The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-03-30

236, has until eleven ten (11:1O) a. m.
to run to Raysville for No. IL, engine
245.-R. G. L."
went to the table and copied the or
der as it was given, simply doing so to
pass the time, and heard the operator
at Wilmington receive it and give the
signatures of both conductor and engi-
neer of No. 4S, the dispatcher giving
him the correct time. Then l noted
Wilmington reporting No. As out of his
station at 1O:4O a. III. After an inter-
val of half al hour or 50 the operator at
IN. asked if there were any orders for
No. Ill, receiving a negative answer
from the dispatcher. All this l noted
casually, not thinking for a moment
that it had the slightest interest for me,
other than something to copy, and in
blissful ignorance that we were on the
verge of a terrible catastrophe.
In a few moments, while lazily gaz.
ing west from my window, I saw a
hazy, dark mist curling up over the
snow capped trees in the distance,
which looked very much like smoke
from an engine, and while I was con-
occurring as to what it might mean 1
heard the signal for my target as it
sung around the curve into sight. 1t
struck me as being exceedingly strange
that No. 4S, a freight train, was run
ming to "M.," regardless Of the limited,
and I concluded to inform the dispatch
er of the unusual situation, telling him
"No. 48 is coming" He answered 80.
H." and then I gave them my signal
to go ahead. just as they were round
ing the east curve, the caboose just dis
appearing, "M." called me and asked,
"ls No. 4S on the siding?:" l told him
"No;" that they had just left the sta
tion, giving the time they had passed.
His reply: my God, has No. 4S gone?
No. III is pulling out. They will col
lide. Can't you get No. 1872" My hair
felt as though it was raising off my
head, chills chased themselves up and
down my spine, and the cold perspira-
ton poured down my pallid cheeks as l
rushed with all speed and less grace
from the office and frantically waved a
white apron [ wore and which | tore off
as | ran, but the crew Of the freight
lCllNu " 1OOA UtaC as ~ SttOCOSC SpIlSU
round the curve, and my heart almost
failed me as I realized that the only
hope now was to catch No. Ill before
they left en-"
ran back into my Office and sank in
to a chair, no longer able to stand on
my feet, scarcely breathing until in a
few-hours it seemed to me, but in
reality-seconds the dispatcher called
me, saying, "We've got No. H." Were
ever words SO sweet to mortal cars? The
tick of that little brass sounder as it
rang those words through the room was
like sweet music, SO welcome were they
to me.
How did they get No. Ill? I will tell
you. When l told the dispatcher that
No. 48 was beyond recall, he opened a
window in mad haste and screamed to
the people on the platform below him,
"For Gods sake, stop that train!' And
they, realizing that something was ter
ribly wrong, rushed after the rapidly
disappearing train, frantically waving
handkerchiefs and umbrellas, screaming
like madmen, finally attracting the at
" IL LOtkl J"'o ~ ANo'
IL was going out of sight and hearing.
They backed up on a siding and waited,
and soOn the freight train pulled into
''M.' station, the crew as u%nconCerned
as though they had not just escaped a
slnashup and the possibilities Of instant
death a few moments before.
A white faced operator, with trem-
bling lips, leaned out of the window and
asked them, "Haven't you forgotten
something's" And the forgotten order
was suddenly remembered, but too late
for them.
The whole crew was of course dis.
charged. and I-well, when those well
come words were licked off that dear old
sounder, telling me that No. 1l1's crew
and passengers were safe, l lost con.
seriousness and only came back to life in
time to hear the conductor of No. Ill
say to his engineer: Poor girl. she has
tainted. She is almost frightened tc
DEATH"
Had I not warned the dispatcher in
time for him to catch the passenger
train, there would have been q horrible
collision, and we can only picture tt
ourselves the horrors accompanying such
a catastrophe.
My reward was a position with the
company and a handsome gold watch.
staid with the company but a shor
time, however, for l lev could cure
myself of the horror l had of railroad
~telegraphing produced by my terrible
experience that wintry day in January
and as l write this story, sitting her
IN nv co1v l;t+lo ~sittiOo rOOm nv