Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-08-14
SAVED BY A BICYCLIsT.
How n Young Telegraph Operator
Prevented a Terrible Rail-
way Accident.

'"You think me rather young for such
responsible positionP 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 years? 1t looks
strange to one unaware Of its origin,
and when i call to mind the circum-
stances that caused it 1 only wonder
that am alive to-day"
The speaker. a mere child in appear
ance save for his white hair. stood with
his right index finger and thumb grasp.
ing the key of 4 telegraph instrument
which had just ticked off to him an ac-
count Of a terrible railroad accident
Referring to 1t he said: ..
II have had some trying experiences
In my life as an operator. Four years
ago was telegraph operator at small
country station on a 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 I could hear my
call q. from any part of the village.
When the south-bound train arrived at
noon one Saturday / hurriedly commu-
nicated with tho conductor, and learn
ing that he had nothing to send I pre-
pared to quit my office for the after
noon, as no other train was due until
7o'clock. Locking the door l went
laau;pr, tho cta m dino Of tha
depot, hot boxes OBTAINING it longer
than usual. Luckily l did not 60 be-
yond ear-shot of my instrument, repair
ing to q field near by to witness base
ballgame. Frequently left the Office for
hours, but always kept within hearing
distance, the tin-cup 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
I 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, I heard my IA
miliar call repeated in what seemed to
me unusually rapid succession. In
stead of walking leisurely to the Office,
as was my wont, / ran to the Office as
fast as could, and heard as entered:
Hold No. at your station until
special going north passes.
'Involuntarily glanced out of the
window, and saw the train l was Or
dered to hold disappearing around
curve short distance away. was
not told at 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 q 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 a horse, but I 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 l stumbled
over my bicycle. Without moments
thought showed it out of the door be-
fore me and was on it in less time than
1t takes TO count ten. In my odd mo-
ments l 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. l put my whole
strength into the effort of propelling
the machine, and had the satisfaction
of attaining speed l had never accom-
plished before. NY hat blew off and
my coat was dotted through fear that
1t might retard my speed. 1 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 alongside
the last car just as the train was get
ting under full headway. With fall
ing side motion I 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 60 my hold on the bicycle.
I caught the bell-cord and gave it one
vigorous pull, and the train came to
halt, gave the cord three jerks, the
signal to back. and tainted. The con-
ductor found me where / had fallen.
Suspecting 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-
oning 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"