Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-10-05


-. and Telegraph Com
j. j. CARrH pany, but giving no
intimation of the fact that they had been
his Immediately personal work. And now
that the development Of wireless telephony
has reached a new highwater mark, Carly
is the last man who would minimize the
achievements of Bell, Marconi, Pupin and
the many other scientists and engineers who
contributed this or that to the great success
that has crowned the efforts of them all.
Carly was born in Cambridge, Mass 50
years ago. As a boy he showed a great
liking for mechanical experimentation. After
graduation from the Cambridge Latin School
he would have entered Harvard but for
serious trouble with his eyes. He found
himself attracted to the telephone business
which was then in the stage of difficult ex-
perimentation, carried on without textbooks
by small band of constructive pioneers
He was first employed in the old Tele-
phone Dispatch Company, of Boston in 1879
as night operator and then and there he
began long series Of contributions to the
technical knowledge of telephony.
Last June the Stevens Institute of Tech
nology conferred on him the degree of doctor
OF engineering, and on that occasion Presi-
dent Humphreys, of the institute said of
AAA' O''i'S' IAS has pIODdDly uODe more than
any other one man to make the telephone
as 1t is today, the ready and efficient SER
want of mankind" Carly has received most
of the professional distinctions which can
come to practicing engineer, including the
Edward Longstreet medal of merit of the
Franklin Institute of Philadelphia. Twice
he has received the formal thanks of the
Japanese Government for services in con-
nection with the establishment and develop
ment of the telephone system of the Mikado's
country and by the Emperor he has been
decorated with the Order of the Rising Sun
and the Imperial Order of the Sacred Treas
ure of the Meiji.
Going to College at 2S
In 1889 the young Boston engineer was
invited to reorganize the entire technical
equipment of the system of what is now the
New York Telephone Company. While en-
gagged in this tremendous task, in order TO
make up deficiencies in his engineering
training, he carried several courses in Co.
lumbia University Evenings he might be
found in his little apartment doing calculus
or quaternions. This little story out of a
successful career well illustrates the thor
oughness with which he has always tackled
the job of making good.
few incidents will serve to reveal some
Of his other leading characteristics. He
discovered that he would have to do many
unpleasant things when he was selected in
1907 as engineering of the Bell system.
Last night" one recalls Mr. Carty saving
with wry face he smoked of an August
evening on the piazza of his North Shore
cottage, Il visited with one of my Oldest
and dearest friends, an engineer connected
with the Boston office; this morning wrote
him letter firing him." II was only for
the good of the service-that was ALL He
had to do it.
And his method of gathering his staff is
interesting. He adopted it years ago AT
first at Columbia, and later at New Haven
"Shef' and Boston Tech" he began 10 lie
in wait for the most promising men of each
graduating class. His method of recruiting
was characteristically original Instead of
having the boys sent to him, he would GO
to them. II such and such a senior had
been recommended as a likely candidate the
engineer would quite Unexpectedly knock at
his door, spend few minutes in conversa-
ton and quiet observation, and then invite
the lad to take a little walk In an hours
stroll and talk it was generally possible n
get the candidate to drop all constraint end
to reveal his natural aptitudes and limita
tions.
One Day for Worry
There is another story quite as illuminat
ing. Il come Of a worrying race" he once
said I'VE worried a great deal at home
and / was likely to grow up into a worse
worrier than my father. a dear, good man
and very competent in his calling, an expert
at handling church bells, you may believe
me. Then once as youth suddenly saw
the light Of reason and one day proposed
to my father that we each select single
day a week on which to do our worrying. In
that way we would keep six days clear for
work and have only one brief time in the
week for being OF no use to anybody NV
farther saw the point, In a measure and
deliberately set Sunday aside for my worry
ing day, but when Sunday came had gem
orally forgotten all about my troubles"
This little Irish-American man of rec
tilinear features. clear eyes and high brow
assumes no title to greatness. A few years
ago he said TO a friend, II often wonder how
safe really am Things are thrown at
me for decision from every quarter Of the
universe. try to look at each question from
every possible angle, above. around and
through but have to give my judgment
quickly because I am dealing with that kind
Of men. A wrong judgment may cost mil
lions Of dollars. DO you wonder that value
my sleep?"