Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-08
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.
The Track Was Clear just I'm Time
When the Limited Swept Past

From the Pttshurg Commercial Gazette.
by presence of mind and quick action a
railroad telegraph operator saved the limit
Cd. That was unusual case also. 1t was
the train dispatcher's mistake, so far as
kr ow, but he may have been misled by
some one else's blunder. One day the limit
ed was going east in TWO sections. Ii is
very, very seldom that the limited runs in
more than one section. A freight was ly-
ing in front of Jones tower waiting for the
limited to pass. The train dispatcher sent
out an order saying: No. = uhe limited
Will run forty minutes late That gave
plenty of time for the freight to get to the
next siding. The message should have
read: Second No. = VIII run forty minutes
iate. the first section was on time. Jones
handed the order to the conductor of the
freight, who went down out of the tower
and started his train onto the main track
Just as the big freight engine began
runlng the telegraph instrument began
ticking, and Jones read a report saying
that the limited had passed the tower
above. 1t was just around the curve, not
a mile and half away. 1t was a question
of seconds. There was no time to run down
the stairs, and IL no use TO drop the
red signal The engine had already passed
mere was no time to think. Jones grasped
ms INK bottle and his red flag. He ran out
on the balcony in front of the tower and
threw the ink bottle al the engine Then
he waved the red flag and yelled with all
attracted the engineers attention He
looked up and saw Jones waving the red
flag and yelling like a mailman. Just at the
same moment they both heard the shrill
scream OF the limited's whistle as she ap-
preached the curve
The engineer did not stop to question
what ii was. The engine was clear out on
the main track. He reversed his engine
and sent her humping back against the
heavy train. The forward motion was stop
ped, but the train was SO heavy that it
would net start back About half the en-
CINE was still on the main track The limit
ed swung around the curve not half a mile
away, coming at the rate of forty miles an
hoGr. The engineer of the freight showed
wonderful GOODNESS. He ran his engine for
ward several feet so tie separate the
fIrst few cars as far a sthe drawbacks
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 engineers, but TO deliberately start
forward with the limited in sight took
herve. When he had gone a few feet he re-
Nersed again and sent the big engine bump
ing against the train and she started back
Jones held his breath and watched. Ii was
rot a question Of seconds now but of parts
OF 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 bur
Gen, went by unframed The switch was
open for the freight, but il was an auto
mauc spring switch, and when the limited
struck II ii was forced open along the main
HE. 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
mad been the matter. The passengers who
were chatting pleasantly in the cars. may
have wondered why there had been such a
sudden jerk when he brakes went on lust
before they passed the tower. hut they
ever dreamed of the danger they had es-
capped.