The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1888-03-22


No. "a would be obliged to wait ut
usual crossing point for the lsggard,
We give Il an order to proceed to
o., ten miles beyond, aud GROSS
No. 35 there, thus keeping il on time,
while causing no further delay to the
delinquent. OF course it is neces-
sary to notify both trains Of the
change 10 crossing points, and right
here is where my trouble occurred.
One day, sitting At my instru-
ments, busily employed as you saw
me few moments ago, I discovered
that freight No. l02 was losing time.
Soon IL was thirty minutes behind,
and wishing to help along freight
No. 65, which usually crossed IL at
B.. concluded to push IL along
to c. for q crossing. According
ly I called up D., the next sta
tion beyond the usual crossing point,
and upon receiving the response
went ahead with this order.
TO CONDUCTOR AND ENorSERR No.
60: You will proceed to c. aud
cross No. l02 there.
HOBBS, Dispatcher
The next move was TO protect
them in thus passing their usual
crossing poiut by giving the same
order to No. l02 at A..
Calling mp A., I said in The
cipher used on such occasions: III
for No 1922 which means, Put on,
blue signal to hold No. l02 This
blue signal, o flag by days aud Ian.
tern by night, conspiciously display.
ed 10 front Of q station means tele.
graphic orders. aud by this signal ne
train is allowed to pass. Instantly
came back the reply from the opera,
tor at A., 'l5 for 1922
Now every operators duty is tc
put ont tho signal before replying
with Is, which means, blue sigual /,
displayed, and will hold the train.
You see the use I the cipher figure,
is q great saving Of time and space
The most imperative orders are is'
sued. aud the utmost care taken il
moving trains by telegraph; and tc
| answer With Is before the signal i,
played is contrary to all rule, as il
so doing there is chance that som,
duty will come up, in the perform
anee of which the signal will be n-c'
lected until too late.
l We'll, upon receiving the assur.
ance that the flag was out at A.
gave the order corresponding to th,
ons above, but addressed to No 102
Thus had all arranged according I,
rule for crossing at c.. Soon
came the answer from No. IS:
, To BoBBs, Dispatcher. We un.
deastaud we are to proceed to c.
and cross No. 102 there.
! BRUCE, Conductor, M s5
i 'CosTAR, Engineer. N' w.
Z TO this I promptly gave o. X.
: and they were dispatched. AS No
l02 had not arrived at A.. and n,
reply could be received from then
: until the conductor and engineer ha,
Q signed the order. which, OF course
8 the blue flag would notify them wa
0 there, turned my attention to othe
: duties, aud thought no more of tina
Q crossing until some time after it 90
: CURED to mo that No. l02 was slo,
about replying.
so calling the operator at A.
: I asked, Has No. l02 arrived p
ARRIVED and gone.' was the reply
! Gone without receiving the order
gave you Impossible ? Did 20,
] display your flag =
!, mo ! was the reply. 'Haviag re
] ceived no orders to do 80, 1 di,
: not
|, The operator at A. was com
paratively new man, nephew o
r an influential member of our boart
q OF directors, through whom he haC
, obtained his position. and through
= whose influence 1 was soon to los,
I mine. His deliberate falsehood as
! tonished me, as we'll IL might for al
0 lowing the train to proceed without
, the orders meant for them to run BY
= c. and endesvor to reach thei
0 usual crossing place ct B---as soor
Q as possible, to save delay to 65, whicl
was rushing along expecting to reacl
8 them at O.. The result must b.
= . collision.
! The thought drove me nearly
9 frantic: Further questioning onl,
Irehultad in further danial from Al.