Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-07

ana traln runners were 20 busy that they only
gave the visitor casual glance, the bright but
tons and braid completely disarming them Of
any suspicion that he was not regular fire.
quenter. Ambiing over to the blackboard on
which the time Of the delayed trains was
chalked he glanced up at them carelessly. and
then pulling out newspaper coolly seated him
self in q char near by.
How long he remained there was never fully
determined. but he had evidently remained
long enough to meet his ends and secure all the
news he desired. Finally be arose, and going
over to the desk calmly leaned forward as II TO
secure q few details that had no doubt escaped
him. 1t was while in this position that one Of
the operators glanced up and discovered the de-
ception he was practicing. Being q friend, he
did not Ike to see him handled roughly, SO he
gave him wink Of recognition and by a secret
movement warned him to leave the room,
That incident occurred in a nearby city,
and II you ever come across reporter that is
conversant with these facts he will tell you that
that accident furnished one Of the smartest
newspaper 'beate, as you call it, that had ma
terialized for quite q lengthy period. The
paper to which that reporter belonged used
the accurate details only, but thew were of such
sensational and narrowing nature that the
reading public was satisfied they were true and
would have no other. am personally &C.
quainted with that reporter, and he is now bus
iness manager OF the paper he served we'll on
that occasion"
when wreck Is reported and the wrecking
crew ordered out thew always take a private
telegraph operator and his apparatus with
them. Wouldn't it be good idea il a concise
report OF the accident was Immediately put on
the wire by this telegrapher for the benefit Of
the press and public?" suggested the reporter
HOW NEWS COULD BE OBTAINED.
"Well don't know" replied the railroad
Official, that would be running matters for the
benefit Of the press and the public. II the
railroads were under the control Of the national
government then your idea would perhaps be q
good one, but as they are private corporations
1t Is not likely that they will look after any
ones interests before their own. The wreck
ing crew always goes out under orders to get
matters Strengthened out as soon as possible
and the dear public is the last thing in the
universe they are thinking about at such times.
II the news was put on the wire, and at the
least, would take up Ave minutes time. that is
big delay for trains that are required to make
connections for the east Or far west
my idea would be for the railroad officials
upon notification that an accident has occurred
to telephone the newspaper Offices the fact, and
II one OF their men make the station in time to
take him along in the wrecking car. 1t usually
takes from ton to fifteen minutes to get the
crew together and shift the cur on to the main
track, and it would be slow reporter indeed
who would miss such an opportunity to secure
good item. If such an idea would be adopted
an auxiliary, In the person OF first-class
telegrapher, would be always ready for instant
service and when the scene OF an accident
would be reached the newspaper man, with the
aid Of his companion, could couple on to one
OF the many wires running along the road and
load his paper to the gunwales with an elabor-
ate report of the Disaster
'has 1t ever come under your notice that
when wreck occurs a newspaper man has
been on the train and lived to tell the tale?'
asked the reporter.
~ MIGHT and M 70 fb,. "a
answer it correctly. have heard of reporter
or nigh. say know, of reporter being on a
wrecked train, but he was little late writing
up the story. can't say whether it is because
the good die young or the Lord looks after the
wicked, but to come across a newspaper man
injured or killed in railroad wreck is the
acme of rareties.
WAITING AND READY FOR AN ACCIDENT.
"1ou have heard, OF course, Of the story
about the man tina. followed the lion tanner in
circus from city to city to see him torn to
pieces, fate he had wagered he would meet
eventually? Well, l know of a case on similar
ldeas, but under different circumstances. This
man was newspaper commuter; that is. he
worked as a reporter in the city and lived
several miles out in the country on the line of
the railroad. He made two trips daily to and
from his office, and :he subject of wrecks be-
came his hobby. He >would continually talk
about the probabilities of a wreck to the rail-
road men, and at last they began TO shun him
as sort of hoodoo. If he could only secure
first-cass iron bound scoop he could be happy,
and l actually believe that man wished for a
wreck and was willing to take his chances of
being hurt SO long as he could beat his fellow
reporters. lie was IA first-class telegrapher and
carried pocket instrument with him. SO as to
be fully prepared when the emergency came
He always wished for an accident on the train
pound Tor the city because, as he put it. he
wanted to be the author Of an extra and have
plenty of time to work it up successfully.
The opportunity of his life came, and on the
train he desired. l am fully conversant with
the details, as l was a conductor then, and had
charge OF the train the hoodoo was on. We
were bound for the city and on the train were
fully two hundred suburban residents compris-
ing business men, wives going shopping and
children on their way to school. When such n
large number of passengers are picked mp a de-
lay is certain to occur. The engineer knew
this and between the little stations ran the train
with the speed of the wind.
The morning in question was a clear, cold
and crisp one and the steel rails under the cars
frequently gave forth the well-known imagin-
airy warning notes. go easy
UNABLE TO DO THE WORK
"At point where the main track was tapped
by siding bolt snapped i'll the switch
bar by the cold weather and jar Of our train.
Half the train the switch when the
break occurred. The broken bolt released the
spring attached to the lever rod and threw the
switch open. This threw the las: three cars on
to the siding with a terrific jerk and in an in
slant they were dashed against couple of
loaded ccal cars and almost reduced to splinters.
when tell you that We were making fully
fifty miles an hour when the accident occurred
the force of the collision of the three cars can
be better imagined than described
The front part Of the train was quickly
stopped ard one and all rushed back to the aid
Of the Inflated fellow travellers. For a week
previous the hoodoo reporter and had not
spoken on account of a quarrel over his hobby.
but being brought face to face with his ideal
desire began to wonder If he was making the
scoop of his life.
Zone by one we removed the passengers
from their perilous positions. and, strange to
say. none were hurt very seriously excepting
our hoodoo friend. He was jammed in among
broken seats and splintered flooring and when
we at last pulled him out he was unconscious.
Tightly clasped in one hand was reporters
note book and in the other the telegraph instru-
ment. When the first JOLT had come he no
doubt had automatically pulled out these uten-
sils and went into the final crash thus pre-
pared.
"He was confined to his bed for six weeks
with couple of broken ribs and fractured
thigh and we never saw HIM again on our road
He was doubtless cured OF his hobby and afraid
to face the railroad men who were acquainted
with his weakness for scoops" 40 ~