The Republican., 1896-06-11


the curve not half mile away, COM
ing at the rate of 40 miles an hour.
The engineer of the freight showed
wonderful coolness. He ran his engine
forward several feet, so as to separate
the first few cars as far as the draw
heads would allow, and give him a
chance to get some momentum in his
| engine going back, and thus start the
train. The plan is known to all engi-
neers, but to deliberately start forward
with the limited in sight took nerve.
When he had gone a few feet he re-
versed again and sent the big engine
humping against the train, and she
started back. Jones held his breath and
watched. 1t was not question of Sec
onds now, but of parts of second,
whe ther the freight engine would clear
the switch before the limited or not.
"The two engines seemed almost to
melt together as the limited struck the
switch, but the great train, with its
precious burden, went by unharmed.
The switch was open for the freight,
but it was an automatic spring switch,
and when the limited struck it it was
forced open along the main line. AS
soon as the engineer of the limited saw
he was safely past, he put on steam
again, and the great train rolled on
out of sight, without ever stopping to
ask what had been the matter. The
passengers, who were chatting pleasant
ly in the cars, may have wondered why
there had been such a sudden jerk when
the brakes went on just before they
passed the tower, but they never
dreamed of the danger they had es-
capped.
"A more serious case occurred at a
tunnel on the Panhandle. 1t was a
single-track tunnel, and the officers of
the road had perfected a scheme by
which they thought it was impossible
for an accident to occur. A tower was
erected at each end of the tunnel and
the two towers were.connected by wire.
Every train was compelled to come to
stop and get orders from the operator
before she could enter the tunnel
Neither operator was allowed to let
train enter the tunnel until he had called
assurance that the track was clear.
Jones worked at one end and Smith at
the other. Jones could not let train
go into the tunnel until Smith said so,
and Smith could not let train go in until
Jones said so. The only way wreck
could occur was for each man to let
train go in at the same time. Even
If hnth - e.
at the same time the system would
work, for the train conductors going
into the towers for orders would awaken
the operators
"One night there was terrible wreck
in the tunnel. The trains had met head
on. Several of the crews were badly
injured, and 1 think two died. There
was an investigation.
"The president of the road himself
went to the scene of the wreck. The
two operators were called before him.
1t was impossible to learn anything
about the wreck. Each operator was
sure the other had reported the track
clear, and could give no explanation of
the cause of the wreck. Then the pres
ident said
Now, boys, I will tell you what L
will do. feel sure you know how this
happened. If you will tell me will
give you my word that neither of you
will be discharged. thought 1 had
system here that was absolutely safe.
and it is of more Importance to me to
learn how the wreck occurred than to
punish the one who was responsible.
must find out how it happened so that
L can take care that it does not occur
again. Tell me the truth, and 1 will
give you my word that you will not
lose your jobs.
Then the two boys confessed. Dur
ing the long nights they would become
sleepy. Sometimes one would fall
asleep. Then if q train came the other
could not get an answer from him.
One night Smith was sleeping soundly
and Jones could not get any answer
He did not like to hold the train, for fear
Smith would lose his job. So he let
the train go through. He knew it was
perfectly safe, for Smith could not let
train in without calling him up
When the train came out of the tunnel
it wakened Smith, and Jones told him
what he had done. Then they arranged
scheme so they could both sleep. They
always kept the red block down, so that
no train could enter the tunnel while
they slept. If one called and received
no answer he knew the other was asleep,
and, therefore, the track must be clear,
and he let the train in.
Zone night both were sleeping as
usual. A coal train came to Jones end
of the tunnel. The whistle of the train
wakened Jones. He called to Smith and
received no answer. So he knew Smith
was sleeping and the tunnel was clear
He asked the conductor to throw him
off n little coal for his fire, as he was
entirely out. The conductor threw off
two or three Jumps and the train started
into the tunnel. Those few Jumps of
coal cost the road thousands of dollars,
and believe they cost two men their
lives.
Jones went outside to pick up the
4 l.