The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-08-23
AFTER DOC SMILEY DIED.
Second Phase of the Wire Drumming
That Annoyed other Operators.
,veland Plain Dealer.)


DOC Smiley was fusser on the wire,
said the taIkative railroad operator who
confines his statements to bare factS, or
at least facts in a state OF dishabille.
always contended that the wires IN MS
brain box were crossed
lone of his bugs was drumming on
the wires at night. He could give the
best imitation of Pop Goes the Weasel.
you ever heard. And for making a noise
like a drum corps coming by the town
hall on Decoration day, why, Doc Smiley
would make the drummer boy at Bunker
Hill turn over in his grave
This was very irritating to the peace
able and quiet-loving operators along the
line who wanted to rest O'nights, II such
a thing were possible. But you might as
well try to get a chorus girl TO don a
raincoat at Saranac hotel IRE as 10 Try
to make Doc stop his drumming.
However, the end must come to all OF
US and Doc Smiley passed In last spring.
We all contributed to the fund for buying
floral pieces, At Rest and Gates Ajar,
with consider e lberaiity and ease of
mind. Not that we were particularly glad
at his death, but everyone thought he
would be better off on the other emo OF
the circuit controlled by Little Br1ght
Eyes than on earth
zone would naturally suppose that after
Doc passed over to the great majority
the rat-at-tatting and Pop Giles the
WeasePing would cease. But IL d1dn l
No, Stree.
1T was quiet for a couple of nights
after the funeral, till Doc got his bear
ings over on the new shift. On the third
night. however. the drumming started up
about midnight and kept 1t up until nigh
on to morning.
There was only one difference from
when Doc was alive. | will say that
Smiley had sense enough to keep quiet
If anyone had a message or a train report
to send. Docs shade, or control, or what
ever was doing the drumming AFTER his
death was not so considerable. 1t would
IL, in 1rf1a business
'aThe nuisance had us pretty well tied
up and the company got its wire testers
out, tracing UP and down to find Just
where Littla Bright Eyes cut IN on the
''These fellows had good deal of diff
Guilty but they finally gumshoed the
trouble to where the wires pass under the
river on a big cable. A diver was sent
down to investigate, and what do you
think? Little Bright Eyes had taken the
form of a fish with a piece OF copper wire
attached TO its tail
Eyes, Stree. True as Pm sittin' here.
you see, It was this way: / was out
snarin' suckers in one OF the creeks that
empties into the big river one afternoon:
got big one in the snare and had Just
about landed him when he took fielder's
choice, and with a powerful swish of his
tail yanked the copper wire snare loose
Since that time the big fish had been
swimming down stream with the copper
wire trailing in his wake In crossing the
cable the wire had got caught in the in
sulation and held the fish fast.
1.-The snare made connection with our
railroad wire OF course the fish made
strenuous efforts to get loose, and every
time he swished his tail he'd make dots
on cur wires, Just like one of those Fat
ent wigwag, automatic sending machines
which are coming into use. Strange mix
up, wasn't it?''
''Well, I've heard of some human fish
working telegraph wires, present company
always excepted" observed the tall, Gym
see a sucker on duty In telegraph offices.
Nevertheless, don't see that it's up to
me to buy"