William J. Huggins, Superintendent	Charles W. Mitchell, Operator	Louis M. Hipp, Operator

Thomas T. Eckert was one of the earliest operators in Mansfield.  He was superintendent of the Pennsylvania telegraph office, and when the Civil War broke out, he went to Washington where he secured the position of general superintendent of the government's telegraph lines.  

O.H. Booth, deceased, was made superintendent of the local office when Eckert left the city, and was succeeded by his wife's sister, Mrs. Rudd, who now lives in Chicago.  Mrs. Rudd, who is a sister of S.A. Jennings, was a very clever operator and was assisted by Miss Sophie Redrup, who was also an operator of much ability.  E.V. Anders succeeded Mrs. Rudd as superintendent.  He held the position until 1882, when he was transferred to Lima, where he committed suicide.

Wm. J. Huggins succeeded Mr. Anders as superintendent of the local office and has held that position up to the present time.  Mr. Huggins was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1844.  His father was an American citizen, but carried on business in Scotland, where he married Mr. Huggins's mother.  Mr. Huggins came to this country in 1863 and located in Connecticut, where he secured a position as an operator.  In 1870 Mr. Huggins came to Mansfield and was employed as operator at the Western Union office.  In 1871 he was married to Miss Ozellah Phelps, daughter of Martin J. Phelps, who was formerly proprietor of the Wiler House, of this city.

Mr. Huggins went to Kansas in 1878, where he was an operator for the Western Union, but he returned to his city in 1881, and resumed his old position in the local office.  He was advanced to the position of superintendent in 1882, and has proven to be one of the best superintendents of the local office has ever had.  

Charles W. Mitchell, the chief operator, is the second son of Wm. Mitchell and wife, of Wood Street.  He was born on Christmas Day in the year 1874.  Charles attended the public schools until his second year  in the High School, when he went to work for the telegraph company as telephone and messenger boy.  After being in the office for nine months he was given a position as operator.  Charlie was very faithful to his position and when Arthur Redrup, the chief operator, resigned last July he was promoted to the vacant place.

Louis M. Hipp, the second operator, is a son of Sebastian B. Hipp and wife, of South Adams Street.  He was born in this city in 1876, and two years ago entered the telegraph office as messenger boy.  After one year of experience he was given a position as operator, and by his strict attention to his duties he has won the confidence and esteem of the superintendent and will at some future time occupy a high position in the telegraph service.  

The following are the names of a number of the young men who have learned telegraphy in the local office and are now occupying good positions all over the country:  Will Pfingstay, operator at Nashville, Tenn.;  Tobias Crider, Atlanta, Ga.;  Albert Dull, Memphis, Tenn.;  George Purdy, Canton;  Chas. Gimble, Akron, O.;  O.J. Hickox, train dispatcher at Toledo;  Joe Wertman, Cleveland;  Alfred McCoy, son of the late Judge McCoy, and George Irwin, both holding positions in the Western Union office at New York City.  

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