The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1884-06-21
SAVED BY A BICYCLIST.
How a Young Telegraph Operator
Prevented a Terrible Rail-
way Accident.

'You think me rather young for such
responsible position? Well, perhaps
so, for am nothing more than boy,
being less than 20 years Of age. But
what think you of this white hair which
have had for four yearsP 1t looks
strange to one unaware of its origin,
and when | call to mind the circum-
stances that caused it | only wonder
that am alive to-day"
The speaker, mere child in appear
ance save for his white hair, stood with
his right index finger and thumb grasp
ing the key of a telegraph instrument
which had just licked off to him an ac-
count of terrible railroad accident.
Referring to it he said:
II have had some trying experiences
in my life as an operator. Four years
ago l was telegraph operator at small
country station on southwestern rail-
road. had little to do, the dispatches
sent and received not averaging more
than two day, and those confined al
most to railroad matters. To enable
me to leave the office at will | had at
tached large tin cup to the sounder
of my instrument so | could hear my
call @, from any part of the village.
When the south bound train arrived at
noon one Saturday l hurriedly commu-
nicated with the conductor, and learn
ing that he had nothing to send pre-
pared to quit my Office for the after
noon, as no other train was due until
z oclock. Locking the door l went
away, leaving the train standing at the
depot, hot boxes OBTAINING it longer
than usual. Luckily did not 90 be-
yond ear-shot of my instrument, repair
ing to field near by to witness base.
ballgame. frequently left the office fol
hours, but always kept within hearing
distance, the lineup sounder enabling
me to distinguish my call several hun
bred feet away. Somehow | had mis-
givings on this occasion. | had an in
defnable dread of some impendin!
trouble. was SO i'll at ease that too
little interest in the game. ! kept m
ears open, expecting, for some reaso
will not attempt to explain, to b
called to the office. Before had bee
absent ten minutes, and while the trai
still stood at the depot, | heard my ia
miliar call repeated in what seemed {
mo unusually rapid succession. In
stead of walking leisurely to the Office
as was my wont, ran to the office q
fast as l could, and heard as entered
Hold No. 4 at your station unit
special going north passes.
'Involuntarily / glanced out of tn
window, and saw the train l was OIL
dered to hold disappearing around
curve short distance away. wa
not told at what time the special lef
the station south, which was only ten
miles away, and | saw in my mind Z
eve tho two trains rapidly approaching
each other, quickly followed by crash,
screams of pain, and flying debris.
Suddenly remembered, while tearing
my hair and cursing my negligence, thai
No. had to stop at wood yard two
miles down the road to take on fuel
That would be matter of five minutes
and If means of conveyance were a
hand might overtake it and avert
disaster. My first thought was han,
car, my second horse, but did nc
know if the first was at the station O
the second was to be had in the village
Rushing out of the Office | stumble
over my bicycle. Without moment
thought showed it out of the door be
fore me and was on it in less time thai
it takes to count ten. In my odd mo
ments had practiced and had becom,
quite an expert bicyclist. The countr,
road paralleled the railroad for severa
miles and the former was down grade
the entire distance. | put my whole
strength into the effort of propelling
the machine, and had the satisfaction
of attaining speed had never accom-
plished before. My hat blew off anC
my coat was dotted through fear thai
it might retard my speed. got with
in perhaps fifty yards of the now sta
tionary train when the engine whistle
blew and the train started up. l re
doubled my efforts and came alongsid
the last car just as the train was get
ting under full Roadway. With a fall
ing side motion | threw my vince
against the side Of the car Just forward
OF the platform, and graspcd the hand
rail as it came in reach, at the SAM
time letting 60 my hold on the bicycle
caught the bell-cord and gave it on
.gorous pull, and the train came to
halt ! gave the cord three jerks, tn
signal to back, and tainted. The con
ductor found me where l had fallen
Suspecting something wrong, he per
mitted the train to back to the station
getting there just as the special, loade'
with the directors of the road and thei
families, swung around the curve int
the station. l had brain fever, ant
came near dying, not gaining my reas
oning faculties for five weeks after IN,
terrible experience. But the conduc
tor said my hair was white when h,
found me on the rear of his train