Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-01-11
TRAIN DISPATCHING.
How Sam EardwicI1 Suffered Ten Min
utes of Intense Agony.

Macon Te1egrdpb and Messenger.
/ Mr.. W. F. Carter, formerly train dis
/ patcher for the East Tennessee, Virginia
and Georgia, and who lost his place with
/ the incoming administration of that road,
/ has had remarkable career. Yesterday
! was the first day since 1866 that he had
/ not been busy faithfully watching the
/ movements of trains. For IS years he has
/ sacrificed SUNDAYS and holidays for the
company he worked for, and the most re-
markable part Of his life is that during
that term none of his orders ever caused
collision or an accident.
Few people know the severe mental
strain imposed by the responsible duties
OF train dispatcher. He is like a man
sitting down at table playing an i'm
portant game of chess with an invisible
opponent. The slightest mistake, a sec
ond of guard, or the admission of any
other thought than duty into his head,
might send two trains crashing together
with fearful results.
As an instance of the great responsible
ity Of such position, perhaps the expert
ence Of Mr.. sam. Ii. Hardwick, now the
General Travelling Passenger Agent of the
East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia.
will prove good illustration. Some
years ago he was train dispatcher for an
Alabama railroad. One night he gave 0.
Il. orders to passenger train that was
leaving station known as Pollard. In
three minutes after telegraphing the or
der, he sud lenly remembered that a dirt
train was leaving the station above Pol
lard and that collision was certain.
He rushed into the office and te!e-
graphed to Pollard to stop the
pa senger, but the passenger
was out of reach and was
going to destruction with a full head OF
steam. Hardwick turned pale as ghost.
He became 50 weak that he could only
totter about the room, and could scarcely
raise hand to his forehead to wipe away
the great cold beads OF perspiration tina
gathered there. He dropped into a chair
and suffered the greatest agony. People
went into the Office and asked forinfOrma-
ton, but poor Hardwick needed them not.
His eyes seemed fixed, but he saw no OBJ
iect i'll the office. What riveted his gaze
was something ten miles or more away.
lie saw two pOnderOus engines approach
each other. He saw them run tOgethaa
and heard the crash Of brnl,-.n sreaI and
44"A' 'li'' me- '. me escaping steam, and
above all he heard the shrieks OF the
wounded passengers. He saw them
bruised and bleeding-men, women and
children. 1t was a horrible scene to be
witnessed by an unfortunate man who
could only sit in his chair and gaze upon
it, and powerless to move hand or foot.
linen as the tears In his eyes Velled the
closing scenes of the collision, the nerves
that had been strung to their utmost ten
sion relaxed, and he found strength sutii-
cient to 90 into the Presidents Office and
tender his resignation. The President
was surprised at the sudden announce
ment, and declined to accept it. Hard
wick was determined, however, and said
he would have no more to do with the pO-
sitiOn.
Shortly afterward Hardwick heard his
telegraphic instrument ticking. BY the
force of habit he rushed to the table and
listened to the message:
passenger train No. 90 met No. 81
miles north of POllard.".
Hardwick's neryeless fingers flashed
back the question:
anybody hurt?'
"NO!" clicked the instrument, and
Hardwick leaned back in his chair and
his two words, 'Thank God" formed the
most fervent prayer that ever assembled
into heaven.
chat night closed my career as a train
dispatcher" said Mr.. Hardwick as he
finished the story