The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1885-04-21
A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Why a Young Telegrapher's Hair
Turned White.
Struggling to Keep Awake whe2
Sleep Meant Destruction tU a
Trains ~y

luKhCu w hhSOs
to Keep Awake when
Sleep Meant Destruction tU a
Trains y
Yes, we operators sometimes have
4, ngerous experiences" said the young
joking, white-haired ielegrapher, reply
ing to an interrogstory of the Cali Iep-
esen,a,ive. "By all odds the most
incident that ever came within
my own experience" he continred, mu.
singly, occurred one night about twelve
years ago. was then young opera
tor on the Northern Pacific Railroad. OF
a small station in Eastern Minnesota,
called Kimberly. / was doing the night
work-irom 7P NJ to Z An, and being
of social disposition, used to sleep
only when there was nothing OF interest
going op. Kimberly was quite resort
for picnics, being situated on the edge
of one of those beautiful lakes for which
Minnesota is famed, and on the day re-
ferred to / had been out with party OF
young folks, and by night was thorough
ly tired out. There was no possible
way to escape from work though, and l
had to report for duty as usual. Well,
l struggled along until about three
O'Clock, when l was aroused from light
doze by the ticking Of my instrument
dragged yself over to where it stood
and received the following dispatch:
".To Operator, Kimberly: Hold all
the west.bound trains. Bridge No. 6 is
washed away
Bridge No. 6 was several miles west
OF my station, and spanned small
stream in which logs were aosted down
from The piueries had heard that day
of big jam near there and now reali
zed that it had broken and swept the
bridge away. The section men had re-
ported it to the next station west OF me
and my order was the result. Still,
was in that somnolent state when moth
ing seems OF immediate Importance. and
after mechanically lighting my signal
lantern, laid down again on the table
from which | had risen, neglecting to
hang the lantern out. l don't know
how long | had slept, when was con-
scious that train was nearing the sta
lion, at the same time being unable to
move or awaken myself. l knew that /
was asleep, realized the necessity OF stop
ping the train and that it woald not stop
at Kimberly If no signal was displayed.
Yet ] was powerless to save them from
the inevitable destruction which awaited
them il they were not warned of the
carrying away of the bridge. shall
never forget the agony those thoughts
brought me. | struggled to break the
chain Of sleep which held me. The ef-
tort was accompanied by most .pecu-
liar sensation. ! can only compare il
with the action Of watch spring which
has been drawn to its utmost tension
and then let 90. You know how it will
buzz for few moments as 1t an winds
itself That is exactly the way my brain
whirled as / sank back exhausted after
each effort felt the train draw nearer
and nearer. 1t was like the approach oi
fate. II it passed was q murderer
Again and again / struggled, with the
same result; could not wake.
II must have been but few moments,
vet / endured what seemed hours of tor
ture. think the jar and rumble OF the
train as il sped by must have awakened
roe. I jumped TO nv feet, seized the
lantern, which was srih burning beside
nv chair, and dashed out through the
open window. The rear coach was Just
passing the west end Of the platform.
screamed, and in my frenzy rushed after
the departing train The noise and speed
mocked me.
"Recellecting myself, l swung my
lantern across the track-the usual sigma
of danger There was no one in sight
Just as the train swept around the curve
a brakeman appeared on the rear plat
form. A moment later heard what
have always considered the most vel.
come sound that ever reached my ears
"a shrek from the engine and the rat.
tie OF the air-brakes. As | realiz,d that
the train wss saved, reaction overcame
me, and fell on the track unconscious
ut was six weeks before recovered
from the brain fever that followed. For
tunateIy, the train men were old friends
of nine. and the true eau Of nv Illness
never reached headquarters. Upon re.
covery ! resigned my position at Kim
berly and came west, being haunted witt
such dread of repetition OF the ex.
perience of that night that I dared moi
resume work in that place. Since ther
have had many remarkable experiences
bat none which produced SO startling ol
lasting "a impression upon me Tht
boys ofen laugh Al my snow white hair
kno wing me to be scarcely above thirty
wears of age, little imagining what caus
ed it.'-San Francisco Call.