" The answer came, "Sine." I
said, "I haven't any sine. No. 2 on the C. K. & Q. has been wrecked out
here, and I want the despatcher's office. Can you tell me if he is on
this wire?"
Now there is a vast deal of difference between sending with a Bunnell
key on a polished table, and sending with a pocket instrument held on
your knee, especially when you are perched on a thirty foot pole, with
the rain pouring down in torrents, the wind blowing almost a gale, and
expecting every minute to be blown off and have your precious neck
broken. Consequently my sending was pretty "rocky," and some one came
back at me with, "Oh! get out you big ham." But I hung to it and
finally made them understand who I was and what I wanted. The main
office in Ouray cut me in on the despatcher's wire and I told him of the
wreck. He said he had suspected that No. 2. was in trouble, but he had
no idea that it was as bad as I had reported. He said he would order out
the wrecking outfit and would send doctors with it. Would I please stay
close and do the telegraphing for them, he would see that I was properly
rewarded.
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