The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1898-12-14
A .F0ILED ROBBERY.

was telegraph operator at Essex,
ON the r. and S. railroad, on the
Eight Of the fourteenth of Decem-
ber. 1883. There had just been an
unusually heavy snowstorm in the
mountains about 200 miles west of
Essex, making a virtual blockade of
the road. No western freight or
passenger train had been through
for 10 hours, and freights 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 the
snow blockade should be 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. It was still
showing lightly at o'clock in the
morning when the thrilling incl
dents of that night commenced.
Twas alone in the station and had
been so for some hours. The usual
loiterers of the village had left early
because of the storm. At half past
II. 1 the night mail >train:drew up. I
handed the telegraphic orders, as
usual, to the engineer and conductor
"a copy to each-and, as the rule
was, they read them aloud to me. !
we'll remember Conductor Wilson's
toneof surprised interest as he read:
proceed to Winslow and await
orders.
Winslow was 48 miles up the road.
Usually the mail train passed from
four to eight freights in that run.
and 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 at his orders, but sim
ply said, Unusually clear sailing
for us tonight, Brinton, isn't it9"
Perhaps you won't find it SO
clear sailing after you reach Carl
ton," + hurriedly answered as 1 ran
to the mail car, threw in the mail
bag and picked up the bag which
had been tossed from the train to
the platform.
AS I returned to the Office the en-
zine bell sounded and the train pull
ed out. I Immediately, as was my
duty, telegraphed to Jones Siding,
the next Office, ten miles above,
"Twenty.two left west at 1891.
Jones was the first siding above
Essex, and the only buildings there
were an uncovered platform and a
signal tower. The whole distance
from Essex to Carlton was a wild,
sparsely inhabited country, billy,
with dense woods.
There were two operators station
ed there-one fer the day and the
other for the night. Their names
were Jim Evans and Ned Aldrich.
They lived in the signal tower, do
ing their own cooking and getting
their supplies by the trains, but
being telegraph operators they
were less lonely than any other
young men in their isolated position
would be, for they were kept posted
in the news of the country anu the
gossip of the line.
was we'll acquainted with the
clicks of both Of them. For, STRANGE
as it may seem to most people, eact
operator has some popularity II
handling his telegraph instrumeH'
that reveals bis identity to another
operator at all familiar with hi!
messages, or at least to ono who i
accustomed to read by sound and !.
quick to notice little things. These
fndividualities arc &c marked to a1
expert as the tones CT tho voice O.
Che sound Of footballs are to mos
people. Jim Evans was at the III
.atrument at Jones Siding when