The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1884-04-19
Oue.Armed Men for Emergencies.

~ Y Ledger.
One. Armed Men for EMERGENCIES.
"a one-armed man for emergencies
eyery time" exclaimed an old railroad
official in the heat of an argument on
the prevention of collisions and other
accidents. II never knew one to failin
time of danger. The loss OF an arm
seems to increase their wits, and l can
name several instances of their display
of nerve and invention when other men
were of no use. Do you remember
Ross Marchman? No? Well, I'll tell
YOU the kind of fellow he was, when he
worked under me on the Piedmont Air
Line road.
ssThere is, not far from the South
Carolina inc, a small town called Sc
vance. 1t is several hours ride from
Atlanta, Georgia, and contains about
500 people. The telegraph operator at
the depot is station agent, express
agent, ticket agent, truckman and
porter. In fact, he ru ms the whole BUSH
ness, and his is a responsible position.
| He often works all day and all night
and it is q strain to keep up with the
work in the busy season, Ross March
man was telegraph operator and-so-
forth at Sewanee. He was about twen-
ty.two wears old, and had lost his right
arm. How in the world he managed to
perform his multiplicity OF duties is q
mystery, but he was never found want
ing in any of the qualifications neces-
sary to successful accomplishment OF
every task. We all had confidence in
Marchman. One night in November,
1882, he was sitting half asleep over his
kew. worn out with fatigue. 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. IL. north-bound.
Sc vance, l q. m. Hold for extra No.
3 south-bound, 1:O4 a. M There was
nothing unusual in the order. March.
man o KID it and made the necessary
preparations for tagging down No. II.
which. being a through freight, did not
stop at way stations unless signaled t.
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 1t was
the custom for engineers to blow a long
: blast on the whistle, when their train!
, crossed the summit, some half a mile
away. No. IL was on time, and whel
l Marchman heard the blast he took hi
lantern and went out on the track
The headlight rose over the SUNNI
, like full moon climbing the hills, ant
, flashed down the rails. The rain cam
> down in torrents, the wind whistle'
mast the corners of the station witt
/ an ominous sound, the train cam
i laundering on. Marchman raises
y his lantern and swung it acros
the track, but before the signal coul
a be given fitful gust of wind put on
! the light. The train was not two hund
: red wards off and had not slackened ii
speed. There was no time to get al
!. other lamp. 1t was moment OF horro
Il to the poor operator. No. 3, with II
e freight of passengers, was. coming Jul
n beyond the town-the two trains woul
If meet collision destruction death
r all passed before his mind like fias
1t of lightning. He felt the quivering 9
fe the ties beneath his feet as he stood
Of the full glare OF the light now fearful
X close. Suddenly his hand sought b
pocket; there was flash, sharp repo
/" of q pistol, and bullet went crashir
,e through the headlight. The lamp WI
s. extinguished. and as the engine passt
d. him, Marchman threw the pistol in
the cab window.
IN sWell, the train was stopped, and Il
e. conductor coming forward to see VIII
e. was wrong, reached Marchman just
ed time to receive his orders, when 9
Il. latter, overcome from the terrible strai
IS fell to the ground. The train was n
er into the siding. and No. 5 dashed BY
as about forty miles an hour. Nota passe
on ger dreamed of what had happened.
all s.Of course" continued the offici
1--WE remembered Marchman in 81
ok stantial way. That one arm, thong
was the making of him. Cor. NJ
on Tribune.