The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-07-22
pany, is what counts more than a car load
of recommendations from friends.

panY, is WQaG counts more tuHu u CdT lOhu
of recommendations from friends.
This Improvement of the service ia the
cause of tho decrease in the number of &C
cidents," continued MIR. Mccullough, but
of course many accidents occur that are I'M
avoidable. When one takes into considera-
ton the number OF trains running on the
thousands of roads in the county, it is
should occur; but then think of the
hundreds of thousands of people riding
on these trains. Compare these with the
number of passengers killed. and you will
find that a mans chances for losing his life
in a railroad accident is not one IN a mill
ion. You may think it strange, but statis-
tics show that there are more people killed
by lightning in the United states than there
are lives lost by railroad trains. More
wrecks have been caused by train dispatch
ers than any other class of railroad en-
ployes,' said Mr.. Mccullough, as he smiled
and looked at the New York Central man,
who had formerly been a train dispatcher
on a western road.
''Ill admit that such was the case years
ago." said that gentleman, 'but it'a differ
ent now. From one of the worst managed
departments it has become the best on
many roads. Formerly nearly every acct
dent was charged up to the train dispatch
ers, but never is this the case now. | can
rem. ember the time when a train was sent
out, and that was all that was heard of it
until it tried to pass sorne other train on
the same track, or reached it's destination.
Now, I'll tell you why [ resigned
my position as train dispatcher and
secured a position in another department..
1t was on the night of the Fourth of July.
just ten years age An excursion train in
the morning had picked up several hun
dred people along the line going to a cele-
bration at one of the larger towns. OF
course the train did not leave until after
the fireworks, and it was about $3.50 p. IN.
when | gave the starting orders. About
the same time a through wild freight left
the other end of the division, and | had in
tended that the trains should pass at @,
a little way station. About 10 O'Clock the
operator at NJ reported the freight pass
ing through there at a lively rate, and a
minute later @ reported the passenger
letting Off passengers there. 1t then flashed
through my mind that had not given or
ders for the trains to pass at @. That
station and N were ten miles apart,
with no station between. The road was AS
crooked as a rail fence, with here and there
deep ravines and high bridges. The freight
with no way in which to give
a warning, and if the excursion
train was not held at @ there would
be a collision and a hundl ed lives, if not
more, would be lost. The cold sweat stood
in great beads on my forehead as ] opened
the instrument and called the operator at
@. Thank heaven he was at the instru-
ment.
"'Where is No. ZAP | asked.
Just moving out he answered.
For Gods sake hold her. l said, with
a hand trembling 30 that | could scarcely
hold the key.
There was no answer to this, and / knew
that he was attempting to obey my orders
but would he succeed? l never want &c
go thf cough the mental anguish that | suf
fered for the next few minutes. [ couiC
picture the wreck, hear the crash and the
means of the dying, could see the manpleC
bodies, and could See the flames as they
slowly sutFocated and consumed the i'm
prisoned wretches. 1t Was only a few min,
utes, but it seemed ages, when | head
click of the instrument. The operator hae
returned, out with what news? | held m,
brentl.
"'No, IA sidetracked; freight just passed
"'Savedn | shouted, and that is all re.
membered for half an hour, when Il watch
man happened into the room and found III,
lying on the floor. He nearly drowned IN,
with a bnckct of water, but il brought m,
around. The fist thing | heard was tn
operator at O. calling me like mad.
well, what's up?' | asked.
"'When can No. Il movr? Everybod
mad rs hornets, he answered.
And no wonder, The; @ | had gone m,
tainted. leaving the excursion train on tn,
side track, as 1t could not move after | hat
tagged it until other orders had been re
celved. | sent No. IA out on Il clear track
wrote out my resignation, and from tina
day to tins have never touched IL KEY. /
was the only break | ever made, but 1t wa
enough to show me that | was III the Wron
place.
! That the way things were run a fe,