The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-15
STOPPED TWO HOURS.
With That Exception the Associated
Press Has Maintained Service.
Ichicago Record Herald Aug. IA

IChicago Record Herald Aug. 14i
Save for a lapse, of two hour and
Press maintained its service uninter-
ruptedly to the newspapers holding
memberships. The strike impeded its
service throughout the west during the
day and only the greater stories" were
covered" in detail. But every item of
news deemed worthy of relaying is de-
clared to have been telegraphed to the
Chicago office of the association by it's
agents.
The desertion of numerous telegraph
operators of the company had been off,
set when the regular morning work of
the agency began yesterday. On what
is denominated the eastern circuit ev-
cry city of the ten, save one, promptly
responded to signals. Toledo was the
missing city.
The cities which responded to the call
of the operator were New York, Phila-
delphia, Boston, Washington, Pittsburg
Youngstown, Ohio, Cleveland and De-
troit. Chicago. the tenth city of the
list, was fully equipped for commune
cation with every other point.
Colonel Charles S. Diehl, assistant
general manager of the Associated
Press had made no especial effort to
secure a new wire crew. Two wire
chiefs of the office promptly took their
places at the keys when the operators
walked out and the association is said
to have many pensioners and we'll
wishers on its lists who are ready to
fill any breach in the ranks of its en-
ployes.
Slow South and West.
During the morning communication
with southern and western cities of
the country was difficult, but before
noon almost every town of Importance
was in touch with the headQua rters-
of the news agency. The Western
Union wires were first called into SER
vice to reach the towns, but within a
few hours many of them were in di-
rect communication with the Chicago
office.
Throughout the west the effort was
less successful and Minneapolis and
st. Paul were the first cities to again
resume news service to Chicago. No
especial efforts or knowledge of tele-
graphic expediencies were made
necessary to the officials of the Asso-
ciated Press. Applications for posi-
lions in the service filed within few
hours of the announcement of the
strike exceeded in number the total of
designations. At the Chicago offices
the managers declare the positions of
the deserving telegraphers could have
been filled within four hours, had it
been necessary.
Before sunset thegwires of the COM
pany were in touch with every impor-
tant point in the west. After p. m. |
Diehl tilted his chair back |
and announced that he had time to
spare for interviews. j
1t would De prepOSISrOuS 10 say Indl
the association had not been in trouble |
during the day" he said, but every |
thing is in shape now, AND while we
are watching events we are not worry |
ng.
II will confess to amid surprise when |
I saw the ease with which the regular |
work was taken up9eday and disposed |
IF. When our wiressSeere dead for two /
hours last nightsit instilled a feeling of |
lneasiness, and the sound of the first |
clicks are as welcome as any sounds 1 |
nave heard in years.
But this limit of silence is not the |
greatest IN the history of Chicago or
1ther offices. Several storms frequently |
have tied up our wires for a longer per- |
cd. But when the lines opened upj
gain from the first city we knew the
strike was over. so far as service on the |
Associated Press was concerned.
No man or body of men can prevent |
he people Of the country from obtain |
ng the news of the day. Every import |
ant happening of the country will be on 4
he wires of the Associated Press with |
n a few hours Of its occurrence, and the |
letails made known through the col !
INNS of it's associates