The herald and mail. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1873-188?, 1874-06-12
AN HOUR OF TERROR.
In the Grip Of Wise Before
an Approaching Railway

From the Detroit Free Press, May SOL
There arrived in the city Friday morn
ing over the Grand Trunk Railway, man
named Patrick Macarthur, who met with
a thrilling adventure about six miles east
OF the junction Thursday night. He is a
laboring man, and having no money, and
failing to get a chance to work his pas
sage down from Port Huron on q boat,
be started to walk down on the railroad
track, and had nearly completed his
journey when the adventure betel him.
He laid by during the heat OF the day
Wednesday, and was walking in the
evening to make it up While crossing
the tracks where switch leads down
alongside the main track he got his foot
caught fast in a''frog, and his efforts to
extricate it were OF no avail, He had on
a stout boot, and it fitted so closely over
the instep that he could not draw his
foot out In fact the boot was wedged
in the frog so closely that the man
toes were severely pinched. He pulled
this way aud that, wrencEed and twisted,
but the FRO" held the foot like wise.
At length he could hardly move his
leg for the pain, and he found that he
must either be run over by the next pass
ing train or make some one understand
his situation. He shouted himself
hoarse, but no one came The nearest
house was mile away, and II the farmer
heard the wild calls for help he gave
them no attention. After the man had
been a prisoner for upward OF an holr 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 bundle, anO
the idea came 70 him to signal the train
Fearing the papers off his bundle ana
getting at number OF letters, he rolleC
them into a heap, and for fear that the
flame would die out too suddenly he add
ed two flannel shirts from the bundle.
The bundle was then made fast to thu
end of his walking stick, matches pro
duced, and he waited until the head light
Of The locomotive should appear up tht
track.
IL finally greeted his vision, looking
like bright white star, as it glisteneG
afar up the track The rumble of the
train grew louder, the star grew larger
and brighter. He struck his match.
The fame blazed up brightly, but as he
moved it toward the bundle little gust
Of wind blew it out Was there time yet?
Up the track he could hear the thunder
Of a hundred heavy wheels, and the grea'
light of the locomotive glared at him like
the fiery eye of some wild beast. An
other match, an instant of fear and doubt,
and the paper blazed up and curled
over and around the bundle and swayeo
right and left with the night wind. Fl,
waved the signal of fire back and forth,
and Just when he was ready to believe
that death under the wheels was certain,
he heard the whistle for brakes.
He could hear the wheels grinding and
grOaning, the hiss of steam as the engi-
ncer threw back his lever, aud then the
heavy train came to a stop with the great
light shining down upon him, paling his
dying signal. He was saved, but the en-
gine had only thirty feet more to 90 to
crush him. The fireman came forward
got a crow5ar and released him, and he
was taken back to the caboose. The
train men were very kind to him, and
yesterday he found acquaintance here
who arranged for his board until he will
be able to work His foot is badly swell
ed and very tender, and it will be sever
al DAYS before he will be able to work