Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-08-17
Holders of Telegraph Franks
in Record Breaking Stunts.
OFFICE OPERATORS DAZED
Messages Regarding Cherry Crop
and the Capture Of Holland.
SURPRISE FOR GIRL IN PEORIA
Newspaper Correspondents Adopt
Unique Plan Of Saying Goodbye
to Special Privilege.

Both Of the big telegraph companies
did q woodworking business in dead
head messages last night Trafhc su-
rerintendents were swamped. wire chiefs
swore. operators grumbled and a lot OF
innocent people all over the country were
yanked out Of bed In the middle OF the
night to sign for kilograms informing
them that cherries would soon be ripe or
that the Dutch had taken Holland.
There's a simple explanation of the
pleasant outrage. Just a week ago the
heretofore proud possessors of Western
Union and Postal franks were informed
by letter from the superintendents OF
the two companies that ION and after
August IL all of this company's franks.
may legally use them under the terms
of the interstate commerce act. are to
be Cancelled. as under that act they be-
come null and void. 1t therefore be-
comes necessary to request that you dis
continue using the frank issued in your
favor August 49, Please return the un-
used portion to me-.
by way Of surplusage. From all accounts
there are no unused franks, In Washing
ton at least, this morning.
Resembled Mass Meeting.
A large portion of the telegraph franks
in Washington are held by newspaper
men, and It looked last night as II some
body had called a meeting OF the Capitol
press gallery in front Of the main offices
Of the Western Union and the Postal.
Every now and then, when somebody in
side made room at one of the tables. q
member of the brain trust would dash
through the door. address kilograms to
relatives. friends. acauaintances and
even strangers, stick on the necessary
stamps and hustle out again to think up
a few more names.
According to an unofficial count, Fred
die Steckman, whose acquaintance among
the fair sex is supposed to extend from
waycross, Georgia, to Sitka. skipping no
points of importance. holds
the records for deadhead messages with
thirty-nine. He got new book or forty
stamps Just a couple or weeks ago ana
up to last night had used only one in
wiring a singing reproof to his man.
aging editor. But the book is empty now.
Even Angus McSween, personal conduct
or OF higher thought for leading morning
paper Of one Of our metropoli. and who
thinks that the United States should be
governed by a tribune composed OF Gif-
ford Pinchot. Norman Hapgood and FL
bert Hubbard, descended from the realm
OF higher things. long enough to help out
in the good work. 1t Is his custom to
converse over the long-distance telephone
with his managing editor every night
the latest public outrage. the
most recent evidence that the country
Is going to the dogs and the newest ru-
NOR that the only living ex-President will
again be a candidate in 1912. But last
night he used his books of franks in
stead. and In pure and limpid English
expressed his horror at the violence Of
fered to Col Roosevelt yesterday by
Barnes and company of New York.
Peoria Girl Surpr1sed-Sure.
weren't particularly formal or serious or
For instance, there's q
girl in Peoria, ILL.,, who undoubtedly was
somewhat surprised about 2 o'clock this
to receive a telegram conveying
the best wishes Of the season from a
person with whom she ex-
changed a few words in the railroad
station when Bryan's train stopped at
her town for three minutes in 1895.
That's only fourteen years ago." said
the man who sent the telegram. Maybe
she'll remember me. She was a queen"
No deadhead messages were received
for transmission after midnight. Most
Of the operators who had been on duty
during the evening and who emerged
after that hour looked dazed.
Il feel" said one of them, passing the
back of his hand across his bewildered
brow, las IL / had been attending to
the correspondence of lot Of prize bugs.
You know that man Tawm Pence? Well
he"
But just then the operator remembered
that all kilograms are confidential.