The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-09-19

At the close of the morning proceedings
a nashtight photograph of the gathering
was taken
In the afternoon the telegraphers took
a trolley ride to Fort Smelling There
they were entertained by Capt. Perkins
and wife.
Nearly 100 women visitors are in the
city this week. wives and sisters of the
telegraphers Parlors have been opened
at the Ryan for theT reception of these
guests by local committee, composed
OF MISS Nellie B. Hope, assisted by Mrs
CHARLES Sullivan, of Baltimore; Mrs H
A. futile, of Minneapolis; the Misses
Hope, Mrs r. c. Forest and Miss Alcott
st. Paul
Today minneapolis day. at $50 the
telegraphers will board a Minneapolis &
st. Louis special train for Mnnetonka,
where they Wilt beagiven steamboat
ride around the lake. Luncheon will be
served before the return trip, which will
De ABOUT o'clock. In the evening all
informal reception and ball will be held
at Masonic hail. Minneapolis.
little affair. handled with more than
ordinary care by the delegates to the Te-
iegraphers' convention gathered at the
Ryan hotel last night was the medallion
OF Morse the ia Their of telegraphy, which
Mr. James Reid, the veteran of the asso-
cation, turned over to Mr.. ]. B. Nc
farland, the new president elected at
yesterdays business meeting
The picture, an old time daguerreotype,
was taken in 1914, when Mr.. Morse was
ABOUT twenty years of age. 1t came into
MT. heid possession about five years
ago. and he had prepared a miniature
frame and case, his intention being to
turn 1t over to the association the pres
1dent being being made the custodian 1t
was yesterday given to Mr.. Mcfarland,
ana hereafter the medallion will be
turned over to each succeeding president
The members of the association consider
the picture among their NEST valuable
possessions, and care for it accordingly
Whle the Ryan is the recognized head
quarters of the telegraphers now present
at the convention, quite a number of
them are gathered al the Merchants Yes
terday and last night the delegations at
these two hotel were augmented by
about thirty new arrivals
II. ). Fitch, who has charge Of the re-
ceptlon parlors at the Ryan, has been a
very hard worked man, but he has uni
formly displayed the utmost consider
alton for the comfort of the visiting dele
gates, and his unfailing courtesy and
genlality have contributed much to their
enjoyment.
Il MN II ANU.
Fargo sends a prominent telegrapher to
the convention in the person Of Martin
Ryan, now one of the leading attorneys
of the North Dakota town
When Martin Ryan was fourteen years
OF age he began to learn biography
this being in 1854, in Ontario, going to
that country from Chicago At that time
operators were forbidden the use of
saunders, and the messages were read
from the tapes. In 1854 Mr. Ryan opened
an Office the Grand Trunk Telegraph
line at Guelph, Ont. and was manager o.
the office there for tWelve years, and
large part of the time was agent of the
express company as well. While there
he was line repairer, and every other old
thing in connection with the telegraph
business. During the last two years of
the war Mr.. Ryan held a commission
from President Abraham Lincoln as Unit
ed States consul to Western Canada, sta
toned at Guelph. Itswas during that pc
riod that he first took up the study OF
law. In 1867 he resigned his position as
manager of the telegraph office and ex-
press agent and entered upon the work
of organizing what was then known as
the Dominion Telegraph Company of Can
ada, which now controls all the CONNER
cia1 telegraph lines in the Dominion of
Canada. He was one of the three char
ter members of the company, and was
its first general superintendent during the
period of its construction. In 1852 ow-
ing to change In the directory and con-
troll of the company. he retired from the
position of general superintendent and re-
turned to Chicago, where he took up the
study of law, and in due time was admit
ted to the bar.
He fitted up chambers In that city, and
was burned out in Chicago's great fire
This left him in straitened circumstances
and he again took to telegraphy, secur-
ing a position as press dispatcher in the
general offices of the Western Union. He
worked there for about a year, and got
on his feet to such an extent that he
again entered on the practice of law. This
ended his work at the key, but he still
retains lively interest in electricity,
and in 1880 was appointed by President
Harrison a member of the National
Worlds Fair committee from North Da-
kota. He was appointed to the commit
! tee on electricity and electrical appli-
ances, of which committee he was made
secretary. AS a member of that COM
mittee, and there being but one other
member with any knowledge Of electric
ity, 1t was left largely to Mr.. Ryan TO
classify the exhibits in the department
of electricity. He advocated and is en-
titled to the credit of the creation of the
department Of electricity, and for secur-
it's in that department. This was done
after the building proposition had been
turned down twice before.
Mr. Ryan joined the Old Time Teleg-
raphers' association about year ago,
and arrives in st. Paul this morning to
attend the last two days of the annual
convention.