rail-
road men I'm Mexico have had some very inter-
estinR and exciting experiences with the au-
thorities OF that country. but the American
telegraph operators there have not been with
out their share OF troubles said Henry 7.
Lambert. an old-time journeyman operator.
rs he styles himself. who Is stopping In Austin.
Continuing. he said:
In the early railroad days in Mexico all the
station operators were Americans Things nre
different now: many Mexicans have learned
to use the key. and they make rapid aud nc
curate operators. The Mexican Government
has n school OF telegraphy H. the City OF Mex
leo. where instruction Is given to young men
and women free OF charge. This school is
under the direct charge of the superintendent OF
the Federal telegraph lines. and its object is tn
provide exrert operators for the Government
telegraph offices. But tho railway companies
still retain American telegraph operators at all
the principal stations So far IA know. all
the despatchcrs andtrick men are Americans.
Il made my advent into Mexico with the
building OF tho Mexican Central Railroad in
the early eighties u. b Robinson. now Presi-
dent OF the st. Louis and San Francisco Rail
road was at that time General Manager OF the
Central. and IL was through him that l got a
Job as station agent and telegraph operator at
Chihuahua. That Office was one OF the busiest
on the line between Juarcz and the City OF
Mexico, and has continued so ever since
About the only recreation had was carrying
on n disconpected conversation with other
American operators above and below me on
the line The operator at Jiminez. about ono
hundred miles south Of Chihuahua. was a
bright young American named Bailey
He went to work for the company about
the time | did. | saw him as he passed
through Chihuahua on his way down to take
the Job, He told me he was down there to
make winner and that he was not going to
stay any longer than necessary for him to nc
complish his purpose. don't know where he
was from. but Judging from his general APP
p"arancc | should guess he could reg ster from
almost anywhere and prove 1t. He was good
operator and his work gave satisfaction. He
had the day trick and 80 had l. We used to
talk over the wires almost every day. iolyng
each other and commenting on our experiences
with the Mexicans. One day Bailey called me
up and said:
I've got good thing down here l think
I'll turn 1t loose In a couple Of days
Il asked him what he referred to- but he
would not go into details. and had forgotten
all about his words until few days later.
when n message flashed over the wire to the
uespdlcneT from inc operator az HOrcnSltaS,
Just below me. stating that the north bound
and south bound freight trains had come to-
gether near there. blockading the track and
right Of way for a distance Of n quarter OF
mile All the members OF both train crews
had miracuousy escaped injury by jump
Ing. The wrecking car was ordered to
the scene Of the catastrophe from Chihuahua.
and was sent along to tap the wire and keep
the desratcher's office advised the progress OF
the work of clearing the track. 1t took several
hours to clean up. The ostentations Mexican
acalde and other authorities Of that district
were on the scene when | arrived. All the
members OF the train crews were under ar
, rest and were soon started for prison I'm der a
strong guard OF rurales The prisoners were
tor several DAYS before it was shown hat they
had no share in causing the wreck. Had peon
able all the members Of both crews would have
been sentenced to long terms in prison.
discovered that the blame for the collision lay
with t,he otlife at Jiminez, Both tie train de.
get from that orice was II and 'Ok-Ok.'
1t wasn't Baicy's touch. aud as soon as a tenn
porary track had been bu III around the wreck.
and sa c ar
rived there found the lonesome station in
charge of a Mexican youth about TX years old.
He was dressed In the fantastic garb OF .
ranchero and met me at the door OF the station
in the most lordly manner.
Where's Bailey |? asked.
II proprietor now: senior Bailey gone re-
piled the boy, with confident shrug OF his
.: Bailey s gomez Gone where? l asked
He says to me" Adios. mic amigo; ! go the
United States s,.t pay him ynr monsy for the
The words Of Bailey to me over the wire in
had turned the good thing loose in some shape.
manner or form. yelled at the rustic MeYi-
graph oflce. tickets and everything else. in
Guiding the building and station grounds
belonged to the railroad that repItes sa
the oflce. The boy made some show OF
resistance in the beginning but as continued
OF the English meaning to know that he had
asaITf TTss in hs fs! ,s
quietly at one end Of the table while got the
cation with the chief dispatcher : Office made
| q brief xpanation OF the situation by stating
in eRnrSe hs the Once aan
the latter probably knew as many as n half
dczSp letters OF the Morse alph,abet ~. ,,..
s!raehtened out Of tho line J engaged the
Mexican boy proprietor OF the Office in q
me- IN faterin Sentences that he and Bailey
had been fast friends for several months: that
tyehSe miles west toward Parrai: that Bailey Bailey
! taught him how to talk English and sell tickets
| and Telegraph. continuing, ne SAID that lew
| days ago his father visited the telegraph sta
| ton for the first time and was much interested
! in tho business Bailey told him that he
| owned the station. telegraph line. and the
| bulk OF the stock In the railroad He offered
! to sell his interest to the old ranehero for
| a reasonable sum. After much dickering.
| in which the display OF important-ook ing way
| bills. tickets and company telegraph blanks
played an important part, the deal was closed.
| the ranchero paying Bailey $1,000 Mexican
| currency for the station, telegraph Office and
| railroad. Bailey received the money late in he
| evening. lie disappeared that night. and the
| following morning the proud old man placed
! the whole shcbanR in charge Of his son. The
latter knew the office call, and could answer II
! and give the OK signal when It was finished
! That was all he knew about the telegraph bust
ness. and that is how 1t came that he was the
cause of the wreck within few hours after he
! assumed charge.
1T took me an hour or more to get all the
story out OF him. and | lay back In my chair
! and laughed until was sore. Bailey had, sure
| enough, got onto u good thing and had turned
| II loose at a neat profit to hmself After a little
| thought | concluded It was Just MS well not to
make the company officials acquainted with all
the facts. knew the ranchero could do moth
! ing MS Bailey was probably close to the border
| by that time. | assumed rs serious and stern
manner a. ! could command. and told the de-
| luded Mexican youth that he had been an
| unwilling party TO great crime: that
| through his negligence and Ignorance A