Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-26
DICK" METZ. BRAKEMAN AND
HERO


In another column of todly's News Is
repeated with moro particularly tlr
story told uu saturday of Tee heroic ut
Of Richard Henry Nett brakeman uu the
Lake Erie road boo the accident Of Fri-
day morning. When the ears lett the
track aud went down. be- with 80 many
others, was bruised and stunned. hut with
the instinct of duty uppcrmost iu the
henrt of the true rnilruadcr. his first
thought WAS for the lives Of those
that were in his care Bruised about the
hips 80 that be could hardly walk. and
suffering pains from severe burns in the
fire that had already started ia tho
wreck, cut about thc heat bleeding so
that he could hardly see. still he thought
dnzel, lac crawlcd out from the wreck
aud, with his head hastily baudDgcd,
hunted for a lnutern. Finally, finding one
ON the rear end Of the wrecked train.
he started bnck q quarter of mile over
thc snuw-coyeIed track. facing the bitter
wind OF q winter niyht. To- signal the on
coming freight trin, which lac remember
cd had just been passed nc the siding
further down, and which he knew would
soon be due, aud certain to run into the
wreck. The track here abOunds m sharp
curves making 10 duubly difficult to eff
fecti1 ely signal % train With an these
elements against him the wounded man
plunged. almost literally, blindly on. with
just the one idea tO make himself seen
by the uurumiug train. A. DO dashed
around the sharp curve he made his last
effort tpcbly swinging his light as he
fell into the SNOW, but not until he heard
the ans 'vriug cheer of the whistle, tell
ing him that he had been seen. Then all
wac blank 90 him
The brave man lies in the hospital at
Peru, surcly wounded and suffering. but
N... I...H L..
and probably will soon be- at his post
auiu tu save other lives, doubtless Il is
q way Dick Men has. la the wreck as
Fishers station some months ago. he was
thrown into the water, but fortunately
for him. In possession OF all his senses
and not hurt. be- crawlcd ont and ran
beck TO signal an uucomiug train. At
the critical moment hc found that his lau-
tern bad gone out With rare presence Of
mind he wrtnched a light from switch
AMI $50 saved thv train.
II is not am uncommon story. Souo
similar stony of hcruism could be- told Of
railroad men almost every day iu the
year. but IL b. story That should not go
UNDECIDED. II tells ol % decd tbut should
not go unmarked rwcr hproism has not
been mlnif, ST In the pages of romance
than such uu act ms this ut Richard Hon.
rs Nen and similar acts that traiumcu uil
over the land are called on for and are
not found wanting In The News means
that this itstuh'e shall BE- marked; that
,uch acts as this shall have the honorable
record und remembrance hat the! ought
{, have To this end the News has orr
dcrcd q handsome gold badge 20 com
mcmorutc the act Of Richard Horny Non
ia honor of that devotion to duty which
he held FIRST before life, and NJ the cost
Of infinite paiu and suffering executed.
aud 80 suycd-how many lives win never
hr known. When this badge is made the
News viii present IL tu the young hero,
who will, when be- secs these lines, hc
first aware Of this tribute 90 his bravery.
All honor to him May hc soon be- well
again. Ills act makes all men who know
OF it better indianapolis Nows.