St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1892-04-10

At an early hour Tuesday morning
Fernisa was sent TO flag train, his own
train having been laid out in danger
Gus cut near Otterville, Mo. The fear
that the fast mail, which was following
the freight, would dash into it and
cause a fearful wreck, in which many
lives might be lost, led Conductor
Wheeler. who was in charge of the
back. The engine had broken down
and the damage had to be repaired be-
fore the uain could proceed. After Fer
nisa went back on his MISSION the repairs
on the engine were completed, and after
sounding the proper signals the engi-
neer proceeded on his way. The wind
was blowing perfect gale, and FerniSa
did not hear the signals. 1t is pre-
sumed that the engineer supposed he
had returned to the train and pulled
out, but the brakeman was left behind
and remained faithfully at his post
until, nearly frozen to death, he fell
fainting on the track.
For three and half hours the poor
fellow remained out on the track. miles
from station, with the thermometer at
IL deg. below zero, running back and
forth in order to keep his blood in cir
culation and to prevent being frozen to
death.
The story. which is almost without
parallel in the annals of American rail
roads, was told by the sufferer and his
mother to Globe-DemOcrat reporter
last night, and is substantially as fol-
lows: Joe FerniSa is Twenty-Five years
Of age, and was for seven years rail
way mail clerk OH the Missouri Pacific
road. Finding the strain of this work
too great, Fprnisa resigned Sept. 80 last,
and endeavOred to secure position on
the road in some other capacity. On
Nov 10 he secured a position as
freight brakeman, and made his
first trip over the road on that date. He
is a bright. intelligent young man,
and found no difficulty in performing
his duties to the entire satisfaction of
his employers. Monday night last he
run on Train No. 9, weSt-bound. 1t
was a bitter cold night, and when young
Fernisa left the city he fully realized
that it would be hard night on the
road. Things went smoothly enough.
however, until the train reached Otter
vile, a small station few miles east of
Seda!ia, where the engine gave out.
This was 30 o'clock in the morning,
and the thermometer registered IL deg
below zero. AS soon as the engine
broke down Conductor Wheeler came to
him and ordered him to go back the
regulation distance, which is about 1000
feet, to flag any train that might be fol-
lowing, in order TO prevent disaster.
The brave young man secured some
torpedoes from the caboose, and with
red lantern in addition to his own,
started back to do his duty in accord
ouic
and the rules as laid down by the gen.
eral superintendent of the road.
AS quickly as possible FerniSa started
back. He ran most of the way, owing
to cold weather, and at distance of
thirteen telegraph poles from his train
stopped to put one torpedo on the rail.
This done he pushed on some distance
further, where second torpedo was
placed on the rail. This work finished,
he had nothing more to do than to await
the coming of the train he was there to
signal.
The wind was blowing fercely, and
to this fact, as much as anything else,
young Fernisa's misfortune is due.
Shivering with cold lie ran back and
forth, up and down the track in order
to keep his blood in circulation. as he
knew that to stop meant to freeze to
death. On and Oh he ran, and the time
passed slowly enough, but still no sig
nal came from his train; neither
did the passenger heaye into
sight. He continued his weary race
until he felt that more than half
an hour had passed. He wondered at
the delay. but continued his awful
rounds. He was growing weary. felt
that he could not keep up his pace much
longer. His breath came quick and
short, and finally he felt that ne must
desist. He then put another torpedo on
the track and started back towards his
train. When he rounded the curve and
came in sight of the cut were he had
left the train twas gone. He felt faint