The Democrat-sentinel. [volume] (Logan, Ohio) 1906-1935, 1909-02-11


didn't seem to think that was any
thing particularly wonderful in
being clamped to a chair for 50
hours, receiving and sending mes
sages accurately all that time !,
disentangling from the raft of
stuff that was cluttering up his
wires the things essential for him
to know, and, when he had nothing
better to do, wiring encourage
ment to that other Jack at the key
of the Republic.
"Siasconset got my goat after
awhile" he was to remember.
at kept breaking in with its
powerful batteries on me when |
was getting stuff from Binns. |
couldn't make out, as the Re-
publ'c's batteries grew fainter,
whether Binns was saying: "We
are fainting,' or "We are safe. ="
1t sounds good deal alike. |
used to cuss over the wire at
Siasconset some, guess. But by
and Ivy we got so near the Repub-
lie that | was able to tell Jack to
listen for our bombs and our sub
marine bell. One of the last mes
sages | got for him was when he
said that they had been heard at
last. That was when we had shot
off our last bomb"
And then the trans-shipment
took place. Binns strolled into
Tattersall's cabin on the Baltic.
"Hello, old scout" "Gimme a
cigar. I'm dead for smoke"
And Tattersall gave him the
cigar. "Thought I'd find you
here said Binns, yawning, "Gee
1 IN near dead for sleep"
That's about all that he had to
say. Had a brisk sort of time
while i6 lasted,'' he remarked, OBJ
livious to the fact that it had last
ed fifty-two hours. "Yep. |
worked right on. Seemed easier
to work than to sit around and
listen to those sea lawyers who
were trying to tell the officers
what to do"
He didn't seem at all set up over
the fact that he was the third last
man to leave the ship, being fol-
lowed only by the captain and the
officer, or that he went back next
day and stayed until she sank be-
meath him. Tattersall doesn't re-
gard that as anything out of the
way. either.
"Any of us would do that"
said he. Really that's part of
the game, you know"
"We couldn't talk to him." said
1ne of the officers of the Baltic.
eve tried to, and that little cuss
would just turn in his chair and
swear. And mebbe you think he
,an't swear. We had to stay
away, for there was no telling
what might happen if we got on
lis nerves."
Binns was little different. He
;alked to Capt. Sealsby, but to no
,ne else. And he sat there plug
,ed. After all, though, as latter
'all says, it is a part of the game
or them. The wireless opertor is
iaught heroism as part of the
oh. There haven't been many
heroes of the wireless as yet, but
hat is because there have been
ew calls on them.
These men of the wireless are
picked men, to begin with. Most
# them ale young, for the posi-
Ion is one of responsibility and
adventure that appeals to young
nan. The wireless operator is
lassed as an officer and eats at
he officers table. He takes
riders from no one except the
aptain, and no one else assumes
o offer him any. Most of them
re men of education, who have
lad thorough technical training, |
nd in the final schooling are
aught that if the time comes
Vhen the sacrifice ls asked of |
hem, they must at their post
Trough the ship sinks beneath |
hem. They have, perhaps,
f. 4