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At the end of the 19th century London telegraph wires were run underground through big pipes that carried gas and sewage. When they pulled the wire wrong, they employed an interesting technique to fix it:
One of these lateral wires was hauled out to be repaired. The men doing this work failed to attach to it a leading line, by which the wire could be drawn through again. The means employed to correct the error were very unique.
A large rat, with a fine steel wire, was put in the pipe. Behind there was thrust a ferret. The rat ran from the ferret a short distance and stopped. It was feared that he would show fight and be killed. But he started on again.
He ran through the whole length of the pipe, and brought out the wire in good style, though closely pushed by the ferret.
Huh! I always assumed they used leprechauns.
(Score: 2) by MostCynical on Wednesday November 28 2018, @12:27PM (2 children)
Rats are easy enough to find.
Where did they get the ferret [pets4homes.co.uk]?
"I guess once you start doubting, there's no end to it." -Batou, Ghost in the Shell: Stand Alone Complex
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Wednesday November 28 2018, @04:48PM
They couldn't get a lawyer to fit in the pipe? They didn't try hard enough.
(Score: 2) by inertnet on Wednesday November 28 2018, @09:41PM
Hunting with ferrets was pretty common back then, it's called 'rabbiting' in English.