St. Landry democrat., 1885-07-04
NUMBER &c.
A THRILLING EXPERIENCE.
Struggling to Keep Awake When Sleep
Meant Destruction,


l Meant Destruction.
Eyes, we operators sometimes have
strange experiences, said the young
looking, white haired telegrapher, re-
plying to an interrogatory of the Call
representative. ''By all odds the most
thrilling incident that ever came within
nay own experience" he continued,
musinglyy occurred one night about
twelve years ago. was then a young
operator or the Northern Pacific Rail-
road. at 8 small station IN Eastern
Minnesota called Kimberly. Z was do
ing the night work, from seven p. m.
to seven a. M, and being cf q social
disposition, used to sleep only when
there was nothing of interest going on.
Kimberly was quite a resort for picnicss
being situated on the edge of one OF
those beautiful lakes for which Mime
sofa is famed, and on the day referred
to had been out with a party of young
folks, and by night was thoroughly
tired out. There was no possible es-
cape from work, though, and had to
report for. duty as usual. Well, I
struggled along until about three
O'Clock, when ( was aroused from a
light doze by the ticking of my instru-
.ment. dragged myself over 10 where
it stood and received the following
dispatch.
ITO Operator Kimberly-Hold all
west-bound trains. Bridge No 6 is
washed away
Bridge No. 6was several miles west
of my station, and spanned small
stream in which logs were floated down
from the pineries. / had heard that
day of big jam near there, and now
realized that it had broken and swept
the bridge away. The sectionmen had.
reported it to the next station west of
me, and my order was the result. Still,
I was in that somnolent state when;
nothing seems of immediate imports
ance, and after mechanically ighting
my signal lantern, laid down again ON
the table from which. / had risens
neglectlng TO hang She lanterh ouI;
don't know how long l had slept, when
was suddenly conscious that train
was nearing the station, at the same
time being unable to move or awaken
myself. | knew that | was asleep, re-
allied the necessity of stopping the
train, and that it would net stop at
Kimberly II no signal was displayed.
But was powerless to save,them from
the inevitable destruction which
awaited them if they were not warned
of the carrying away of the bridge. /
shall never forget the agony those
thoughts brought me. Istruggled to
break the chains of sleep which held
me. The effort was accompanied by o
most peculiar sensations. I can only
compare it with the action Of watch
spring which had been drawn to itS
utmost tension and then let go. You
know how it will buzz, for q few
moments as it unwinds 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 of fate. Hitfpassed was q
murderer. Again and again strug-
,gled, with the same result; could not
wake It must have been but few mo-
:ments, yeti endured what seemed hours
of torture. I think the jar and rumble
iof the train as it sped by must have
awakened me. dumped to my feet,
seized the lantern which was still burn
ing beside my 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 Knocked me-.
Recollecting myself, / swung my LAM
torn across the traak.-the usual signal
/ of danger. There. was no one in sight,
Just as the train swept around a curve
"a brakeman appeared on the rear plat
form. A moment later heard What,1
have always considered the most wel-
come sound that ever reached my ears
shrek from the. engine and the rattle
of the air brakes AS realized that
the train was saved reaction over
came me and I fell ON the track uncon-
scious.
s4t was six weeks before recovered
from the bra5n fever which followed.
Fortunately the train men were old
friends of mine, and the true cause OF
,my illness never reached headquarters.
Upon recovery I resigned my position
Lat Kimberly and came West, being
haunted with such dread of rspeti-
Iition of the experience of that
night that I dared not resume
Iiwork in that place. Since then have
had many remarkable experiences
but mono which produced so startling
or lasting an impression upon me. Tht
boys often laugh at my snow white
hair, knowing me to be scarcely above
thirty years of age, little imagining
. what caused it. San Francisco Call
--.a- -s----
NJ esA 20 WON eposans ~, Noyxrno~k ~,o-~4