The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-05-26
esOLD BOGY,. I'M TOWN.
An Old Time Telegrapher Pays the
journal Office q Visit.

The State Journals telegraph Office
received a visit today from a wandering
telegraDher of the old school, whose
name is familiar to almost every man
in the telegraph business in the coun-
try. His name is H. A. Bogardus-
Every telegrapher from Maine to Cali
fornia knows personally or has heard
Of "Bogy"-Henry A. Bogardus of
'everywhere.1 He was born in Am
sterdam, N. Y, 81 years ago. "Bogy'
became an operator a Saratoga. N. Y,
in 1852, and when the civil war broke
out he became a military operator for
Generals Fremont, Halleck and Nc
Clellan, and was also at the military
headquarters at Washington.
In 1869 he had the misfortune to lose
his Wife, mother and two children, leav-
ing him alone in the world. After the
breaking up of his home he became
restless and started his i~tinerancy.
which he has never ceased up to the
present time. "Bogy" has crossed the
American continent tw~enty-eight times,
and twice he walked the entire distance
from Omaha to a Francisco. He has
visited every city and town in the
United States and is familiar with every
inch of American territory. His wan
derings have not been confined TO the
United States. He has visited nina
Japan, Cuba, Mexico, and other cOun-
tries He has accompanied
in over a hundred balloon ascensious
and has many times been down in div
ing armor- Naturally he has been in
many railroad wrecks. the great Ash
tabula disaster being the most serious.
Notwithstanding his hardships and pri-
vations he has never been seriously sick
in his life.
'Bogy' is a we'll read man. Notwith-
standing his nomadic habits and rowing
predictions, old 'Bogy'. is quite a
philosopher, and takes a rosy view of
life.
In my journeys around the terres-
trial globe" he avs Il have seen NAM
phases of life. After an experience of
over fOrty-fve years I have had ample
time to take observations. The obser-
vations for the most part AVE been
pleasant ones. 7 come from the old
stock; in days when there were oper-
ators; when each and every Individual
operator was an operator n re-
Spected as such and also respected as
a gentleman. The rising generation.
the young boys that try to emulate US,
would be happy, 1 presume, to curry
COWS or shovel caraway seeds into a
canary birds nest. They would never
become statesmen in a thousand years.
Il do not mourn life's shrouded mem
cries. I can still drink from the IN
Swallowed beauties of the universe and
gaze with a soul of pride on the blue
magnificence above"
Tall and rugged and but slightly bent
old "ROGy" looks hardly over so, and is
good for several more annual pilgrim
ages across the continent. He rarely
tarries long in one place, but last winter
he worked several months for the Postal
Telegraph D in Chicago. His
tour this spring started from that point.
He has visited the northwest. st. Paul
and Omaha, and just arrived from Kan
sas City. He says the profession has
always received him kindly, and indeed
one is amply repaid for any kindness
shown if he can but strike old "Bogy"
in a reminiscent mood. He is a pretty
good operator, but has not kept pace
with The times, and looks with scorn
upon such innovations as the type
writer in the telegraph business.