The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1874-07-15
A FEARFUL SITUATION.

There arrived in the city Friday
morning, over the Grand Trunk Rail.
way, a man named Patrick Macarthur,
who met with a thrilling adventure
about six miles east Of the junction
Thursday night. He is laboring
man, and having no money and fail
ing to get chance to work his pas
sage down from Port Huron on boat,
he started to walk down on the rail-
road track, and had nearly completed
his journey when the adventure befel
him. He laid by during the heat of
the day, Wednesday, and was walking
in the evening to make it up. While
crossing the track where a switch leads
down alongside the main track, he got
his FOOT caught in the frog" and all
efforts to extricate himself were of no
avail. He had on stout boot, and
it fitted so closely over the instep that
lie could not draw his foot out. In
fact the boot was wedged in the frog"
so closely that the mans toes were
severely pinched. He pulled this way
and that, wenohed and twisted; but
the frog" held the foot like a vice.
At length he could hardly move his
foot for the pain, and he found he
must either be run over by the next
passing train or make some one under
stand his situation. He shouted him
self hoarse, but no one came. The
nearest house was half a mile away,
and if the farmer heard the wild calls
for hel Up he gave them no attention.
After the man had been a prisoner for
upwards Of an hour, he heard the
whistle of down freight train. 1t
was yet long way off and he had a
little time to think. He had a match
box in his pocket, papers in his bun
die and the idea came to him to sig
nal the train, Tearing the paper of
his bundle, and getting at number Of
letters, he rolled them into q heap,
and for fear that tire flames would die
out too suddenly, he added two fan
mel shirt from the bundle. The bun
die was then made fast to the end OF
his walking stick, matches produced
and he waited until the headlight oi
the locomotive should appear up the
track. 1t hardly greeted his vision
looking like a bright white star, as il
glistened aiar up the track. The rum
BILE of the train grew louder, the stal
grew larger and brighter. He struck
his match. The flame blazed NJ
brightly, but as he moved it toward
the bundle little gust of wind blew
it out. Was there time yet? Up the
track be could hear the thunder of q
hundred heavy wheels, and the grea
light of the locomotive glared at hin
like the fiery eye Of some Wild beast
Another match, and instant of feal
and doubt, and then the paper blazet
up and the flames curled over auC
swayed right and left with the nigh
wind. He waved the signal of fir,
back and forth, and just when he wa
ready to believe that death under th'
wheels was certain; he. heard tn,
whistle for brakes. He could hea
the wheels grinding and groaning, tn
hiss Of steam as the engineer threN
back his lever, and then the heav,
train came to stop with the grea
light shining down upon him palini
his dying signal. He was saved, bu
the engine had only thirty feet NOR
10 90 to crush him. The fireman cam
forward, got crow-bar and release
him, and he was taken back to tn
caboose. The train men were yer
kind to him, and yesterday he foun
acquaintances here who arranged 70
his board until he will be able to worh
His foot is badly swelled and yer
tender, and it will be several days be
fore he will be able to walk.-Detro
Free Press.