Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-05-11
SAVED BY A BICYCLIsT.

Overhauling a Railroad Train on the
Whirling Wheel-How a Young TeIe-
graph Operator Prevented a Terrible
Railroad Disaster and Nearly Lost His
Own Life from the Experience.
''You think me rather young for such a
responsible position. Well, perhaps so,
for | an 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 una
ware of its origin, and when l call to mind
the circumstance that caused it l only
wonder that am alive to-day"
The speaker, a mere child in appear
ance save for his white hair, says the
Chicago NeaCS, stood with his right index
finger and thumb grasping the KEY of a
telegraph instrument which had lust
licked off to him an account of terrible
railroad accident. Referring to it he said :
Il have had some trying experiences in
my life as an operator. Four years ago |
was telegraph operator at small country
station on a Southwestern railroad. I
had little to do, the dispatches sent and
received not averaging more than two a
day, and those confined almost entirely to
railroad matters. To enable me to leave
luC OlA1Cc 1T VIII L udu dIIdCQCu a large
tin cup to the sOunder of my instrument
so l could hear my call o. from any part
of the village. When the south-bound
train arrived at noon one Saturday, | hur-
riedly communicated with the conductor,
and learning that he had nothing to send.
prepared to quit my office for the after
noon, as no other train was due until 7
O'Clock. Locking the door I went away
leaving the train standing at tho depot
hnf hOvnGf 6afainip ~
Luckily did not go beyond ear-shot of my
instrument, repairing to field near by to
witness base ball game. l frequently
lett the office for hours, but always kept
within hearing distance, the lineup
sOunder enabling me to distinguish NV
call several hundred feet away. Somehow
l had misgivings on this occasion. / had
an indefinable dread of some impending
trouble 1 was so i'll at ease that took
little interest in the game. l kept my
ears open, expecting, for some reason 1
will not attempt to explain, to be called
to the office. Before had been absentten
minutes, and while the train still stood at
the depot, l heard my familiar call re-
peated in what seemed to me unusually
rapid succession. Instead of walking
leisurely, as was my wont, l ran to the
office as fast as could, and heard as en-
tered: Hold No. at your station until
"Inyoluntarily l glanced out of the
window, and saw the train 1 was ordered
to hold disappearing around a curve a
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 eve 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 a
wood yard two miles down the road to
take on fuel. That would take a matter
OF five minutes, and if means of convey
ance were at hand | might Overtake it
and avert disaster. My thought was a
hand-car, my second 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
l showed it out of the door before me, and
was on it in less time than it takes to
count ten. In my odd moments I have
practiced. and had become quite an ex-
pert bicyclist. The country road paralleled
the railroad for several miles, and the
former was down grade the entire dis
lance. put my whole strength into the
effort of propelling the machine, and had
the satisfaction of attaining speed | had
off and my coat was DOTTED through fear
that it would retard my speed l got
within perhaps fifty yards of the now sta
tionary train when the engine-whistle
blew and the train started up. redOubled
my efforts and came alongside the rear
platform of the last car just as the train
was getting under full Roadway. With
falling side motion | threw my wheel
against the side Of the car just forward of
the platform and grasped the hand-rail as
1t came in reach, at the same time letting
go my hold on the bicycle. caught the
bell-cOrd and gave it one vigorous pull,
and as the train came to halt 1 gave the
cord three jerks, the signal to back, and
tainted. The conductor found me where
had fallen. Suspecting something wrong,
he permitted the train to back to the sta
ting, 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 regaining my rea-
soning faculties for five weeks after my
terrible experience. But the conductor
said my hair was white when he found nae
on the rear of his train"