Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-04-24
A N

Xne Only Female SW1tchm0n In the WOfle
Mrs. Mary Carroll's Strange Occupa"
ton, and How h Happens to be En-.
gagged in it- rMf
In this city is one of the most re.
markable women in the world. Her
name is Mary Carroll, and she is the
only living female switchman. Her
life is as singular as her experiences are
thrilling. She is sixty-fve years old,
and does more hard work than any
man of her age. Her residence is about
q mile from the passenger depot, where
her everyday life is spent.
Situated opposite, at the railroad
junction, is a small house at the main
switch that guides the trains into the
city from the Southwestern and Macon
q Western Railroads. In this little
house, seated before q roar1ngpine-knot
fire. in an oldfashioned split-bottom
chair, she a be found smoking a pipe
and knitting every day from half-past
five in the morning to five in the after
noon. In the center of the room is a
large switch with crank and windlass.
Her duties are to change the rails for
the different trains bv this windlass.
She is q specimen of physical woman
hood seldom seen in a lifetime. Not
withstanding the severe strain Of the
windlass on her body and her ripe old
age she moves about with the spright-
illness OF a much younger person. She
is a jolly old soul and is known far and
near. She saw the first bar of iron laid
on the Monroe Railroad, November
%. 1888, now the Macon & Western.
She was personally acquainted with
Master Machinist Robert Findlay,
who was the engineer on the ..Oc-
mulgee," the first engine that went
over the road. She saw the first pas
senger a to section seven of the
road, December 8, and when the first
train AM from Macon to Forsyth, De-
cember 9 of the same year, was n Of
the passengers. She has seer everv
engine and known personally nearly
every engineer and fireman of the
roads that run into Macon. Everyone
has the highest respect for her, and
always has a pleasant exchange of COM
pliment.
Let us spend a while with her and
watch her as she attends to her duties.
Here comes the down train from
Atlanta laundering in. When it blows
she puts aside her pipe and knitting,
removes the pin from the windlass,
grasps the handle, throws herself for
ward, and, with one big grunt, she
places the switch in position, and says
something to the engineer in a j%ocular
manner. The train glides in, is placed
on the right track, and moves into the
city, the passengers little dreaming
that they reach Macon at the hands Of
a woman. AS the train passes she SAYS:
''These Atlanta trains are the funniest
ones that pass here; they always seem
to want folks to know where they come
FROM" After a while a numbering big
freight train will pass; she will call the
engineer and ask him a question, and
On he goes with a friendly wave of his
hand.
Way down the Southwestern Rail-
road track is seen, slowly winding to
the switch as a huge serpent, the morn
ing passenger train, somewhat DELAYED.
The down train from Atlanta is due
and is heard rumbling near Vineville
station. Both are drawing nearer and
nearer; who knows but what there will
be a collision at the switch? The stu
alton is one of peculiar interest. She
is as cool as a cucumber, her eyes gilt
ter with a strange light, her acute
hearing and quicker perception of
danger causes her to be watchful.
The switch is set for the train that has
the right to the track; she clutches a
red ~danger-signal flag, takes her stand
on the track, and waves it to and fro.
1t is seen; the engineers ply the air
brakes; all is safe; shesits down quietly
and waits the next arrival. Her voice
at the switch is given precedence; she
rules as a queen.
Fer life's history is a romantic one.
There are chapters in it that would
furnish food for several novels. She
has been married thfee times, and has
had five children, one of whom is now
living. After the trains had all passed
except the down train from Atlanta,
which was an hour and twenty minutes
late, she chunked the fire and drifted
into a conversation touching her life:
ssMy husband, John Carroll, was APP
pointed. after he had been in the war
Olc yCdIs SWltCu1Ildu Ill CUCUy SupCI-
intendent A. J. White, Of the Central
Railroad. He held the position until
his death, November 29, 1869, during
which time he never had an ac-
cident to happen to him.
/ used to help him, my son and myself
in the daytime and he at night. After
his death Mr.. White sent for me and
asked me if I would take charge of the
switch. 1 told him 1 would. He is
sued the order, and put my name on
the pay roll of the company instead of
my husbands, December /, 1869, the
day after he was buried. which / have
held since. The men all treat me with
p%oliteness and respect. l never have
anything unpleasant happen. Since I
have been here only doing the work
in the day, over twenty men doing
the night work have been discharged.
The average is six trains a day passing,
and the schedule is changed often. l
saved all the schedules issued to me
and the pile is yer a yard high. 1 used
to signal with my bonnet when the
train would come in, but had an acct
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