The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-02-22
ORDER NO. 50.

When Mr.. Ellis, the trainmaster of the
central at P, entered his Office this
bright summer morning, he was looking
particularly pleasant and evidently was
OF peace with himself and all mankind
but as he commenced looking over the dis
patcher's train sheet of the night before
his aspect speedily changed, and a very
gloomy look settled in his eyes.
An extra was Sin the ditch" on the
north end, and the road was completely
blocked us far as the north end was con-
cerned. Everything was late on the south
end, and here were two trains of stock
coming in off the branch that must be
rushed through without fail lie had one
extr" conductor at P, and an excursion
train was ordered from the superintend-
ent's office to 20 to W, "a station 20
miles SOUTH and bring back load OF col
ored people to the big camp meeting thei.
being held in p.
This would have been all right if the
conductor in question had been one of
the reliable old hands, but he happened
TO be one of the latest promotions and n
man with n very nervous, cXcitnble tenn
permanent, who was easily mixed up if any
thing happened To go wrong and who had
only just completed 10 day suspension
Tor neglecting, in one of his passions, to
remember an order about some work on
the line. So blind and forgctful did he
become When his anger was once aroused
that his associates had nicknamed him
Crazy Horse, and the appellation seemed
TO lit him exactly.
Little wonder Mr.. Ellis was blue. The
special Ind to be started Mt once, and this
was the only man available He tiidn't
like it "a little Bit" but there was no
help for it.
where's the call boy, Mr.. Rands' he
asked of the dispatcher then on duty
Out hunting crew for the special He
ought to be back by this time. / didn't
call conductor, as l didn't like to send
Howell without seeing you about it,"
He's the only one we've got lie will
have to go, but watch him close don't
want any more niggcrs killed on this divi-
sion while Pm here after the turn we had
when No. 10 hit the work train ut Sand
Cut 1t was only Il scratch that Murphy
didn't get lynched that trip"
morris, he called to Il boy coming up
the platform outside, Ego and hunt up
Howell for the special, and hurry up too.
They ought to he ont in ] 5 minutes
The train had been ready for some time,
and in few minutes Howell was seen
coming down the platform toward the of
flee. He received his orders, and after a
short talk with the truinmnster, in the
course of which he was told to keep cool
and not get into trouble and if any doubt
arose to take the safe side, lie left for
W
He had nothing to meet going down,
and after seeing to the turning around of
his engine he reported ut the Office for his
orders for the return trip.
The dispatcher at p was waiting
for him and sent the following:
Order No. 81. p. CLIP, les-. Conductor
and engineer special north. Special north
Howell, conductor. engine l2l. will run
W. to P ahead of all second class trains
and will meet first No. 10. Murphy. conductor
engine 90, ~ Sand Cut, and will meet second
NO III at r., II. L. j. r.
Howell and Egan. o. X. 1916 a. m.
E.J.R.
CLOVIS that? Both les ready Hold
Murphy minute, Bob. Got him? Tell
him we'll want to send orders to Howell at
Sand Cut by him.
Mr.. Ellis had been talking over the tel
ephone with the yartlmaster ut the big
freight yards mile below the town. where
all the freight trains were switched and
made ready for the road
Sand Cut was n small station five miles
from P, at which there was siding,
but no telegraph office, and az both trains
of stock were ready to go forward it was
decided to send orders to Howell to meet
tho two sections of 1G at Sand Cut instead
of holding the second one Mt p until
his arrival.
In few minutes Conductor Murphy
was in receipt of the following order:
Order No. o. P, 6-l2, lss-. Conductor
and engineer special north Sand Cut. Spe-
cial north, Howell. conductor. engine I2l, will
meet second No 10 at Sand Cut instead of
P, IL. Err
For conductor and engineer. special north
Murphy, conductor first 16. o. K. Hos a. IN.
E.J.R.
With the orders addressed to the special
was message to Murphy to deliver them
to Howell and to be sure and know that
he understood them.
Owing to hot journal the second sec
ton of No. 16 was detained in the yard
nearly half an hour after the first section
had left.
Murphy made the run to Sand Cut in
good time, and stopping his train SO that
1t blocked the sidetrack where the special
stood waiting chance to get out, handed
Howell the new order that was to super
sede the one he had been running on.
He had been detained already about Is
minutes and was walking up and down
the track side of his train and cursing
Murphy for not pulling up fnr enough to
let him out.
He was raving mad when Murphy pre-
sented receipt for the order and asked
him to sign it,
"You think because you've been here
longer than have that don't know any