During the late 1800s, travellers to Cape Town in South Africa witnessed a very odd sight at the Uitenhage train station: the signalman, operating the levers in the control tower, was a baboon named Jack. That’s right, he was a signalbaboon – and the story is a good one.
Jack – who has his own Wikipedia page – was paid 20 cents a week, plus half a bottle of beer to help the railroad..........
https://www.techly.com.au/2014/12/08/monkeying-around-baboon-employed-railroad-signalman-never-made-mistake/
Sadly, the same could not be said of his human peers, after all, we're only human.
Victrola1....the signalman, operating the levers in the control tower, was a baboon....
I wonder how long it took him to become a Trainmaster (although he may have been overqualified).
The link mentions the simmian signalman was competent, but nothing about a promotion. One can only speculate if competence disqualified the baboon from promotion to management.
Victrola1The link mentions the simian signalman was competent, but nothing about a promotion.
(1) His name was Jack, not Bobo
(2) Do they have American-style trainmasters in South Africa? Surely there is a version of the joke with the Afrikaans equivalent...
zardoz Victrola1 ....the signalman, operating the levers in the control tower, was a baboon.... I wonder how long it took him to become a Trainmaster (although he may have been overqualified).
Victrola1 ....the signalman, operating the levers in the control tower, was a baboon....
Thanks to Chris / CopCarSS for my avatar.
Note the simmian signalman being paid with half a bottle of beer every day. Another link on the simmian signalman told of his potential in the sales department.
The link related the story of the injured railroad worker's purchase of the baboon. The wagonmaster who sold the baboon to the railroad worker said the baboon had an affinity for brandy. The baboon was more inclined to do as instructed when given brandy as a reward.
With a little more training, the baboon could take customers out for a three martini lunch.
Perhaps Jack understood the Peter Principle and did not ask for apromotion?
Johnny
Why monkey around with management, they're already monkeys.
Overmod Victrola1 The link mentions the simian signalman was competent, but nothing about a promotion. (1) His name was Jack, not Bobo
Victrola1 The link mentions the simian signalman was competent, but nothing about a promotion.
Jack only replaced one guy. Bobo replaced an entire crew, hence the promotion.
Overmod (2) Do they have American-style trainmasters in South Africa?
(2) Do they have American-style trainmasters in South Africa?
I sure hope not!!!
Greetings from Alberta
-an Articulate Malcontent
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