Baboon = Railway Signalman
Baboon = Railway Signalman
Image Credit
When on holiday in the Eastern Cape in South-Africa in 2011, we visited a museum in Uitenhage. In the museum they had the interesting story of a Railway Signalman , named Baboon Jack.
The story started when James "Jumper" Wide lost both his legs in an accident. He got his name "Jumper" because he used to jump from the one wagon to the next while the train was in motion. This led to the accident where he fell between two wagons and his legs were amputated by the wagon wheels.
He then got a job as a signalman in the town of Uitenhage. He made himself to wooden legs as well as a small cart to move on.
On a day while visiting the market in Uitenhage he saw an ox-wagon being led by a baboon. He convinced the owner to sell him the clever baboon.
Jumper and Jack live in a small cottage about a half mile away from Jumpers workplace. The Baboon Jack pushed Jumper to work on a daily basis.
Jumper kept the signal box key in his cabin, when a train driver needed it he gave 4 whistle's on the train hooter, then Jumper would take the key to him. Jack soon learned what 4 whistles meant and took over the job from Jumper.
Jumper then taught Jack to pull the signal levers, he signaled with his finger to tell Jack which lever to pull. After a while the baboon did not even need the finger signals to pull the correct signal lever.
On a day a lady travelling with the train to Port Elizabeth saw the baboon working the signals and reported it to the railroad authorities. The manager visited the station to see if the story was true, and when confirmed, Jumper was fired immediately
Jumper pleaded for his job and the manager agreed to test Jack, to see what he is capable off. Jack changed all the signals without mistake. The manager was so impressed that he reinstated Jumper in his job and also employed Jack in the railroad, which made Jack the first Baboon to be employed at the Railroad in history.
Jack worked at the railroad for 9 years and never made a mistake that led to an accident. He died in 1890.
The next two photos were taken in the museum.
Video telling the story of Baboon Jack.
Photos without credit were taken by me, with my canon ProShot A450 in 2011.
Thank you for reading. I hope you enjoyed it.
No monkeying around here. I think that's something wrong with the text here:
Jumper soon learned what 4 whistles meant and took over the job from Jumper.
Jumper then learned Jack to pull the signal levers
1st Jumper probably should be Jack and learned should probably be taught.
Hi @ace108 you are correct, thanks for pointing it out.
You are welcome