Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1891-07-10
A DANGEROUS DOIE.
Result OF q HAP Taken by Tolo-
graph Operator.

In the fall o! 1850 was employed 40
q telegraph operator on :; lcatinH. Nc:t-
crn road, i;d located in the thriving
little town OF y. | wa& youn;f N Che
business chem. and did not possess the
Judgment ar presence OF Mind that nine
long years. Of railroad c:.rpr;cncc las
since given Eic. Iiut 20 rly story.
IL was cold, stormy night in TIC lat
toy par; Of llcccmhcl. Tic snow, which
nal been falling necessarily since morn
ing, s,till continued when, lunch-basl,ct
in hand, made my way down the quiet
village street toward the depot
Upon my arrival the day man ex-
plaincd to me all The unfinished bust
ness, chattcd pleasantly OH various
town topics fora l;;tlc tiinc. then donncd
his overccat, ard on bidding Inc good
night. said:
Charlie, cid boy, this storm is rails
ing Old Ned with !::lrca'iing. the trains
ar2 all late, and uiilc&s ii stop, soon you
win have Il busy night OF it. Keep your
wits about you."
The night express No. 81, which was
due nj y nj 100 Il. H., was reported ono
hour AID thirty minutes late, ami
the caat-hound passenger No. 10,
thc flyer, rs it was called among
tic railroad boys. was due at two a. a..
and WIS reported one hour and ten
minutes late. This he;nga ..ingl2-trael,
road, these two trains uauclIy met and
p.:-5cl at Coal Switch, u small station
ten l:ii!ci east.
As the clock struck The hour of mid
rig,,t, and ny alccp;ncss Increased.
foo!iahly resolved u tl;;c 4 short nap
before train time thinking | could Gus
lily rouse mysc,f when occasion called
for ina;iy rad been the night Stat had
stret:!!rd myself iull laneth on the
office desk wi;h my co:;t for :, pillow. and
do@cd the long hours away. never iail-
.in5 20 respond when my aoun'lcr called
me.
Eut was uncommonly ii2cl that
night, ard SLEPT on i-:n>! ion"2r chan
attended. When | woke ~ - (that
stood for thc displtchcr'5 oIiicc) was
calling inc. ] rubbed iay eyes and,
"t.il half a.'!ecp, answered Linn with Il
IN" lie t!;2n asked me for No. 10. |
thur"ht one hrioi second. reasoned, tlia:
il it had passed 10y station the noise
would ir-ly have walked nc. then a:i.
SNcrcd ~. ~ which to hi;n meant,
not yet.
He thcn called Brocl:ton. the second
3taticn cast. nnd, upon hi: PROMPT reply
Il !" "B" sen. the following order adj
dressed & She operator at Y and To No.
- 1t Hrocl:ton. II read:
No - win RIM to X regardless Ct No 10
I Y Wi.I "a -.
! .ivca."
Ny readers will readily understand
Lh;.. The order was given TO heln@,
alonT. end upon the strength OF 1;ly re-
, porting No. 10 rs not having PASSED NV
station. No, rorc than ten minutes
after inc order was given heard I.roci,-
ION send in the signatures of the con
| ou"tcr and engineer on No. ~, heard
! the order corrected ard knew that tl,cv
| h;d LETT i:rae.sion &nd no night Office BE-.
tween lis.
Then fer the first time commenced
seriously to consider he matter; and
ono alter anothcr in auicl. .ircccss:o,.
these questions arose: Why don't ~
coiac? Had No. 10 passed. and if so,
! what would lie the result? My head
was srin.,ing like {. top.
TO ease my mind, ard. perhaps he
cause did not know what else TO do. |
"cnt ous and examined the rails. The
storm had ceased and here and there n
! t'"insling star could be seen. The
Moon WINS trying 20 shine from beneath
great banl; of way clouds and by lis
C'ih light could see them and thcy told
Tho story but too wcl. The rails were
clean from snow, and as it had been
showing when | lay down to rest
knew that No 10 had passed while |
carclcssly slept
My brain seemed on fire. staggered
back into the Office. The dispatchc,
was again calling me-
With trembling hand l Craspcd the
key and answered him. Again his
former question was asked: elias No.
~ arrived?" What should I say? Fear
advised me to again reply IN Y" and in
the time that would clapse before they
coui" arrest re make good my escape.
i)nty whispered: BE man" needed
IL ard told him ell. lie had no time TO
chidc me even had he desired. II was >
emo icr action then. heard hin send
thlS message 10 the superintendent Of
dec:
No. 10 and No. 81 will meet in T. collision
heaF Coal Switch. Send wrcck!ag crew and
pay sitlins 1t once"
paced the ci:icc like madman. and
prayed that Ccd would in his mercy
pure those poor helpless passengers;
'h:t lie would not stain FAY hands
WIN 'icir blood; yet ali the tirlc know
ing how impossible such g. thing world
be- The minutes seemed ho,:-s.
twenty OF them passed, then thirty,