Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-13
One-Armed Men for Emergencies.

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"A One-armed man for emergencies
every tIme,' exclaimed an old railroad
Official in the heat of an argument on the
prevention of collisions and other acct
dents. II never knew one to fail in time
OF danger. The loss of an arm seems to
increase their wits, and | can name
several instances of their display of
nerve and invention when other men were
OF no use. DO you remember Ross March
man? No. Well. I'll tell you the kind of
fellow he was when he worked under me
on the Piedmont Air Line Road.
"Ihere Is, not far from the South Caro-
lima line, small town called Sewanee.
1t is several hours ride from Atlanta,
Ga, and contains about 800 people. The
telegraph operator at the depot is station
agent, express agent. ticket agent, truck
man and porter. In fact, he runs the
whole business, and his is a responsible
position. He often works all day and all
night, and it is a strain to keep up with
she work in the busy season. Ross
Marchman was telegraph operator and-sO-
forth at Sewanee. He was about - years
old, and had lost his right arm. How in
the world he ever managed to perform his
multiplicity of duties is mystery, but
he was never found wanting in any of the
qualifications necessary to 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 with ia
tigue, when he was aroused by hearing
himself called by the train dispatcher.
He answered, and the following order
came over the wire: Side track No. u,
nOrth-bOund, Sewanee, l a. m. Hold for
extra No. 3, sOuth-bOund, :04 a. M
There was nothing unusual in the order,
Marchman 80 K'd' it and made the nee
essary preparations for tagging down
No. II. which, being a through freight,
did not stop at way stations unless sig
nailed 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 for engineers to blow a
long blast on the whistle when their trains
crossed the summit, some half a mile
away. No. II 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 full
moon climbing the hills, and flashed down
the rails. The rain came down in tor
rents, the wind whistled past the corners
of the station with an OminOus sound, the
train came laundering on. Marchman
raised his lantern and swung it across
the track, but before the signal could be
given little gust of wind put out the
ngnJ. Inc tram was not TWO hundred
yards off and had not slackened its speed.
There was no time to get another lamp.
It was a moment of horror to the poor
operator. No. 3, with its freight of pas
sengers, was coming just beyond the
tOwn-the two trains would meet-cOl-
destructiOn-death-a passed be-
fore his mind like flash of lightning. He
felt the quiyering of the ties beneath his
feet as he stood in the full glare of the
light, now fearfully close. Suddenly his
hand sought his pocket; there was
flash, sharp report of pistol, and
bullet went crushing through the head
light. The lamp was extinguished, and
as the engine 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 lat
ter, overcome by the terrible strain, fell to
the ground. The train was run into the
siding, and No. 3 dashed by at about forty
miles an hour. Not passenger dreamed
of what had happened.
"Of course" continued the official,
owe remembered Marchmau in d substan-
tial way. That one arm, though, was the
making of him.