Nevada County picayune., 1888-03-28

and 0. k. d the train pulls out and makes the meeting point. Were it not for this order the conductor would have to run his train according to rule on the back of the time card. This rule is that q train not having the right of way must wait at It's meeting point thrifty minutes for variation of watches. and then it can proceed to its next meeting point.
 inc train having the right of way al- so waits five minutes for variation of watches. Trains are classified. pas tenger trains having the right of way over freights and the latter over work trains.
 This may look very simple, but when you take into consideration that the two trains in question are only small part of the number that are. at the same time. under the su- pervision of the dispatcher, it will be seen that travellers are trusting themselves blindly to an unseen power. The essential points of a train-dispatchcr are sobriety, strict attention to duty and a brain quick enough to grasp any problem that may present itself. Dispatchers work eight hours q day and are paid in the West from S1 300 to S3.000 yearly, according to their service" |" A merchant, who had drawn q chair up to the group, told q story of scene in a dispatcher's office He said: II was sitting in the dispatcher's office of the Michigan Central road at Jackson, Mich. some years ago. chatting with T school friend, who was then con tractor on the road. Everything seemed to be running smoothly. and the four dispatchers were throwing a big ball of paper at each others heads. A warning let up came from one of them. and the next in- stant he was gazing thoughtfully at his train sheet. He then opened his key and sent an order. It was re- peated to him. and the moment he gave the 0. K and stuck his pen in the rack, bang came the wad of pa per. and the fusilade began again. l remarked to my friend that these men acted rather kittenish for men who had so much responsibility. and he replied: You see they have q strain on their minds. and they cut up just such didos to relieve it; but their ears are open, and they hear every word that comes on the wire.
 Ii know q train-dispatcher story that will lay you all out" put in . commercial traveller. Il was sitting in the office of the Dixon House in Newton. la, one afternoon away back in 1878, swapping stories with several drummers, when one of them exclaimed: Here comes Blon- die, the milliner,
 Naturally thinking there was a pretty woman in the question, we ran to to the window, only to see a young man go across the street, car ryinS a sample ease in each hand His hair was as white as snow.- There's curious case, said shoe man from Chicago. He's one of the incest fellows in the world, but he's sensitive about his hair. We called him Blondie until one day he told me how his misfortune overlook him. He was train dispatcher on the Chicago & Alton road, and had sent an order for passenger to meet the Presidents special at certain place and then orderd the special by the meeting point. Both trains had been reported as having left their respective stations five minutes when he picked up his order book and saw his mistake. There was no way to stop them. He sat in his chair par alvzed, as he expressed 1t. Four teen carloads of passengers and a special of an engine and two cars loaded with directors of the road with their friends and ladies were rushing at each other at the rate of thirty-fve miles an honr It was sure death for at least half of the passengers, and total annihilation for the special train. As he sat there he could see the trains approach each other, for he knew every foot of the road; knew exactly where each train was, now rounding a curve, again crossing q bridge, until in his minds eye he saw the trains meet in a deep cut. He saw the two engines