Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1870-10-26

Iderstood and used that they are in use
everywhere.
The open hand signifies all right
one, two, three or four fingers means the
number of trains that are following, and
is an answer to the question as to any
query of the kind which is asked by a
railroad man upon the track or by a pass
ing engineer, and which is expressed by
first closing the hand and then opening it.
The answer is given by closing the fist if
no trains are following, and giving their
number upon the fingers if any are behind.
To ask the question, il" How near is the
next following train? which may be
asked by the engineer or conductor of the
telegraph agent, or by track master or
other official of the engineer. the hands
spread open are placed nearly together
and then the arms are thrown back The
answer as to whether they are close be-
hind or still some way back is describing
an imaginary distance with the open hands
the nearness to which they are together
signifying the closeness of the trains
In these days of electric switches, SEM
aphores, and patent signals of every de-
scription, it would seem as if collisions
accidents from neglected switches and open
bridges would, or should, be impossible
Yet such accidents do occur every day
and railroad superintendent search in
vain for sure and certain methods to avert
them. The electric switch would seem tc
be most excellent preventive against a
neglected switch, yet railroad companies
do not, as a general thing, use them al
any but the most important points, such as
entrances to large stations, when arriving
at bridges, etc.
The alarms given by these switches are
entirely beyond the control of every per-
son, 50 that meddling with them for an
evil purpose is impossible. Wherever they
are placed is also erected small tower
upon the top of which are windows. The
tower is connected, no matter whether the
distance is one or thousand yards, with
the switch by means of an underground
wire, and contains bell, a galvanic bat
terry and a red flag. Upon the severance
of the connection with the battery by the
opening of the switch, the flag appears in
the windows, and the bell sets up most
dreadful clatter. At night light in the
tower is seen through the red flag, which
is the danger signal with the bell. The
expense of these batteries and their tow
ers and connecting wires is their only draw
back
An old preventive against running
through an open drawbridge is yet in use
on some roads, and consist of a gallows
| like erection raised over the track several
hundred yards from the bridge, and from
which is suspended large and heavy board
which swings like an old fashioned sign
board of an inn. A wire rope connects
the board with the bridge, and, upon the
drawbridge being opened, the board is low
cred till it swings about on level with
| the bottom of the smokestack of a loco
motive. Should the engineer not see that
the lights or flags of the bridge are set
for danger, and dash onward, the board
will Immediately arouse him to a sense of
his peril by gathering over the smokestack
steam whistle and cab of his engine, and,
perhaps, carrying away one, if not all of
those useful appendages to his locomotive
The remedy Is very forcible one, but is
one that has at least the merit of being
effective.
Some ingenious an enthusiast has, how
ever, invented a plan which he claims in
sures entire safety from collisions, and
which it is to be hoped, may be found
practicable and adopted by roads gener-
ally. He proposed to fix batteries at
places along the line, and distant about
mile apart, each being coupled with
tower, light and bell. Wires are to run
the entire length of the line, and so long
as the pressure of train is upon each
mile of track, the bell, flag or light of that
mile will proclaim it.