Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-06-03
PIONEER TELEGRAPH MEN
Louis Rhesm's "reminiscences Of 0ld-Time
Operators in Omaha.
TALENTS AND TRICKS OF THE TRADE
Men who Kept the Keys and Made
Messages Fly from the Gate City
Thirty Years ARO-Inter-
erstinE RecoIlections.

Of Portland, Ore. in the Telegraph Age.
DR.. Rheem says. in part:
"CHn Mayne. whom Mr.. Hayes men
lions. worked the night trick for while
about this time. This was Mayne's first
advent to Omaha. He was one OF the
most beautiful penmen, as well as one of
the most rapid writer's I ever saw. That
old Union Pacific ? bothered him quite
little at first. as II was not only long
heavy wire. but was full OF quips and
fancies with which you had to become
familiar before you could juggle the bust
ness successfully The letters Of the first
part OF a word used to catch on insulators,
hang back for a while and then come in
With pIunk all In a bunch: the operator
had to sort them out and make
reasonable sounding message out Of
them. We all remember the frantic
search made for Mr.. D. B. Bah. Mr.. Mayne
had received the message which was quite
important Service messages failed to re-
lieve the situation. which Mr. L. II. Korty
finally captured by deciding that the mes
sage belonged to Tibbals. the sleeping car
man / don't know where Mr.. Mayne is
now; he was brilliant fellow, and after
1881 when the left the telegraph service, he
became one OF the leading real estate men
of the west. operating from Omaha to the
Pacific coast. handling deals away up in the
millions.
Then there was Charles Ravens who
was chief dispatcher; he was pretty busy
with his trains. but used to mix into the
Atlantic and Pacific business occasionally.
He went into the coal business and became
very wealthy before he died some years
ago Henry Loosely, Wesley Ellsworth.
George NJ. Myers r. w. Griffith and 9TH
ers Including the great American travellers.
Bogardus and John Clark. both of whom
are now dead: Frank Farley and William
Foley were employed at the Union Pacific
Atlantic Pacific Office at various times dur
ing this period The only one of these
whose location is known to me is Myers
who is a retired capitalist Of Kansas City
Mo.
student of Natural History.
at this time the city ONCE at Omaha Of
the Atlantic and Pacific was up town in a
room six feet wide by twenty feet long;
the manager was e. B. Hirst. who
was a great student OF natural history.
He had a large collection OF snakes.
toads. lizards, etc, which had the run OF
the office. Hlrst had trouble keeping his
force filled, small as 1t was. for the reason
that the snakes had a playful habit Of taxi
ing up their quarters in some part of the
ClOtnlnR OF the men. WHOSE SdldTltS WeTt
not large enough to pay for the mental
strain incident to their acting as geological
gardens.
ct relieved Hirst as manager and 1t took
me quite a while to disodge the snakes
and other animals which ne left behind
him. AS long as we occupied that Office
was never quite sure whether ] was a
snake charmer or a deviled ham. Our city
business was what you might call slight
for the reason that the frontage Of the
office was so insignificant that the public
as we'll as myself had trouble in finding f.
To remedy this difficulty Mr.. J. ]. Dickey
our superintendent. moved the ONCE up
town into a half basement under the Her
aid Office where the city and repeating
offices were consolidated and the Atlantic
& Pacific started in as a business factor
of che city.
MY force there, II I remember cor.
rectly. consisted of Richard Lewis, one Of
the old INSTRUMENTATION telegraph men
who l believe is dead; Aaron Hilliker ant
Ziegenfus, and l also recall Earl Rudd
Bes des being fine operators, these boys
were all specialists in different lines Mr.
Lewis possessed a quaint humor that wal
simply irresistible; Mr.. Hayes says
'Hilliker was one of the greatest charac
was a born actor. minstrel singer. a gooC
newspaper man and a frst-class telegraph
operator. Zengenfus was a character IL
his way he was a most interminable talker
his speciality being TO get some one in a cor
ner and talk them into a state Of collapse
Mr.. Rudd was a genial gentleman In all re
spects; a good listener. and had an infec
tious laugh that helped TO drive dull car
away on all occasions.
Hero of the Line.
There was another man who was in tn
Union Pacihc-Atlantic Pacific family 70
whom l shall always have the most affec
tionate remembrance. This was II. E. Jen
nison, the general foreman OF construction
] know that my feelings for him are share
by everyone who had any dealings or &C
qualntance with him. Anyone who eve
came in contact with him was a better ma
after IL. Although quiet and unostentatiou
in all particulars. he was forceful in hi
methods, and had a faculty for solvin
successfully the many perplexing problem
OF construction always confronting him
the extended territory over which ne ha
supervision. He was a hard student
electrical and construction matters, an
many OF the ideas originating with him al
now in use in various parts OF the countr!
He was also an interminable worker. a
ways leading instead OF driving his mel
His death was due to this trait. He had
piece OF complicated tunnel constructio
IN hand In Colorado for the Western Unio
Telegraph company OF which he occupied II
position OF general foreman for the Thir
district lie went into the tunnel with Il
men 10 direct the work was overcome /
gas and taken out dead. His death %
CURED March %. 1897.
There is always an element OF herois
for me In the death of any man who di'
In the discharge of his duty, no matt,
how peaceful the pursuit in which he
engaged may be. II is not so very muC
Of trick for a man TO perform an act
bravery while the band Is beating out Il
inspiring strains OF a Sousa march and a
eyes OF thousand people are upon hiT
A big yellow streak in him is often e.
tirely obliterated by the mediums me
toned. But when ! hear OF a man goir
calmly into a place of danger simply b
cause il is his duty, l always feel that
should receive the crown OF laurel instes
Of the cypress For Jennison, Requiesc
In pace
II always also remember John Viau. d
distinguished French gentleman, whose %
eialty was 1OOkin fer de trub'.' Mr.. via
was never happier than when he had
opportunity to put on the hooks al
knock out q complicated cross. His e