Richland beacon. [volume] (Rayville, La.) 1869-1890, 1888-02-11
THE WILD TRAN.
A sy'RT ING RAD WAY STORY.


Yes. sir. me boy there, ,hougl but
five years o.i, and not knowing a dash
from dot, stands upon the company's
payroN as telegraph operator. at fifty
dollars per month. low e !, come
about' yOu a k. Just wait few mo-
lments until my rel ef comes, and as we
,lk to he house Tor supper, will give
you the story"
The speaker was an ca school friend
o. mine, whom lad hunted up after
long absence from my native city, and
found busi,y employed in the train
dispatchers Off of the - Railroad.
rs chief operator. tpor his instruments
rested the cabinet photograph # little
boy, and my remarking upon the smart
appearance o. the li'tle fellow elected
the aUove reply.
Here followed an Introduction to The
relief, pleasant looking young man of
twenty-one or two, whose duty it was To
remain all night at the post my friend
was just vacating, to whom was given
some general information as ID how the
trains were rrpning upon his division,
and what orders had been issued; ther.
with a pleasant good night, We were
off.
Now Tor he story? contir ed my
friend, as we emerged upon the street,
ana turned our steps toward his
, home
"0ne year ago was discharged fror,
the very position l now hold, for hav-
ing, as was charged, caused the wreck
Of tvO freigh, trains at t, a snail
station upon our line, about thirty miles
cast of here.
"You must know that all regular trains
upon our road are run upon schedule
time, or, in other words, upon that lad
GOWN in the time tables OF The ompany.
But extras of any sort, or regular ira rs
when off heir schedule sine, must be
helped along by t,lgrarhic orders, issued
Dy, or in the name of, the train-dis-
patcher. This, upon single track road
carrying so much traffic as ours, Is COLI
stantlv occurring.
AS might weary yor by details, if
! entered into too minute an explanation
Of how this is DONE will give you the
system IN as few words as possible
For al example: We will say the
crossing point for No. 81 going west and
No. 8 going east IS B. Now all
trains e reported by telegraph from
each station as they pass. We are on the
lookout for these reports, and before u,
is the train-shee upon which must bc
no,ed the Glme of departure OF each train
from any station. Thus we can tell, at
glance, the posirian of every train upon
the road. We will say these repor ;, show
No. 35, going east, to be thirty minutes
late. Since No. "a would be obliged to
wa., at the usual crossing point for re
laggard, We give it ", order - proceed
to G., zen miles beyond, ami cross
No. 35 there, thus keeping it on time
while causing no further delay - the de-
lir1rcnt Of course it is necessary to
nJ..f., both trains of the change in cross
ing o:nts, and right here is where pg
trouble occurred.
Zone day, sitting at my instruments,
busily employed rs YOU saw me few
moments ago, I dis covered that freight
No. 1O2 w4s losing lime. Soon It was
thirty minutes bchinS, and wishing u
frlp along freight 20. is, Wnich usually
crossed it at b -, l concluded to pAsl
it along to c. for a crossing. Ac
cording'y l called up D.. the mex,
station beyond the usual crossing point
and upon receiving IT," response went
ahead with this order:
"To Conductar and Engineer No. Is.
You will proceed to C-and crcs; q }. 10
there. (Signed) )BBs, Dispatcher
''Thc next move was to protect then
in thus passing their usual crossing point
by giving the same order to No. 1O3 a
A.
"Calling up A, Isaid in the cipher
used on such occasions: IA for No lO2,
which means, 'Put out blue signal t.
hold No. 1O2.' This blue signal, a flas
by day aud a lantern by night, con
spicuously displayed in front of a sta
tion, means telegraphic orders, and by
this signal no train is allowed to lass
Instantly came back the reply from the
operator at A, SIS for 1O3.'
"Now every operators duty is to put
out the signal before replying with Is,
which means: blue signal is displayed
and W II hold the train You see the
use of the cipher figures is great saving
of time and space. The most imperative
orders are issued, and the utmost cart
taken in moving trains by telegraph; and
| to answer with Is before the signal j.
displayed is contrary to all rule, as in &C
doing there is chance that some duty
will come up, in the performance q
which the signal will be neglected, unit
too late.
Well, upon receiving the assurance
that the flag was out at A, CAV,
the order corresponding to the ont
ADORE, but addressed to No. 1O2. Thu:
had all arranged according to rule. fol
a crossing at C.. Soon came the an
swer from No. 0j:
-" To Hobbs. Dispatcher:
| We understand we are to proceed to c.
and cross No. 1O2 there.
| cs;u,.n BRUCE, Conductor. M s,,
'0'k" CoSTAR, Engin ser. " -"
"To this promptly gave o. r., ant
they were dispatched. As No. 10l hat
not arrived at A., and no reply coult
be received from them until conducto
and eng neer had signed the order
which. Of course, the blue fag woulf
notify them was there, turned my at
teution to other duties, and thought nj
more of that crossing, until some tim'
after, it occurred to me that No. 1os va
slow about replying.
$50 calling the operator at A.,
| asked: Has No. 1Oa arrived =
"Aniyed and gone, was the reply.
"a