Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1894-03-15
Worries of a Train Dispatcher.

II Wis llLc lid4L-NAe
tell story and this was the one ne
told: Il was working on western
road in 1880, and ! had long night
trick. The section of road over which
I worked was big one. 1t was
single-track road and, as traffic was
very heavy, it kept me busy all the
time.
"One week in FEBRUARY there was a
heavy fall of snow and the trains all
got behind. l was at my Wit 5 ends
and one night was Wednesday
FEBRUARY l6, l will never forget the
date was trying TO handle heavy
eastbound passenger and a westbound
passenger that was fully as heavy.
The eastbound train had started out
on time. l gave the engineer OF the
westbound train an order TO run to a
certain station, and when | got a re-
port from the eastbound train ordered
that engineer to go to certain station
and run on a siding to allow the other
train to pass. Twas busy with a couple
of freights at the time, and when | got
through and had time to think It
flashed on me that had gwen what
we call a lap order, That Is, the two
trains would have to pass each other
on the same track if my instructions
were carried out. | don't suppose
that would have felt so bad if ! had
known that was going to be killed
that minute The room swan before
nv eyes and ! nearly tainted from
fright. l took big drink of water
and wired the nearest stations. Both
reported that the trains had left all
right There was stretch oi track
fifteen miles long between the stations
and | sat there knowing that some
where on that fifteen miles those two
trains would 90 together and | would
be the cause of the death of perhaps
score of persons
THAT was the most awful five min
utes ever expect to pass through
| tried to think and ! couldn't. My
first impulse was to run away | grab
bed up my coat and hat and was
about to 90. Then decided that |
would stay and take the consequences.
| sat down by my desk and stared at
the clock. Every time the telegraph
instrument clicked | thought it was
bringing tidings of fearful wreck.
| pictured to myself the scenes when
the two trains crashed together, as |
knew they must, for there was no way
to reach them, and every minute
seemed like an eternity was pale
as ghost and had not the strength to
handle the key Great dropsot sweat
rolled off my forehead. | lived a
century at that desk during that half
hour.
1.-TWO or three times the impulse to
run away came over me, but fought
it back. Then | began TO think OF
killing myself. did not think | could
live and know that | had made
blunder with such disastrous conse-
auences. / looked around for a
pistol, but there was none there. /
even picked up my paper cutter and
put 1t to my throat. My nerve was
gone however, and did not have the
courage to cut my throat. prayed
that someone would come in and Kill
me. but nobody came. ! couldn't SIT
in my chair, and crouched down IN
heap on the floor and held my hands
over my ears so that might not hear
the terrible tidings that, sooner or
later. | knew would come over the
wire.
"As I was huddled there ] heard
the operator at the station from which
I sent the eastbound train call me.
'Gn was his call, and he repeated 1t a
dozen times. Here it comes,
thought, and, by supreme effort
got over to the desk and tried to an
swer the man who was calling. 1t
took me FIVE minutes to get sufficient
control ofmy nerves to answer the call
Then sank back in my chair and
waited to hear the news Of death and
destruction. Nc. IL, he wired, mean
ing the eastbOund train, is backing
into the station. What's up?
1T seemed az if Pixies Peak had
been lifted off my chest. dumped W
and shouted like a crazy man. II
happened that the trains were run
ming slow and had come across eacf
other on a straight piece Of track hae
seen each other and had had time u
stop before running into each other
I was given 3o-day lay-Of for tn
blunder, but didn't kick. 1t tool