Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1884-07-03
SAVED BY A BICYCLIST.
How n Young Telegraph Operator
Prevented Il Terrible Rail-
way Accident.

GU lnlDh Iut IOI SUCH
q responsible position? Well, perhaps
so, for ] am nothing more than a boy,
being less than 20 years of age. But
what think you of this white hair which
have had for four years? 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
MS right index finger and thumb grasp
ing the key of 4 telegraph Instrument
which had just licked off to him an ac-
count OF terrible railroad accident
Referring to it he said:
Il have had some trying experiences
In my life rs an operator. -Four wears
ago L was telegraph operator at 4 small
country station on a southwestern rail-
road. | had little 10 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 nv
call q, from any part of the VILLAGE.
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 nc other train was due until
z o'clock. Locking the door [ 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 for
hours, but always kept within hearing
distance, the lineup sounder enabling
me to distinguish my call several hun
dred feet away. Somehow l had mis-
givings on this occasion. / had an in
definable dread of some impending
trouble. was so i'll at ease that took
little interest in the game. / kept my
ears open, expecting, for some reason
| will not attempt to explain, TO be
called to the office. Before | had been
absent ten minutes, and while the train
still stood at the depot, | heard my ia
miliar call repeated in what seemed TO
me unusually rapid succession. In
stead of walking leisureIy to the office,
as was my won't, [ ran to the office as
fast as | could, and heard as [ entered:
Hold No. 4 at your station until
special going north passes
'Inyoluntarily glanced out of the
window, and saw the train l was or
dered to hold disappearing around
curve a short distance away. was
not told ct what time the special left
the station south, which was only ten
miles away, and / saw in my minds
eye the 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, that
No. had to stop at wood yard two
miles down the road to take on fuel.
That would be q matter of five minutes
and if means of conveyance were at
hand [ might oVertake it and avert
disaster. My first thought was hand
car, my second 4 horse, but | did not
know if the first was at the station or
the second was TO be had in the village.
Rushing out of the office / stumbled
over my bicycle. Without moments
thought / showed it out of the door be-
fore me and was on it in less time than
it takes to count ten. In my odd mo-
ments [ had practiced and had become
quite an expert bicyclist. The country
road paralleled the railroad for several
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 a speed [ had never accom-
plished before NY hat blew off and
my coat was dotted through fear that
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. | re-
doubled my efforts and came alongside
the last car just as the train was get
ting under full Roadway. With q fall
ing side motion [ threw my wheel
against the side of the car just forward
of the platform, and grasped the hand
rail as it came in reach, at the same
time letting 90 my hold on the bicycle.
caught the bell-cord and gave it one
vigorous pull, and the train came to a
halt, gave the cord three jerks, the
signal to back, and tainted. The con-
ductor found me where | had fallen.
something wrong, he per-
mitted the train to back to the station,
getting there just as the special, loaded
with the directors of the road and their
families, swung around the curve into
the station. | had brain fever, and
came near dying, not gaining my reas-
0ning faculties for five weeks after my
terrible experience. But the conduc-
tor said my hair was white when he
found me on the rear of his train.