596327

[3084.ftw]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 1, Ed. 1, Tree #3084, Date of Import: Dec 4, 1998]

!(from notes of Georgia Cole) Extract from A. L. Donaldson's History
!Besides the first Post Office in Baker's store, the Hotel housed one of the
first telegraph offices in this section. An early demand for this luxury was
created by the class of men who made "Bakers" and "Martins" their vacation
headquarters. Men whose business or profession required them to keep in quick
touch with the outside world. William F. Martin made repeated and persistant
efforts to get a wire to his place, but it was naturally difficult to convince
any company that a line through the wilderness would pay. Finally, however, Mr.
Martin made a deal with "The Montreal Company" which later became "The Great
Northwestern Telegraph Company", this deal provided for three offices, one at
Bloomingdale to serve Paul Smiths, one at Bakers and one at Martins and
stipulated that Mr. Martin should furnish and set twenty miles of poles. This
was done, and service was installed at these three places for the summer season
of 1870. At "Bakers" the Colonel's stepson, William H. Dana took charge of the
wire for the first two years. The position then passed to a pupil of his,
Estella E. Manning (who was the daughter of Sarah Ellis Lathrop Manning and
Gabriel Manning) who was a young girl just fourteen years old when she became a
telegraph operator. Her salary was one dollar a week, board and lodging and
the privilege of attending school in the winter. She held the position for two
years, not long after giving it up, she married William A. Martin, the son of
William F. Martin, whose famous hotel became her home. Her husband had been the
telegraph operator there, and she naturally began to help him out. She ended
by giving most of her time to the service. To make this more convenient and
pleasant for a lady, her husband ran an extension wire to his private rooms
upstairs. Mrs. Martin's little parlor thus became a favorite haunt; for those
who came to send a message often stayed to have a visit, and the Lady at the
Key was soon the friend of all the patrons of the house. If any of them should
chance upon these lines they will be glad to know that she is still alive and
in good health, still a cheerful and entertaining companion in spite of many
vicissitudes in her later life. She is now a widow, and is manager of the
Postal Telegraph office in Saranac Lake. To her intimate knowledge of local
events and people, to her good memory, to her valuable collection of early
pictures and newspaper clippings, which she has graciously placed at my
disposal, and above all - to her unfailing willingness to help me in compiling
and correcting many data for this chapter, I acknowledge a large and sincere
debt of gratitude. END