The new North-west. [volume] (Deer Lodge, Mont.) 1869-1897, 1884-01-18
WHOLE NO. 75S


"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 accidents. 81 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 Marchman? No? Well, I'll tell you the
kind of fellow he was when he worked under
me on the Piedmont Air Line road.
"There Is, not far from the South Carolina
line, a small town called Sewance. It Is
several hours ride from Atlanta, Georgia,
and contains about 500 people. The tele-
graph operator at the depot is station agent,
express agent, ticket agent, trackman and
porter. In fact he runs the whole business,
and his is responsible position. He often
works all day and all night, and It Is strain
to keep up with the work in the busy season.
Ross Marchman was telegraph operator and
SO forth, at Sewanee. He was about twenty
two years old, and had lost his right arm.
How in the world he ever managed to per-
form his multiplicity of duties is a mystery,
but he was never found wanting in any of
the qualifications necessary to the success
full 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 fatigue, 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. ~, north bound, Sewanee, l a. m.
Hold for extra No. 3, south bound, 1:04 a. rn.' ,
There was nothing unusual in the order.
Marchman 20. KID 1t and made the neces-
sary arrangements for tagging down No. r.,
which, being through freight, did not stop
at way stations unless signalled 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 u heavy down
grade, and 1t was the custom for engineers
to blow long blast on the whistle when
their trains crossed the summit, some half
mile away. No. II was OH time, and when
Marchman heard the blast he took his lam
tern and went out on the track. The head
light rose over the summit like a full moon
climbing the hills, and flashed down the
rails. The rain came down In torrents, the
wind whistled past the corners of the station
with an ominous sound, and the train came
laundering on. Marchman raised his Ian
tern and swung it across the track, but be-
fore the signal could be given fitful gust of
wind put out the light. The train was not
two hundred yards off and had not slack
ened its speed. There was no time to get
another lamp. 1t was a moment of horror
to the poor operator. No. 8, with Its freight
of passengers, was coming just beyond the
town-the two trains would meet-collison
-destruction-death--a passed before his
mind like fash of lightning. He felt the
quivering Of the ties beneath his feet as he
stood in the full glare of the light, now fear
fully close. Suddenly his hand sought his
pocket; there was q flash, sharp report of
a pistol, and bullet went crashing through
the headlight. 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 con-
ductor coming forward to see what was
wrong, reached Marchman just in time to
receive his orders, when the latter, overcome
by the terrible strain, fell to the ground. The
train was run into the siding, and No. 3
dashed by at about 40 miles an hour.
Not passenger dreamed of what had hap.
pened."
"Of COURSE" continued the official, 1--WE
Marchman In substantial way.
That one arm, though, was the making of
Of him."