Chapter 2

CHAPTER

I. Learning the Business--My First Office 1

II. An Encounter with Train Robbers 11

III. In a Wreck 12

IV. A Woman Operator Who Saved a Train 25

V. A Night Office in Texas--A Stuttering Despatcher 33

VI. Blue Field, Arizona, and an Indian Scrimmage 42

VII. Taking a Whirl at Commercial Work--My First Attempt--The Galveston Fire 52

VIII. Sending a Message Perforce--Recognizing an Old Friend by His Stuff 62

IX. Bill Bradley, Gambler and Gentleman 68

X. The Death of Jim Cartwright--Chased off a Wire by a Woman 80

XI. Witnessing a Marriage by Wire--Beating a Pool Room--Sparring at Long Range 87

XII. How a Smart Operator was Squelched--The Galveston Flood 96

XIII. Sending My First Order 104

XIV. Running Trains by Telegraph--How It is Done 111

XV. An Old Despatcher's Mistake--My First Trick 125

XVI. A General Strike--A Locomotive Engineer for a Day 137

XVII. Chief Despatcher--An Inspection Tour--Big River Wreck 147

XVIII. A Promotion by Favor and Its Results 160

XIX. Jacking up a Negligent Operator--A Convict Operator--Dick, the Plucky Call Boy 168

XX. An Episode of Sentiment 185

XXI. The Military Operator--A Fake Report that Nearly Caused Trouble 192

XXII. Private Dennis Hogan, Hero 203

XXIII. The Commission Won--In a General Strike 222

XXIV. Experiences as a Government Censor of Telegraph 237

XXV. More Censorship 246

XXVI. Censorship Concluded 257

XXVII. Conclusion 269

List of Illustrations