Boyhood Chum of Andy Carnegie Passes Away

1915

"Thirty" Comes to "Dode" Moreland, Veteran Telegrapher, Once Captured by Mosby.

PITTSBURGH, Pa., Dec. 16. — Theodore ("Dode") Moreland, aged 72, a patriarch among telegraphers here, and a boyhood friend and fellow-worker of Andrew Carnegie, the multi-millionaire, died in a hospital here as the result of an accident which occurred several weeks ago.

Mr. Moreland, like Carnegie, became an operator for the Western Union Telegraph Company and it was while following this work that the two renewed their boyhood friendship. Later they served as members of the Signal Corps during the Civil War.

At one time during the hostilities Mr. Moreland was captured by Mosby, the famous Confederate guerrilla leader. Mr. Moreland's mount was a better horse than that of Mosby, but the telegrapher was surrounded by rebels. Mosby, after detaining Mr. Moreland for some time, contented himself by "swapping" horses with the Northerner and then permitted him to ride his inferior mount back to the Federal lines.

After the war, Mr. Moreland and Mr. Carnegie drifted apart, Mr. Moreland continuing to make dots and dashes, while Mr. Carnegie made millions.

Several years ago, however, when Mr. Carnegie chanced to hear again of his erstwhile fellow-worker, he ordered that a pension of $50 a month be paid him. This was done for some time, tho the pension for some unknown reason ceased two years ago.

Mr. Moreland continued his work at the key until he had reached the maximum age of 70 years, when pensioned by the Western Union Company, being one of the first operators in Pittsburgh to be retired.

Telegraphers Like New Nine Hour Workday

Council Bluffs, Iowa, 1908

Like New Nine Hour Law

Local Telegraphers Say it is "Fine Dope" to Get Off so Early

When asked how they like the new nine-hour law which recently went into effect, several Council Bluffs telegraphers expressed their sentiments in the two words "fine dope." They say it feels very strange to have to work only nine hours, but all agree that the sensation is delightful.

"It doesn't seem natural to work nine hours and then quit," said one man, "because we were so used to working until we could hardly stand up and keep our eyes open that it seems almost too good to be true."

"It makes a fellow feel like he is getting a square deal, and we certainly appreciate it," said another.

—The Daily Nonpareil, Council Bluffs, Iowa, March 11, 1908, p. 1.

Instant Messaging Helps Actor Name His Price

1903

The coolness and self-control which have always been two of John Drew's most marked qualities, both off and on the stage, stood him in good stead once in the early part of his career, says Frank Leslie's Monthly.

It happened that Drew for some reason or other learned how to take and send messages on the telegraph ticker. Harry Vernon, a friend of his, and a skilled telegraph operator himself, was working that time in the office of a certain manager who was negotiating with Drew. When the talk between the actor and manager worked around to the question of terms Drew hesitated to stand out for what he wanted. Finally the manager made an offer. The actor was on the point of acceptance when the ticker began to sound. Vernon was the operator.

"Drew, Drew, Drew," it ticked. "Listen, listen. Hold off terms a minute. Ask for ten more. He said he'd give it before you came in."

With a calm and impassive expression of deliberate consideration, Drew looked thoughtfully at the manager while he rapped with a pencil on the desk the dots and dashes which were good Morse for "Vernon, are you sure?"

"Sure," came the clicks.

Then Drew spoke and got his price.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 4, 1903, page 5.

Comment: So Vernon was in the same office as Drew at the time but sent the message over the ticker, yet, being present, was able to respond to Drew's taps on the desk.

Dead Man's Spirit Rings Fire Bell, Is Ouija's Solution of the Mystery

1920

WATERTOWN, N. Y. -- For several days there was considerable excitement and wonderment among all classes of citizens here caused by the mysterious tolling at regular intervals during day and night of the huge fire alarm bell in the county courthouse tower. The big bell weighs several tons and its reverberations can be heard five or six miles on a still day. For nearly a week, at intervals of about two hours, the bell was struck a single blow, apparently by the heavy electrically-operated hammer adjusted to announce the number of the fire box from which an alarm is sent in.

When the mysterious tollings first began the police and other city officials attributed the cause of the disturbance to crossed electric wires, but later, when it was noticed that the big bell continued to peal forth its single mournful signal, detectives were sent out to solve the mystery. Wires were traced by regular linemen of the telegraph and telephone companies, but nowhere could they discover any crossed circuit that could possibly affect the big alarm bell.

Girls Offer Solution of Mystery

No acceptable explanation was forthcoming from any source until Miss Sadie Jasper and Miss Rhoda Benton came forward with what they claimed was undoubtedly the true solution of the mystery. Through their manipulation of a Ouija board, they said, they had received several communications from "Big Joe" Beals, the first man employed to ring the bell after the hammer had ceased to strike the number of the fire alarm box, which was the custom twenty-five years ago when the bell was first installed.

"Big Joe," as he was popularly known and who died about fifteen years ago, had communicated with them several times, the girls said, on each occasion confessing that it was his spirit that was causing the bell to ring, evidently by unseen and unknown hands. "You cannot know how I love to strike the old bell with the blacksmith's hammer I found in the basement of the courthouse."

According to "Big Joe's" alleged spirit, which said it was pleased to communicate with the living through the instrumentality of the wonderful Ouija board, it had selected the final moment of every second hour to tap the bell, but had about decided to reduce the number of taps to two each day -- one at noon, another at midnight.

when the bell remained silent throughout the day, save at noon and midnight, and the Misses Jasper and Benton again reported further messages from the old-time bell ringer, the police and hundreds of others were inclined to accept the Ouija board as the true explanation of the mystery, and naturally the city was greatly aroused by the sensational developments.

Boy Upsets Ouija Board's Story

But no one here cares to even mention the Ouija board just now. The "baffling mystery" of the tolling bell is a mystery no more. A certain 13-year-old grammar school boy has confessed that with the aid of an amateur telegrapher's outfit, a dozen or more feet of wire, etc., he had made connection with the fire bell in the tower through a window of his sleeping room, all of which was nicely concealed by a large tree, and he had had much "big fun," all by himself, he said, operating the electrical hammer and causing the bell to toll at his will. The lad escaped a fine for his disorderly conduct on his promise to not do such a thing again.

Meanwhile, the two young ladies still insist that they only reported what the Ouija board told them.

--The Saturday Blade, Chicago, March 27, 1920, page 9.