The Washington times., 1902-12-14
THE FIRST TRAIN D1sPATcHERs
Telegraph for This Purpose First Used
Fifty Years Ago.

Cincinnati Inquirer
In the present month OF November
occurs the dftieth anniversary Of the
first recorded effort 90 dispatch" trains
by the Morse invention Albert H. Cope
land. who was the operator engaged, is
now living in retirement iu Chenoa, near
Bloomington. III. He modestly claims
( therefore to have been the first dis
patcher. His only known rival for the
honor is David II. Conklin. now living in
retirement in Decatur. H.. and who says
that he moved trains by telegraph at
boaut the same time.
While it may not be possible positive
ly TO determine who is entitled TO the
honor, IL is interesting 20 contrast the
present wonderful system with the crude
one OF a half century ago When the
telegraph was first introduced. the in
struments were almost invariably placed
In the postom'es. and the postmaster.
or assistant, usually ohlciated as opera
tor
Il was so in the case Of Mr. Copeland
tie was assistant postmaster In Middle
bury Vt, in the fan Of 1852. and one
evening In November of that year the
telegraph brought the news that the
uorthbound train on the then Burliug-
ton and Rutland Road was stalled In the
snow south Of Rutland. The information
came merely as gossip over the wire. but
Mr.. Copeland thought that Il would be
OF value to the conductor Of the south
bound train, which usually met the
uorthbOund az a station called Brandon
BY an Interchange Of messages a new
meeting point was arranged and the
south-bound train was not delayed. The
exchange Of messages later became a
regular thing between the conductors in
case Of a delay, and as soon as the Of
hcials recognized the value Of the dis
patching they relieved the conductors
Of the duty and appointed regular dis
patchers. Mr.. Copeland remained in the
railroad service until his retirement a
tew years ago, having been for thirty
years agent for the Chicago and Alton
Tn Cheuoa.
David H. ConkIin began with the Chi
cagO and Erie telegraph department on
January g. 1891. as lineman. and later
took service as operator and dispatcher.
Not until the latter part OF 1852 was any
dispatching attempted, and even then it
was very crude and only used in case
Of delayed trains. General Superintend-
ent Minot. Of the Erie. was in charge
when the system was first attempted. Il
was gradually improved and worked
more smoothly. The Delaware. Lacka-
wanna and Western was the second road
TO adopt the system and the success
met with resulted in applications for in
formation from other roads As fast as
men could be given instruction rival
roads would take them away by offers
Of higher salary. and the Erie and
Lockawanna proved to be a wonderful
training school for disuatChers Many OF
hem later became prominent officials OF
Western roads. Dir. COnkiiu recalls that
he revolutionized the movement Of
trains on the Lackawanna after he left
the Erie. The telegraph system soon
became familiar to the employees, and
trains moved cXpeditiously where for
merly there was heavy loss, due 20 slow
movement Mr.. CCnklln is now seventy
two years old. He served Decatur one
term as mayor. and talks ertertainiugIy
OF the early days on the ran