El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-09-06

| and Military Telegraph Operators OF
| America, which is in session in At
[ lantic city. The contrast between the
old methods and the new, as represent
! ed in the wonderful development OF
electricity under the direction of these
| knights of the key, forms the basis OF
i many unique and interesting experten-
| ceS
| The United States Civil war was the
! first great war in the history of the
world in which telegraphy played any
4 important part. The establishment OF
a volunteer corps of telegraphers dur
! ing this great war. was due TO the or
/ ganizing powers of Andrew Carnegie
| who, at the age of 20, was asslstan
manager OF the military roads and tel
egraph under Gen. Thomas "A. Scott.
I Mr. Carnegies call for telegraph oper-
ators were all from Allegheny county,
Pennsylvania, and each made credf-
table record for skill and bravery dur
ing his four years service. A memo
rial tablet was erected to these volun-
teer, operators in Pittsburg, Mr.. Carne-
gle being actively interested in secur-
mig this tribute to their services.
No Pension for Pioneers.
Notwithstanding the fact that these
States does not find that its. recruiting
operators did important work during
the war and encountered many risks
and perils, the government has as yet
made. no provision for pensfoning them
as the regular soldiers are pensioned
A bill for the pensioning Of the tele-
graph operators of the Civil war Is
now under consideration. In the mean
time. Mr.. Carnegie has generously pro-
vided soldiers pensions to q number Of
these old time operators whose needs
have been brought to his attention. The
discussion OF the pension for army tel
egraphers will play some part in the
present convention, although since the
telegraphic service of the. United States
army Is now a regular part Of its ser
vice., there will be no need of provision
for future telegraphers
Many Calls to Heroism.
Since the war, with Its numerous
calls for courage and bravery, there
been many other demands for heroism
on the part Of telegraph operators.
During the great yellow fever scourge
in the south, telegraph operators stuck
faithfully to their posts Of duty, trans
hitting the messages bringing help
from all parts Of the country. While
there are no records kept of the sac
rifices of life made each year by opera
tors who stand by their key board,
there has been no great calamity in
which such instances could not be
found.
operator is a woman, and her devo-
ton to duty Is no less faithful than
that Of man. The bravery of Mrs. A.
M. Ogle, who, during the Johnstown
flood stood faithfully by her post until
the waters closed around her, is gener-
ally known. The words This is my
last message licked from the keys
with her dying breath and formed the
title Of a song Of the period Dick
Speliman's efforts to reach a station
the Galveston horror to president
Mckinley. brought aid to the stricken
people sooner than 1t could otherwise
nav been secured. One Of the first
graph operator who aroused himself
from the stunning effects OF shock
which demolished the office in which
he was employed. Climbing over bro
ken walls and debris in the dimly
lighted ruins, he managed TO find two
telegraph wires which he was able to
unite and In this way establish a con-
nection enabling him to send a mes
sage to the outside world Jack Binns,
the wireless operator of the steamer
Republic. saved the lives Of a.: on board
by persisting in his efforts to flash
forth message of distress although
the physical strain rendered him almost
unconscious when help finally reached
the unfortunate vessel
System IL Changed.
Modern appliances have completely
changed the system Of te1egraphy and
the old timers who were so skillful in
picking off the dots and dashes on the
primitive old machines, find them
selves somewhat puzzled by the newer
apparatus. although the principal OF ap-
olied electricity is the same The old
Morse alphabet is still the basis OF
ton, but 1t has had many
systems still include in
some form the battery or source of
electric power, the live wire, the trans
hitter and the indicator or signaling
instrument. The battery and live wire
ire common to all 1t is in the method
4 producing signals that the varieties |
xist in the newer systems. Advantage |
las now been taken Of one of the three |
GLOWING principles of circuit: It's pow |
n Of producing the DETECTION of a |
!eedle; its power of temporarily magni- |
ying soft iron; and its power. of |
producing chemical decomposition. |
ne old Morse instrument, most famil- |
ar to the old time telegrapher, is |
'aseS upon the second principle.
Notwithstanding the differences In |
Methods caused by new developments |
n electricity each year. the tele- /
'raphers of the country. endeavor to |
sustain q uniformity OF skill and speed. |
n order that the old time telegrapher /
nay be given a chance to demonstrate |
us skill with the newer operators. ma
ional telegraphic tournaments have |
'een held in different parts of the !
ion arrang ements are being considered /
or holding a great tournament of this |
Ind in one Of the southern states with
n the next few months. For this |
Mr.. Carnegie. whose inter-
st in the advance of telegraph opera
ors is still keen, despite the years
7hich have elapsed since he himself
andled the keys, has donated a gold
ledal studded with diamonds, valued
I $500 which will be awarded to the
est all round telegraph operator.
Telephone Replaces telegraph.
To a large degree, the telephone is
eplacing the telegraph, although their |
ses are distinctly different in many
mes. BY cooperation between the two |
will soon become possible to have |
ing distance telephone service across
lie continent Connections have been |
lade this summer between New York l
nd Denver At the demonstration of !
MS new development held last month, |
hose assembled In the telegraphic Of
ces at New York were able to see
slegraph and telephone communion
cns being carried along simultane-
usly on the same wire. The economic
dvantage of this is being utilized for
9th parties and tends greatly to re-
uce the expense.
The railroads OF the country owe
UGH of their progress to the develop
tent of the telegraph and the tele-
hone. The telegraph really performs |
Tree services for the railroads in train
4l,f