The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1879-04-16
Don't Pull the Bell Cord.

There are few cases wherein passenger is
warranted in pulling the cord which runs
through the while length of passenger
train. since such proceeding stops the
the practice sess should peeone general Sna
or was of frequent occurrence, great
confusion would result. As rule, this
bell-cord is entirely under the control of the
conductor, and should be used only by him,
or with his sanction. To be sure, if one
saw per4on fall from platform, or found
the car to be on fire, or was cognizant
of some circumstance of equal i'm
portance, pulling the rope would be
justifiable, and censure would not be likely
to follow where reasonable persons were in
terested. But the action may not be unac-
companied by extreme peril, and that with
out the ken of the person stopping the train,
as the following will illustrate: On the Old
Colony road, during the time when the steam
boat express train left Boston for Fall r1ver at
$50 p. m, train bound for Plymouth,
from Boston, rolled into the depot at
South Braintree about 6 o'clock, on time
and all right. Due about the same time,
but on this occasion a few minutes late,
the train from Cape Cod, bound for Boston,
rolled in on the other side of the
same depot. The two trains usually
waited for an interchange of mails and pas
very short time. 1t was Saturday night and,
as has been said. the Cape was just little
late The steamboat express was within a
minute or two of being due,
but always came on time. The
Plymouth train stood upon the road
pass, and the latter made no stop, nor even
slackened speed. Immediately after leav.
ing the depot the Plymouth train would
bransh off to the left and take another
track, leaving all clear for the express
to go down the same road over
which the Cape train had Just come.
The conductor of the Plymouth train gave
| the signal to his engineer when he knew he
ought no longer to stand there, although he
had ample time to get his train clear off in
season. The train was IL cars, or something
over 500 feet long. 1t started, and had
its own track when the bell
cord was jerked, and the train was
stopped as speedily as possible. Fully one.
half the cars were now directly in the track
of the coming express which would not be
able to see them until close upon them, and
the express was due in few seconds. The
conductor had not pulled the cord; he did
not know who lad. He was fully impress
ed with the importance of the situation;
but what should he do? For ali he knew
in the darkness half q dozen women OF
children were under the wheels of his
the track If he should undertake to &c
through the train, long before he could
reach the rear the express would be dowr
upon them. He jumped upon the depot
platform and called aloud to know who
had stopped his train. 81 did," replied q
gentlemanly season-ticket holder. who stopI.
ed upon the car platform. What's the
matter?n The lives of all on board two
trains had been put in peril that negro
| girl who had arrived on the Cape and
wished to take the Plymouth might be
grstifed. She had become bewildered il
/ he darkness, and was wandering
around in that way when the train started
In second of time the train was again IN
motion, cleared the track, the headlight o.
the express appeared rounding the curve
| and it rushed pastinto the darkness, its pas
ssngers ell unconscious of the danger which
| had been SO near them.