Part II

I Learning The Business—My First Office1

II An Encounter With Train Robbers11

III In A Wreck19

IV A Woman Operator Who Saved A Train25

V A Night Office In Texas—A Stuttering Despatcher33

VI Blue Field, Arizona, And An Indian Scrimmage42

VII Taking A Whirl At Commercial Work—My First Attempt—The Galveston Fire52

VIII Sending A Message Perforce—Recognizing An Old Friend By His Stuff62

IX Bill Bradley, Gambler And Gentleman68

X The Death Of Jim Cartwright—Chased Off A Wire By A Woman80

XI Witnessing A Marriage By Wire—Beating A Pool Room—Sparring At Range87

XII How A Smart Operator Was Squelched—The Galveston Flood96

XIII Sending My First Order105

XIV Running Trains By Telegraph—How It Is Done111

XV An Old Despatcher's Mistake—My First Trick125

XVI A General Strike—A Locomotive Engineer For A Day137

XVII Chief Despatcher—An Inspection Tour—Big River Wreck147

XVIII A Promotion By Favor And Its Results160

XIX Jacking Up A Negligent Operator—A Convict Operator—Dick, The Plucky Call Boy168

XX An Episode Of Sentiment185

XXI The Military Operator—A Fake Report That Nearly Caused Trouble192

XXII Private Dennis Hogan, Hero203

XXIII The Commission Won—In A General Strike222

XXIV Experiences As A Government Censor Of Telegraph237

XXV More Censorship246

XXVI Censorship Concluded257

XXVII Conclusion270