General Greely's hornet infested cone-shaped insulator

Greely's Telegraph Line

There is a good story told on Gen. Greely, the chief of the signal service. A number of years ago "Old Probabilities," then a lieutenant in the Fifth cavalry, was stationed in Texas. While there he was ordered to build 150 miles of telegraph line. Greely decided to purchase a new kind of insulator, a sort of sheet iron, cone shaped affair. The line was completed, and for a couple of weeks everything worked well and the lieutenant was congratulating himself on the success of his work. All at once the line would not work at all. A couple of line repairers started out to find the cause. The first pole they tackled was their last, for a swarm of hornets emerged from that insulator prepared to resist all comers. As the swarm settled about the two men they ran, and as they ran the swarm increased and followed them nearly into the fort. The line was rebuilt, but the ordinary glass insulators were used. To this day those linemen have never forgiven the general. - Kansas City Times