The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-06-19
Ham, Young Dies From Heat,
Veteran KneqV Most Politicians
Veteran Operator Had Te7
legrapher-FriendS All
Over Country.
Went to Chicago to Take.
Charge of the Con-
Vention Wires.

Rarely have the telegraph wires car
ried more sorrow 10 the hearts OF
great body OF men than they did this
morning. when from Chicago the news
was flashed that William Hamilton
Young. aTectionately known es Ham"
Young. night manager Of the Western
Union, had died there early this morn
ing.
Mr.. Young was overcome bv the heat
yesterday and his death followed quick
ly. lie had gone out to Chicago 20 take
charge of the convention wires. Mr..
Young was seventy-two years old and
was known 10 almost every politician
and certainly to every telegraph oper-
a.c- from one end of the country TO
the other.
Every operator in Washington this
morning was affected BY the news. The
key 10 the strong bond Of affection be
tween Mr.. Young and the big body OF
operators was found i'm. the expression
made this morning by r. ". Bender,
wire chief of the Western Union. when
he said He was a friend 20 everybody.
Friendly to All
There was not an operator ~ the
country who could say anything but
good of the genial old man who had
su.u nj more than half his life in the
service. there were few 10 whom DE
had not at one time or the other
stretched out the hand OF friendship
and help Every office boy, messenger
and employee in the local office of the
Western Union loved Ham" Young
and his word was law. but the law Cf
affection.
Years ago, way back IN 1884 Mr.. Young
entered the service as office boy with
the Washington and New Orleans Tele-
graph Company, of which Amos Ken
DAN was president Like many another
boy since be tinkered with the telegraph
keys ard his sunny nature soon won
the operators about the office and 10
was not long before he learned to- maC-
age the instrument He became an
operator ON the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad at Sir Johns Run. Md. and
later al MOundsville ". Va.
tn 1856 Mr.. Young came back 20 Wash
iugton with the Magnetic Telegraph
Company and soon afrerwaTd assumed
charge of the press Office of the Amer
lean Telegraph Company IN the House
Of RepresentatIvz As this was the
that time Mr.. Young's appointment was
regarded as q high compliment 10 his
ability as an operator.
Acted as Press Censor.
when the civil war broke out Mr..
YOUNG was made chief operator in the
Washington Office Of the American Tel
| eEraph Company, and frequently acted
as censor Of the press. dispatcher. and
In other capacities during very trying
times. In 1854 he was appointed night
manager OF the United States Teie-
graph Company, and in 1876 he assumed
charge Of the Bankers and Brokers
Tclcsraph Company. When this com
pRny and the Western Union were
merged into one. Mr.. Young was ap-
pointed night manager of the company s
Washington office. the position NE was
filing at the time or his death.
Mr. Young was "a distinguished Look
! ing man, of fine carriage. aud was fire.
aueutly mistaken for General AlgeT,
! formerly Secretary of War. He was a
/ familiar figure at all the national con
ventious and was known 10 hundreds OF
politicians in every section Of the c0uH-