Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-11
SLEEPY TELEGRAPHERS,
Their Scheme to Enjoy Nap Re-
suited In an Accident.

Their Scheme to Enjoy n Nap Re-
suited In an Accident.
From the Pittsburs Commercial Gazette.
lat a single-track tunnel on the Pan
handle the officers of the road had perfected
a scheme by which they thought 1t was i'm
possible 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 a 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 up the other operator and
got from him 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 both operators were to
fall asleep 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 a terrible wreck in
the tunnel. Two trains had met head on
Several of the crews were badly injured. and
think two died. There was an investigl-
ton.
THE president of the road himself went to
the scene OF the wreck. The two operators
We're 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 explana-
lon OF the cause of the wreck. Then the
president said:
Now, boys, will tell you what 1 will
DO feel sure you know how this happened
II you Will tell me / will give you my word
that neither of you will be discharged l
thought had system here that was alb
solutely safe, and it is of more Importance
10 me to learn how the wreck occurred than
10 punish the one who was responsible 1
can take care 1t does not occur again Tell
me the truth, and 1 will give you my word
that you will not lose your Jobs
men the two boys confessed. During the
long nights they would become sleepy Some
times one would fall asleep. Then, if a train
came, the other could not get an answer
from him. One night Smith was sleeping
s So ana 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 1t was perfectly safe.
for Smith could not let train in without
calling him up. When the train came out
of the tunnel 1t Weakened Smith. and loves
told him what he had done. Then thew ar
ranged a scheme so they could both sleen.
Ihey 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 LEI
the train ill., az ~
Zone night both were sleeping as usua1 A
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
MIN on 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 coal az
the train pulled out. Being outside the tower
the noise Of the train drowned that of his in
strument, and he did not hear Smiths call
A freight train had come to Smiths end of
the tunnel at the exact moment that Jones
was picking up the coal. AS Smith did not
get any answer, he thought, of course Jones
was asleep and the track clear So he let
the freight In. Then the two trains came
together in the tunnel
The president Of the road kept his word
with the boys. but he took them off that tun-
mel and gave them daylight jobs, where they
were not so likely to sleep and could not do
SO much damage if they did Sleep"