Mexico weekly ledger., 1885-03-19
ST To New Subscribers Only! ga
Fl LEDGER
"a gEtll January Isl, 1886. -sa
For One Dollar
ATHRILLiNG EXPERIENCE.
juggling to Keep Awake When Sleep
Meant Destruction.
Cash in Advance
San Francisco Call.

ca,l represenlatiy, by all ol1s
the 1apst thriiime incident that ever
came within my own experience IL
continued, musingly. ~"occurred one
night about twelve years ago. L
was then a young operator on the
Northern Pacific railroad at a small
station in eastern Minnesota called
Kimberly. I was doing the night
work-from Up. III. to q. a. ~, and
being of q social disposition used to
sleep only when there was nothing
of interest going on. Kimberly WAS
quite a resort for pienics, being stu
ated on the edge of Il of those
beautiful lakes for which Minnesota
is famed, and on the day referred to
I had been out with a party of young
folks and by night was thoroughly
tired out. There was no possible
escape from work, though, and l had
to report for duty as usual. Well, 1
struggled along until about 3 o'clock.
when I was aroused from a light
doze by the ticking of the instrument.
I dragged myself over to where 1t
stood and received the following dis
patch:
"'To Operator, Kimberly: Hold
all west bound trains. Bridge No.
6 is washed away
bridge No. 6 was several miles
west of my station, and spanned a
small stream in which logs We're
foated down from the pineries. l
had heard that day of a big jam
near there, and now realized that ii
had broken. and swept the bridge
away. The section men had report,
ed it to the next station west OF me
and hence my order. Still, L was Il
that somnolent state when nothing
seems of immediate Importance, anc
after mechanically lighting my sigma
lantern, laid down again on the table
from which I hal arisen, ~neglectins
to hang the lantern out. I don
know how long L had slept when
was suddenly conscious that a trail
was nearing the station; at the sam
time being unable to move or awake1
myself. I know that I was ASLEEP
realized the necessity of stoppin!
the train and that it would not sto,
at Kimberly if no signal was dis
played. Yet l vas powerless to saw
them from the inevitable destrut
tior which awaited them if the
were not warned of the carryin
away of the bridge. I shall neve
forget the agony those thought
brought me. l struggled to brea
the chains Of sleep which bel
me. The effort Was accompanied b
a most peculiar sensation. I a Of
~ compare it with the action of
watch spring which has been draw
to its utmost tension and then let G
You know how it will buzz for a fe
moments as it unwinds itself. TIL
is exactly the way my brain whirlt
as I sank back exhausted after eat
effort. I felt the train draw near
and nearer and nearer. 1t vas Ill
the approach of fate. If it passed
was a murderer. Again and aga
I struggled, with the same result;
could not wake. It must have be
but a few moments, yet 1 endur'
what seemed hours of torture.
think the jar and rumble of the ira
as it sped by must have awaken
me. dumped to my feet, seized t
lantern, which was still burning
side my chair, and dashed G
through the open window. I
rear coach was just passing the VT
end of the platform. I scream
and in my frenzy rushed after t
departing train. The noise a
speed Knocked me. Reeollecti
myself, | swung my lantern aero
the track-the usual signal of d,
ger. There was no one in sig
just as the train swept around
curve a brakeman appeared on
real platform. A moment later
heard what 1 have always consider
the most welcome sound that e
reached my ears-a shrek from
engine and the rattle of the
brakes. As I realized that the tr
was saved a reaction overcome
and 1 fell ON the track unconscio
1T was six weeks beforeI reeoy
ed from the brain fever which
lowed Fortunately, the trainn
HStE o8u iSIoS u Li1i1t. auu
trne cause of the illness never rea
ed headquarters. Upon recover
resigned my position at Kimbe
and went west, being haunted W
such a dread of a repetition of
experience Of that night that I da:
not resume work in that place. ST
then I have had many remarka
experiences, but non which ?
duced SO startling or lasting an
preston upon me- The boys of
laugh at my now white hair, KIN
ing me to be scarcely 80 years
age, little imagining what caused
Just as Good.
MANY INSCRIPTIONS dealers 4