Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-06-27
SAVED BY A WOMAN'S HAND.
Miss Mcdonald Prevented "a Runaway En-
CINE from Telescoping n Train.

A special TO the Herald from Wilkes
barre, Pa, says: a woman's hand and a
woman's brain averted a terrible disaster
last night where the Lehigh-Valey rail-
road plunges down a ninety-six foot grade
to Warrior-Run station.
The woman was Marguerite Mcdonald,
a station agent and Il heroine at 10. She
succeeded her brother when he left War
rior-Run station year ago, and to-day
the road has In It's employ no servant OF
whom 1t has greater reason to be proud.
Few trains stop at the little station I'M
der the mountain. but the passenger ex-
press. which was due there last night at
IL o'clock, got its brakes down in answer
to the fair agents signal. There was an
invalid passenger bound from the Run
to Buffalo, and the train stopped.
AS the train hands carried the invalid
out from the little station there was a
dull rumble far up the mountain. They
did not hear IL, but the girl agent did.
and in that instant she realized that a
train was laundering down the grade,
while the express stood motionless in its
path
IN THE NICK OF TINE.
At bound she was beside the nearest
brakeman.
Train on the grader she shouted in
his ear. Run back and flag It," He
dashed up the mountain at full speed.
but before he had fairly started Miss Nc
Donald had ordered the other trainmen
to set down the invalid passenger and
jump to their posts.
The thunder up the grade was louder
now. and as they turned the men on the
platform saw an engine flying down the
mountain, running light"
The engineer Of the express, obeying the
girls orders, opened wide his throttle
and the express pulled out OF Warrior
Run. AT full speed" she shouted after
the terrified engineer. and before the pas
sengers had realized their danger they
were flying into the night with the run
away engine In pursuit.
The express had little start, but the
pursuing engine had twice its speed, and
disastrous rear-end collision seemed in
eyitable.
Fixed like statues the group about the
invalid in front OF Warrior Run station
saw the runaway locomotive fash by,
and then they knew it was race for life.
Far down the track CLEANED the tail"
lights OF the express as II sped on into
the night at ever increasing speed. Then
the thunder OF pursued and pursuer, and
tHc sptCtdtoIs dWdlteu III HOIIOE lH-
events which were 70 follow.
AVERTED THE DISASTER.
1t was not long. In a few minutes the
runaway engine reappeared and backed
into Warrior Run with the welcome news
that Miss McDonald's presence of mind
had given the express a sufficient start
to avert disaster by however narrow a
margin.
The engine overlook the express three
quarters OF a mile down the valley but
the express had gained such Roadway then
that the shock was almost imperceptble.
The engine had been standing on a
siding half way up the mountain, and its
driver followed the express. supposing II
would run past Warrior Run as usual.
He could never have stopped In time TO
avoid telescoping the stalled train. That
Is why Marguerite Mcdonald is heroine
now as well as a station agent
She is about the only girl who holds
that position along the line of the Lehigh
Valley railroad. When her brother left
she applied for the position. While wait
ing TO get . man agent the company al
lowed her TO run the Office, and so well
did she attend TO the duties that she has
since been made the regular agent. The
station Is a most important one. being at
the foot OF the heavy mountain grade,
where the single track converges into the
many which lead to this city.