Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-03

coming ufet-ciass teiegrapners Hes In the fact
that An oher Of marriage coming from one Of
her colabOrers Of the opposite asx, il he be at
all bright and good-loOking, 10 . hard matter to
refuse, and - Q consequence . vacancy in the
force takes place. When one Of the fair ser first
enters the telegraph field the excitement and
strength, but as the glamor wears of and she
recognizes the fact that il is hard to climb the
telegraphic ladder Of fame, then IL is that .
proposal Of marriage comes in the nature Of =
providential interposition.
Many very good stories ARE told Of bravery
displayed by lady teleRraphers in the far west,
who while on duty have saved trains from being
wrecked rescued railroad employees from
perilous positions, but Helen Ransom's daring
piece OF bravery on . railroad near Philadel-
phia will match any Of them wherein GOODNESS
and nerve are considered.
MISS RANsox's HEROIC DEED.
Miss Ransom was the telegraph operator and
station agent on q little road called the Colum-
bisand Port Deposit division of the Pennsylvania
line: This road Rugged the banks OF the sus-
quehanna river from end to end and there
wasn't spot on tho entire division of forty
miles that it wasn't almost sure death to the
train hands Tor a train to leave the rails.
Wrecks occurred on an average of once week
and were always followed by several fatalities.
The station she was located at was near i'm
mense limestone quarrles wherein some half a
hundred Italians were employed About 100
yards above the station was hundred-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 at that point A blast had iust been fred
OF unusual force and an immense rock landed
directly on the tuestle, tearing it apart in the
center, the swift wnter washing away the debris
ana leaving n gap In the rails Of about twenty
hVe ieet. Inc river was very high at that point
ana the small boats that were handy could not be
ar of flao H.,
est pridge on the little stream over which the
trestie was stretched was some three miles dis
tant. Miss Ransom saw the mischief done by
tne rock ana Immediately rushed out and told
the superintendent OF the Italian gang to send
man or go himself around the wreck and stop
q IRAN that was due from the north in about
nan an nonr The superintendent was an Ital-
ian. with smattering Of English, but who
ialIed entirely to zee the gravity Of the situa-
.ion: Inc only wire that ran along the road
mad been stretched on the trestle for economy's
sake and had been broken with the trestle. so
that no communication with the north could be
mad. Miss Ransom tried to tell the Italian the
true situation, but he only smiled and with u
shrug Of his shoulders and grimmace walked
go INV VIC quarry anu resumed MS over
This RAILROAD u,s r.r,. ,o,,, .. ,...-.
many sharp curves obstructinp a LONG view
ahead, and matters looked very blue for tie
tram coming south. The employees Of the road
AZ 'he sou'h emo mad been told over the wire by
MISE ransom the SITUATION, ana she had been
ofdefed 10 stop the train ut all hazards. as
,hey could not reach her station in time to help
her;
lime Tor talk was past, and Miss Ransom de-
cided to act Goirs down TO the rivers bank
she got into small boat and pushed of, hoping
70 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 foundering in
the deep rushing water. Miss Ransom had
learned TO swim and managed to reach out and
grasp heavy log as ii swept by. With one
arm around this log she called for help and at
the same time tried to work herself in toward
the shore Soon several Italians came running
to the rescue. and in short while Miss Ransom
was safe on shore. But the train was still COM
ing 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 a
man around by the other bridge. and she de-
termlned to try and cross the smaller stream in
some way. Followed by the Italians, they rnn
up tne bank or the little stream, but nothing
could be found on which a crossing could be
made.
PLUNGED INTO TIE STREAM.
Miss hanson basi.ated INIT a minnie 70 .., q,
on, an. = d. -, -, co
a"' o"o ~ VIC ''o"o eouiu swirl, anu receN-
ing negative answer decided. with the aid Of
plank, to try it again. The Italians in their
impetuous way tried to persuade her not to
tempt the swollen waters again. but with the
decision of a true heroine who realized the
danger the on-coming train was in, cautiously
pushed the plank into the water and with a
quick movement followed it. The brave girl
had entered the water some distance above the
broken trestle in the hope of gaining the oppo-
site shore before that point would be reached,
as to be carried out into the river meant almost
certain death. The Italians encouraged her
with shouts OF praise, but endeavor as she
would to work her way out of the current in
midstream but little Roadway was made.
Down stream the brave girl was carried with
a swiftness that told palmer than words that
her struggles were fruitless. As she neared the
broken trestle inch by inch she worked the
plank over toward the northern side and as she
was within few feet of that structure she aban-
lorn hope OF reaching 1t unaided. Her fore
slght and strength proved stanch qualifications.
As she being carried nv the prOiectipo and