The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1896-07-17
EBENSBURG, PA, FRIDAY,JULY II, 1896

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 a second,
whether 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 IL 1T 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 il was impossible
for an accident to occur \ tower was
erected at each end of the tunnel and
the two towers were connected by wire.
Every train was compelled to come TO
q 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 a train
go into the tunnel until Smith said so.
and Smith could not let train go in until
Jones said SO. The only way a 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 terrible wreck
in the tunnel. The trains had met head
on. Several of the crews were badly
injured, and / 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, / will tell you what
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 / had a
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
l must find out how it happened so that
| l can take care that it does not occur
| again. Tell me the truth, and / 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 a 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
a train in without calling him up
When the train came out of the tunnel
il wakened Smith, and Jones told him
what he had done. Then they arranged
scheme so they could both sleep. TheN
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.
"One night both were sleeping a.
usual. A coal train came to Jones' enc
of the tunnel. The whistle of the traiI
wakened Jones. He called to Smith anC
received no answer. So he knew Smitl
was sleeping and the tunnel was clear
He asked the conductor to throw hin
off little coal for his fire, as he wa.
entirely out The conductor threw of
two or three Jumps and the train starte,
l INTO Ine tunnel lnOSe 1eW Jumps .
coal cost the road thousands of dollars
and 1 believe they cost two men thei
| lives.
Jones went outside TO pick up tn
coal as the train pulled out. Being OUT
/ side the tower, the noise of the trail
drowned that of his instrument, and h
did not hear Smiths call. A freigh
train had come to Smiths end of tn
tunnel at the exact moment that Jone
was picking up the coal. As Smith di.
not get any answer he thought, o
course, Jones was asleep and the tract
clear. So he let the freight in. The
the two trains came together in tn
tunnel.
The president of the road kept hi
word with the boys, but he took then
off that tunnel and gave them dayligh
jobs, where they were not so likely =
Sleep and could not do SO much damag
if they did sleep. Those are but thre
of the many stories ike them that hav
come under my personal observation
Pittsburgh Commercial Gazette.
Not Needed.
Tourist docking back upon a difficu
bit of mountain path he had just tra'