The Washington times., 1906-07-23
WHAT HARRY JEFFS DID.

For the first time Ia its history San
Fran cisco was absolutely without tele-
graph, communication with the out
side world for three hours on the
morning of April IS. Following the
earthquake. which occurred al 5;2
a. n. and for three hours thereafter,
not q single wire of the score or more
usually On operation was in service,
and the busy click Of the sending in
strumeuts was stilIed Ceaselessly
through every hour OF the day ana
most remote sections OF the globe, ana
10 have the busy workings OF the
'tickeTs'' STOPPED fer minute Is an
event in telegTaphic history
Quick 10 realize the havoc which
could be wrought by so mighty a
trembler as that which preceded the big
FIRE, Harry Jets, chief OF the western
Union Telegraph Company. who lives
in Oakland. lost no time in reaching
the mole for the purpose Of testing the
scores of wires which emerge from
the water at that point. II took the
expert but a few moments 10 ascertain
that cOmmunica tiOn in San Francisco
beyond the ferry building was entirely
cut or. Not an instrument responded 10
his efforts Turning bis attention TO
the wires extending from the end OF
The pier 10 the various stations leading
out of the state, Jeffs found that they
had been hopelesSiy killed by the
great shake.
The seriousness of the situation called
for quick action. for. aside from the
great monetary loss TO the company re
sulting from even short interruption
of the service, was the seriousness OF
being cut of from the outside world.
Securing an engine. the wire chief
started out from the mole. and. climb
ing poles at intervals along the way,
In this way he covered the entire pier
until he reached the shore at West
Oakland Here, al pole almost at
Lands End. he. at last received a re-
sponse from Sacramento. and knew
that he had at last found the point Of
severed communication.
PeTched upon a thirty-fOOt pole. Jeffs
gave the capital the first story OF the
in the morning. In quick succession.
by means Of relays, Los Angeles, Satt
Lake. Denver and other places heard
of the calamity that had Befallen the
metropolis OF the Pacific coast. For
eighteen hours Jeffs stuck 20 his lofty
perch. trying with the patience OF Job
To Straighten the tangle in the mass OF
wires with a small set of testing in
struments he had obtained at the pier.
4 This was a heroic task. for the mighty
sway Of the trembler mad brought the
wires together, tying them up in great
By Wednesday the break between the
, pole at Lands End. West Oakland, and
/ iha pier had been closed. with one
through wire The following day,
! thursday. three more wires were re-
stored and on Friday eighteen were in
full operation from the pole at which
the break was first located. This did
not mean the restoration Of the Western
Unions service by any means. for with
the burning OF the company's building
! in this city all it's instruments. bat
ttTies and appurtenances were lost. and
the company wes therefore as badly
OF as If the wires had not been re-
stored From his operating office on
the pole. however, Jeffs was instructed
10 cali upOn all the nearby towns and
cities TO rush instruments that could
be spared 70 this city.-San Francisco
Chronicle.