The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1885-04-15
HAIR Inrned iEhIle.

d.
eYes, we operators sometimes
have dangerous Experiences said
the young joking, Wbitebalred tel.
egrapher replying 70 an interrogs-
tory; eBy all oddsLbe most Thrill
ing incident that ever came With.
Z IN my own experience he contin-
ued, musingly, occurred one night
about twelve years ago. ] was
then a young operator on the
Northern Pacific Raiiroad, at a
small station in Eastern Mime.
sofa, called Kimberly / was do.
lug the night work-ffoin I p. N.
tot a. M, and being Of a social
disposition, used to sleep only
when lhsre was nothing Of inter.
est going on. Kimberly was quite
a resort for picnics, being situated
on the edge Of one Of those beauli.
ful lakes for which Minnesota il
famed, and on the day referred to
] had been out with q party Of
young folks and by night was
t oroughly tired out There was
NJ possible way 10 escape from
work though, and l had 10 report
for duty as usual. Well, | strug.
gled along until about three
o'clock, when / was aroused from a
light dozo by the ticking Of my in.
slrumont / dragged myself over
10 where it stood and received the
following dispatch:
"'To Operator, Kimberly Hold
all west,bound trains. Bridge No.
Gis washed away
"Bridge No. 6 was several miles
west Of my station, and spanned a
small stream in which logs were
lloated down from the pinerles. /
had heard that day Of big jun
near there and now realized that
IL had broken and swept the bridge
away. The section men bad re.
ported il to the next station west
Of me and my order was The result.
Still, | was in that somnolent
state when nothing seems Of i'm.
mediate importance, and after me.
chemically lighting my signal.
lantern, laid down again on the
table from which l had risen, ne.
glecting to hang the lantern out.
don't know how long had slept,
when | was conscious that a train
was nearing the station, at the
same time being unable TO move or
awaken myself. / knew that /
was asleep, realized the necessity
of stopping the train and that it
would not stop al Kimberly if no
signal was displayed. Yet / was
powerless to savo them from the
inevitable destruction which await.
ed them if they were not warned Of
the carrying away of the bridge. |
shall never forge! the agony those
thoughts brought me. Islrugglod
to break tho chain Of sleep which
held me. Tho effort was accomp.
anied by a most peculiar sensation.
l can only compare it with the
action Of a watch spring which has
been drawn TO lis utmost tension
aud then let go, You know how
it will buzz for u few moments US it
unwindS itself. That is exactly
the way my brain whirled as
sank back exhausted after each Of.
fort. l fel! the train drawer near.
Or and nearer. II was like the ap
preach of fate, If it passed | was
a murderer Again and again l
struggled, with The same result;
could not wake.
at must have been but a fow
moments, yet l endured what
seemed hours Of torture. | think
the jar and rumble of the train as
it sped by must have awakened
me. l jumped to my feet, seized
the lantern, which was btill burn.
ing beside my chair, and dashed
out through the open window.
The rear coach was just passing
the west end Of the platform, l
screamed, and in my frenzy rushed
after the departing train. The
noise and speed Knocked me.
"Recollecting myself, l swung
my lantern across the lrack-the
usual signal Of danger. There was
no one in sight, Just as the train
swept around the curve, a brake.
man appeared on the rear platform.
A moment later heard what |
have always considered the most
welcome sound that ever reached
my ears-a shrek from the engine
and the rattle Of the air.brakvs.-I
As l realized that the train was
saved, 4 reaction Overcame me, and
III a.