The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-12-03
PERILS OF A HEROINE.
AN OPERATOR FACES DEATH
TO SAVE A TRAIN.
Almost Swallowed In tho Mad Current OF
n stream In thelAttempt-A Ro-
mantle Culmination to q
Brave Deed.

operator and station agent on little
road called the Columbia and Port
Deposit Dcvision OF the Pennsylvania
Line. This road Rugged the banks OF
The Susquehanna river from end to
end. and there wasn'ta spot on the
entire division OF forty miles that it
wasn't almost sure death to the train
TO leave the rails
Wrecks occurred on an average OF
once week. and were always fol-
lowed by several fatalities. The sta
ton she was located at was near i'm
mense limestone quarries wherein
some half hundred Italians were
employed.
About 100 yards above tho station
was 100-foot trestle spanning a
small stream at ordinary times but on
the day in question greatly swollen
and very swift as it emptied into the
river ut that point a blast had just
been fired OF unusual force. and an
! immense rock landed directly on the
trestlo, tearing it apart in the center,
The swift water washing away the
debris and leaving n gap in the rails
Of about twenty-five feet
Tho river was very hign at that
point aud the small boats that wore
handy could not be propelled against
tho swift current says the Washing
ton Star. The nearest bridge on the
/ little stream over which tho trestle
was stretched was some three miles
distant
! NMiss Ransom saw the mischief done
( by the rock and Immediately rushed
out and told the superintendent OF tho
Italian gang to send man or 60
himself around the wreck and stop n
| train that was due from tho north in
half an hour Tho superintendent
was an Italian. with n smattering of
English. but who failed entirely to
see the gravity of the situation. The
only wire that ran along the road had
| been stretched on the trestle for econ
omy's sake and had been broken with
the trestle. so that no communication
with the North could be had. Miss
Ransom tried to tell the Italian tho
| true situation. but he only smiled and
with shrug OF tho shoulders and a
! grimace walked back into the quarry
and resumed his overseeing.
The railroad was very crooked at this
point, many sharp curves obstructing
a long view ahead and matters looked
very blue for the train coming south.
The employees OF the road at the south
END had been told over the wire by
Miss Ransom the situation. and she
had been ordered TO stop the train at
all hazards as they could not reach
her station in time to help her.
Time for talk was past and Miss
Ransom decided to act Going down
to tho rivers bank she got into a
small boat and pushed off, hoping to
work her way around the break in the
trestle. In some way the current
pushed her boat in among some drift
wood. and in twinkle her boat was
overturned and she was houndering
in the deep. rushing water
Miss Ransom had learned to swim
and managed to reach out and grasp
o heavy log as it swept by. With one
arm around this log she called for
help and at tho same time tried to
work herself in toward the shore
Soon after several Italians came run
ming to the rescue and in q short
time Miss Ransom was safe on shore
But tho train was still coming south
and nothing had been gained by the
adventure Miss Ransom was the
coolest one in the crowd. 1t was now
too late to send man around by the
other bridge. and she determined to
try and cross the smaller stream in
some way. Followed by the Italians.
they ran up tho bank OF the little
stream but nothing could be found
on which crossing could be made
Miss Ransom hesitated but a min.
ute to ask II anyone could swim. but
receiving a negative answer she dc
cided with the aid OF a plank. to try Il
again. The Italians in their impetus
Gus way tried to persuade her not tc
tempt the swollen waters again. but
with the decision OF true heroine
who recognized the danger the on
coming train was in. she cautiously
pushed the plank into the water anC
with quick movement followed it
The brave girl had entered the waite
some distance above the broken tres
tie in the hope OF gaining tho opposit,
shore sbefore that point hat
been reached. as to be car
ried cut into tho river meant almos
certain death. The Italians encour
aged her with shouts Of praise. but
endeavor rs che would 20 work hel
way out OF the current in mid-stream
but little Roadway was made.
Down stream the brave girl wa
carried with swiftncss that toll
palmer than words that her struggle
were fruitless. AS she neared TIL
broken trestle. inch by inch sh
worked the plank over toward th
northern side. and as she was With
few feet OF that structure she aban
dcned the plank and struck out with
forlorn hope OF reaching it unaided
Her foresight and strength prove
staunch qualifications As she wa
being carried by the projecting an
lsplintered trestle Miss Ransom CAV
one last strong sweep OF her arms an
was enabled to grasp u heavy piec
of timber.
Slowly and laboriously the heroin
worked. her way out OF the water an
! l,,r n ro,uh tho traafia "a har afro N ~ 4