The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-07-06
TILT VIUI To TN
TOpekan Tells How Telegraph
Operators Work in England.
Regard TypeWriters as Waste
of Time, Says I. E. DehOney.
TEN men FOR WORK OF ONE
Air Raids Are Only Events of
Real Excitement.
London Policeman Thought
Baseball Game a Riot.

A letter has been received by J. W.
Hudson, manager and wire chief for
the Santa Fe General Telegraph office.
from Thomas E. Dehoney, formerly
OF Topeka, and telegrapher and stem
ographer in the general live stock
agents office of the Santa Fe at Kan
sas City. He is the son Of Conductor
Dehoney, of the Santa Fee Last year
he enlisted in the naval service as
electrician. He is now telegrapher IN
Admiral Simss headquarters, Lon
don. England. He writes:
Il am wondering what kind OF a
hole the military draft has made in
your Office. I imagine you will soon
be boss over a flock of young iady
operators. This country abounds with
girl operators. boilermakers, bartend-
ers and street car conductors.
IT am working in telegraph ONCE
of our own make, navy all the way.
American equipment and talent, put
we are using British Continental. You
should listen to some OF this contlnen-
tai coming in a hundred miles an hour.
The British never heard tell of a type
writer in connection with telegraph
ing. and they are still talking about H.
They think it is silly. as it wastes time
to fool with a machine while copying
Government Runs Telegraph
1.-THE telegraph business in England
is handled by the postoffice. and the
London office is the largest in the
world. 1000 operators being required
to handle the business. The reason
for such a large force lies in the fact
that il requires ten men to DO one
mans work. o. x is given after each
message. The sender stops and waits
for the receiver to read and check
over the copy carefully and does not
proceed until told to do so. Stop for
tea is made frequently. and nothing
can interfere with tea except an air
raid. And, by the way. an air raid is
enough to interfere with anything.
The shrapnel which is sent up by the
anti-aircraft guns falls to the street
and is no respecter of persons. The
bombs do considerable damage, but
most Of the deaths are caused by
horseshoes, bricks and mortar, which
go up and must come down. don't
know how far I ran nor what my
maximum speed was during the re-
cent raid, but 1 was com plimented
highly on my successful escape. A
piece of doorhinge struck on the side
walk in front of me about ten feet
between midnight and the next cor
ner. and I was back and in the under
ground station three blocks away be-
fore the missile had time to rebound. (
did most of the rebounding.
Street Cars Are Scarce.
p London is a large city and is COM
posed mostly of children playing in
the streets. Every male inhabitant
carries a walking stick, except those
who need one, such as cripples and
wounded soldiers. The latter are cas-
lily identified by a blue band on the
right sleeve Boys under 10 wear
large derby hats. and boys up IN their
teens wear babyish looking collars
which project over the coats, hiding
the shoulders. Street cars are scarce
except underground. Buses handle
the surface traffic and are dou ble-deck
affairs with a great honk and low
speed.
Il will try to write you a nice letter
next time giving you my views of all
political matters in Topeka and Pau
line, and also what I thiQk of the
kaiser.
I'VE are trying to establish baseball
on a good footing here, but the Brit
ish think it a very brutal pastime. In
describing the opening game. the re-
porter on one of the papers said:
The ground is marked off in squares
and has large. rough stone at each
corner. The principal players are
thrower. receiver and striker
The policeman stationed at the
grounds several times entered the
grandstand with the apparent resolve
to quell a riot. They had never be-
fore heard real rooters at work. I
participated in the first game, etc, etc.
We lost-there's a reason
"As soon Is get a higher rating.
namely, chief electrician, I am going