Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1884-01-24
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ONE.ARMED MEN FOR EMERGENCIES.

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ONE.ARMED MEN FOR EMERGENCIES.
ga one-armed man for emergencies, every
time," exclaimed an old railroad official to
a New York Tribune reporter, in the heat
of an argument on the prevention of collls-
siOns and other accidents. 81 never knew
one to fail in time of danger. The loss OF
an arm seems to increase their wits, ana l.
can name several instances of their display
of nerve and invention when other men
were Of no use. DO you remember Ross
kind of fellow he was, when he worked
under me on the Piedmont Airline road.
There is, not far from the South Carolina
line, small town called SeWanee. 1t is
several hours ride from Atlanta, Ca, and
contains about 800 people. The telegraph
operator at the depot is station agent, eX-
press ageut, ticket agent, truckman and
porter In fact, he runs the whole business,
and his is responsible position. He often
works all day and all night, and it is a
strain to keep up with the work in the busy
season. Ross Marchman was telegraph op-
orator and-so-forth at SeWanee. He was
about % years old and had lost his right
arm. How in the world he ever managed
~ pellOllIl lllS lllui1lpliol'y VI "A'iSo -. g
mystery, but he was never found wanting
in any of the qualifications necessary to a
successful accomplishment of every task.
We all had confidence in Marchman. One
night in November, 1882, he was sitting
half asleep over his key, worn out by ia
tigue, when he was aroused by hearing
himself called by the train dispatcher. He
answered, and the following order came
over the wires: 'Side-track No. 12 north
bound, Sewanee, l a. m. Hold for extra
No. 3, outh-bound, 1.04 a. m.' There was
nothing unusual in the order. Marchman
%. K'd' it, and made the necessary prepa-
rations for tagging down No. II, which,
being through freight, did not stop at
way stations unless signalled to dO So.
The night was dark and stormy, and the
wind blew in gusts, driving the rain into
every crack and crevice. The track from
the north past the station had heavy down.
grade, and it was the custom of the engi-
neers to blow a long blast on the whistle,
when their trains crossed the summit, some
half mile away. Number ~ was on time,
and when Marchman heard the blast he
took his lantern and went out on the track.
The headlight rose over the summit like a
full moon climbing the hills, and flashed
down the rails. The rain came down in
torrents, the wind whistled past the cor
ners of the station with an omnibus sound,
the train came laundering on. Marchman
raised his lantern and swung it across the
track, but before the signal could be given
a fitful gust of wind put out the light. The
train was not 2OO yards off, and had not
slackened it's speed. There was no time to
get another lamp. twas moment OF hor-
ror to the poor operator. No. 3, with Its
freight and passengers, was coming just
beyond the town-the two trains would
meet-collisio ion-destruction--de -death--all
passed before his mind like flash Of light
ming. He felt the quivering of the ties be-
Meath his feet as he stood in the full glare of
the light now fearfully close. Suddenly
his hand sought his pocket; there was a
flash, sharp report Of a pistol, and bullet
went crashing through the headlight. The
lamp was extinguished, and as the engineer
passed him, Marchman threw the pistol
into the cab window. Well the train was
stopped, and the conductor coming forward
to see what was wrong, reached Marchman
Just in time to receive his orders, when the
latter, overcome from the terri BILE strain,
fell down nthe ground. The train was
run into the siding, and No. 3 dashed by at
about 10 miles an hour. Not a passenger
dreamed of what had happened" "Of
course" continued the official, ''We remem-
bered Marchman in substantial way. The
one arm, though, was the making OF him."
THE CARE OF THE EYEs.-The eye is
one of the most delicate organs of the body,
and partial or total blindness is one of the
things to be deplored and to be carefully
guarded against.
Even strong eyes soon become weakened
and often diseased by being carelessly
treated.
When reading or working the light should
always fall over the left shoulder, and the
book or work should never be held near
er to the eyes than necessary.
1t is always important to sit up straight.
STOPPING is not only injurious to the eyes,
but to the lungs and spine. :.
Never work in the twilight or by aim
light.
Reading or writing in car or carriage is
hurtful to the eyes.
Ifyou work by gaslight the jet should be
shaded, and the light clear and steady.
Do not read in bed, nor lying down, nor
in a swinging hammock. Sleep in well
ventilated room, and lie in such position
that bright light will not strike your eyes
when YOU waken. Bathe your eyes freely
each night and morning with cold water to
which add little salt
If your eyes are weary or painful from
close application, rest them by closing them,
or looking away from your work, or Dathe
them with cold water, or with extract OF
witch hazel.
ANY foreign substance in the eye can usu-
ally be removed by taking the upper, eye
lid between the thumb and finger, and draw
ING it down over the under lid, gently pres
sing it toward the nose.
Little children should be particularly
careful not to distort their eyes by constant
winking or twitching Of the eye-llds or
turning the eyes toward the nose. Many
children have become permanently cross
eyed and others seriously injure their eye
sight by those perniciOus practices.
Children who are near-Sighted should I'M
mediately be provided with glasses by
competent optician, and by this means a
cure is often effected.
PHENOMENA OF A TORNADO.--Appa
accompaniments of the cyclone were per-
haps never more completely illustrated than
in lizard county. The course Of the storm
was from southwest to northeast, and COM
mencing one and half miles southwest of
Melbourne The swath cut through the
county is fifteen milesin length. The width
of it's track varies from two hundred yards
to three quarters Of a mile. Eight or ten
miles away the cloud accompanying the tor
nado, was observed so be OF an lnky black
color, "boiling," and almost incessantly IL
Illuminated by flashes of electricity: Five
miles distant, the same character Of boiling
black cloud was seen to be followed by
long pillar of intense white cloud. Near at
hand the white cloud, apparently driving
the whirling' black one before it, defined
itself as pillar Of fire.
In the midst of the storm the survivors
viewed the cone of the tornado as huge