Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1897-08-05
A FOILED ROBBERY.

was telegraph operator ut EssoX,
on the r. and s. railroad, on the
night of the fourteenth of Decem-
bor, 1883. There had just been an
unusually heavy snowstorm in the
mountains about 200 miles west of
Essex, making virtual blockade of
the road. No western freight or
passenger train had been through
fol u hours, and frcights from the
east had been held at principal
points to prevent blocking the sid
ings at way stations and so hinder
restoring regular traffic when tho
snow blockade should he broken.
The r. and S. was single track
road through this part of the state.
The storm had reached us, but not
more than three inches of snow had
fallen around Essex. 1t was still
showing lightly ut o'clock in the
morning when the thrilling Incl
dents of that night commenced.
l was alone III tho station and had
been SO for some hours. The usual
loitercrs of the village had left carly
because OF the storm. At half past
- the night mail train drew ND. I
handed the Geographic orders, as
usual, to the engineer and conductor
a copy to each-and, as the rule
was, they read them aloud to mo.
we'll remember Conductor Wilson S
tone of surprised interest as he read :
Proceed to Winslow and await
orders"
Winslow was ~ miles up the road
Usually the mail train passed from
four TO eight frcights in that run,
md the orders always specified the
siding where train numbered So
and-sO was to be met.
Wilson knew of the blockade in
the mountains, SO he expressed no
astonishment ut his orders, but sim
ply said, Unusually clear sailing
for us tonight, Brinton, isn't it2"
'Pcrhaps you won't find it SO
clear sailing after you reach Carl
ton, l hurricdly answered as ran
to the mail car, throw in the mail
bag and picked up the bag which
had been tossed from the train to
the platform.
CINE bell sounded and the train pull
ed out. l Immediately, as was my
duty, telcgraphod to Jones Siding,
the next Office, ten miles above,
"Twenty-two left west at 1881"
Jones WAS the first siding above
Essex, and the only buildings there
were an uncovered platform and n
signal tower. Tho whole distance
from Essen to Carlton was a wild,
sparsely inhabited country, billy,
with dense woods.
There wcr" two operators station
ed thcrc-Ono for tho day and the
other for the night. Their names
were jim Evans and Ned Aldrich.
They lived i'll the signal tower, do
ing their own cooking and getting
their supplies 10y the trains, but
being telegraph operators they
werc less lonely than any other
young mon i'll their isolated position
would be, for they were kept posted
IN the news of the country and the
gossip of the line.
/ was we'll acquainted with the
clicks of both of thom. For, strange
as 1t may seem to most people, each
operator has some popularity in
handling his telegraph instrument
that reveals his identity TO another
operator at all familiar with his
messages or at least to one who is
accustomed to read by sound and is
quick to notice little things These
individualities are as marked to an
expert as the tones of the voice or
the sound of footballs are to most
people. Jim Evans was at tho in
strunient ut Jones Siding when
sent the message about the mail
train. l could have sworn to il, for
l recognized his click in response to
my sig nal.
The mail was due at Jones Siding
at about l o'clock. 1t made only
about 20 miles an hour. 1t could be
seen approaching the tower for sew
eral minutes before it passed. 1t
was the duty of the operator there
to inform me of the arrival of each
train, In order that / might know
whether the track was clear before
letting tho next train west pass Is
sex.