Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1879-09-12
q gleasaut Sturp.
MY MURDER

After all, we way-station telegraph OPP
orators are not without our little bit of
romance occasionally, and | think 1 can
show that we are not entirely without a
certain amount of responsibility; but it
is seldom, if ever, recognized, unless one
of our number by carelessness suddenly
plunges train into destruction by fail
ing to deliver or understand orders.
The time of which l write was one
pleasant afternoon in early autumn, the
22d day of September, 1876, and, as the
occurrence has made deep and vivid
impression on my mind, / cannot forget
the day, which was Friday.
AT that time bad been an agent and
operator on the - railroad little over
two months. The line was directly
through parts of Indiana and Illinois,
and some of the stations had no tele-
graph Office, consequently the order dis
lance was somewhat lengthy. and there
was but one Office between mine and
Cowans. twelve miles west,
On this day was quietly putting my
meerschaum in the little bay window of
my Office. and wishing for something to
relieve the monotony, when the operator
at Cowans called the train dispatcher
and said an engine had sprung her throt-
tie with one hundred and forty pounds Of
steam, and gone east, while the fireman
had gone to lunch, and the engineer,
who was oiling around, had no time to
got on.
All was still as death for q minute,
when the dispatcher began to call G.,
the only Office between mine and Cowans !;
for fully five minutes he called him, using
the signal "23," which means death but
still no answer, and still the monotonous
click of the armature presently he
answered in dazed, hurried man
ner, and when asked about the engine,
said it had passed there at fearful rate
Of speed at fourteen minutes past four,
with no person visible.
1t was only six miles moro TO me, and
an excursion was on its way west with
heavy load of tired picnickers, and had
actually left station only eight miles
east of me, the first telegraph Office, at
two minutes past four.
The dispatcher called me furiously and
being at hand and expectant, answered
him Immediately. When he said, Turn
your switch and wreck engine No. IL,
going east Wild" replied, II can not
without an idemnity ORDER" and after
hasty consultation with the Superinten-
dent, as l afterward learned, he went
ahead with an order, whose unusual form
and wording reused many lazy "brass
sounder" from doze. 1t was like
this
"ro operators: Wreck wild engine
No. IL at your eastern switch gate to
save collision. Company will defend aud
uphold you. d. b. r."
| Immediately returned my "13" or
understanding" received my correct
at Ais r. NJ" and turned TO look for the
engine, when, although the conversation
between myself and the dispatcher had
consumed but four minutes, saw her
coming at the grandost rate Of speed |
ever witnessed, and snatchcd my order
| ran TO the switch gate, about one hun
bred and fifty feet, and when | had I'M
locked and thrown the rail, the roaring
monster was only one hundred feet away.
| had my watch in my hand and stepped
quickly back out Of harms way, when at
Exactly twenty minutes past four she
vent over, and such an unearthly crash
hope ! may never sec or hear again
The dirt and stones few fifty feet in
he air, the engine turned clear over and
topped on her side, pushing a splinter
N the whistle valve, and there she lay,
seething. Kissing screeching mass Of
ubbish.
But above the din and rattle I heard
me wild dispairing cry for help, and
vhen could get close enough to see
nytbiDg, found what. had il not been
or the face, would never have rccog-
Iized as man, in the crushed and bleed
ng mass Of Gesh that lay under one hugo