The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1893-04-25
HERO MARRIED.
Joseph Fenaja, a Missouri Pa.
cific Brakeman, Becomes
Benedict.
His Thrilling Experience Near
SedaIia, in January, 1892,
Recalled.

Seoai'a, IN january, 'oS<'
Recalled.
4 marriage license was issued Mon
day to Joseph V. Fenaja, of No. HOS
South Ninth street, and Miss Glory
NJ. Collins of No. 2006 kosciusko
street, St. Louis, and the couple were
married there last night at the home
of the young lady. This announce
ment would be of no general interest
were it not for the fact that the gen.
tlemen in the case was the hero of
very thrilling experience something
over a year ago, in which he proved
his bravery and devotion to duty.
Mr.. Fenaja is at present fireman in
the employ of the Missouri Pacific
Railway. At the time of his expert
ence referred to he was a brakeman
on freight train No. 8 on the same
road, having adopted that calling in
preference to that of railway mail
clerk, which he had followed for seven
years, as the latter was too great a
strain upon him.
On Tuesday, January II, 1892,
Fenaja's train was making Its run to
St. Louis. when the locomotive broke
down near the little town Of Otter
vile, Mo. The necessary repairs re-
CURED some time before the train
could proceed, and, as a fast mail
train was supposed to be but halt
an hour behind it, Fenaia was sent
back with a lantern and torpedoes by
Conductor Wheeler to flag the fast
train in order to avoid a smash-up. 1t
was 4:3O o'clock in the morning. and
the weather was bitter cold, the mer-
curry being l2o below zero. Fenaja
plodded back through the snow, facing
the biting wind, until he reached the
required distance, which took him
around a curve and out of sight of his
train. There he waited until almost
frozen. When the cold became too
intense to bear, he trudged back and
forth upon the track, trying TO force
his sluggish blood through its courses.
Meantime the damage TO the engine
had been repaired, the signals calling
him back had been >oun,.ed and the
tram had proceeded ON its way. The
bowling of the wind and the dulling
of Fenaia's senses by the cold had pre-
vented his hearing the signals. So he
waited, only thinking of the lives upon
the fast mail that must be saved.
When, at last-almost benumbed
by cold. and suddenly overtaken by a
thought that made even his heart
grow cold-he retraced his steps
around the curve, he was appalled, to
find his suspicious realized and the
train gone. His duty had been done.
but at terrible cost. Already his
feet, hands AMI ears were frozen, and
still he had to face the wind and cold
until the arrival of the last mail. Be
tween him and the town of Otterville
stretched three miles of deep snow.
with treacherous, slippery trestle
intervening. When finally he reach
ed the trestle he was too benumbed to
cross, and he then benphis energies to
keep in motion, only to sink exhaus-
ted and unconscious. Suddenly.
after lapse of four hours, sharp re-
port fawoke him. He raised him.
self TO feebly wave his lantern, then
sank back again, his last thought
being that his only hope had gone by.
But the fast mail had stopped. He
was conveyed to Sedalia where careful
treatment permitted his removal to
st. Louis two days after, to the home
or his sister, Mrs. Crook. 1902 Poplar
street.
Before Fenaja's fearful experience
he had met his present wife. After
his recovery he was practically penni-
less and shrank from renewing the ac-
quaintance. Corporations in real life
are not 30 liberal as IN fiction, and
Fenaia received nothing for his sacri-
flee to duty. But after awhile he Sc
cured work again, fortune smiled
more kindly, and he was presented to
his present position. Then he once
more sought the Young lady of his
choice, and seemingly softened by
his heroism. Mis- Collins yielded to
wooing. The wedding last night was
a quiet one, on account of the death
of the young ladies mother, and there
will he M bridal tour