The western novels of Norman A. Fox have sold several million copies throughout the world. His works have appeared on motion picture and television screens and have been dramatized for radio. This popularity is founded on Fox's ability to tell a gripping tale, backed by the vitality that comes from his knowing the West through both travel and research. Born in Michigan, Fox has, since early childhood, claimed Montana as his home.
I found a large print book by Norman A. Fox (1911-1960) called Long Lightning (1953) about a man Holt Branden that is the chief engineer for the Mountain Telegraph Company stringing wire in Montana as an offshoot going north & south. It's fictional but gives good descriptions of the work involved, such as digging holes four feet deep for the poles, sounds tiring to me and even from the fictional stories, it must have been a hard job even without, crossing flooded rivers, Native American encounters & bison stampedes.
I did research a Civil War incident with telegraph wire that tripped Confederate troops near Knoxville, Tennessee in 1863. So though fictional, based on history facts.
A telegraph company foreman fights his competition, a local outlaw, a delusional Confederate officer still fighting the war, and, of course, his own past, in order to get a line strung across a section of Montana. Sounds pretty solid, but there is some silly characterization and plot holes that really ruin this one.
I started this book then put it down to read a couple others then got hooked. Another exciting old west adventure by the author set in my Montana! Strong characters with character!