The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-04-22

tower. For miles to the east the rail-
road ran parallel with the river.
through beautiful and fertile valley,
but at this point it had met an OBJ
struction in the shape of the mountain,
and, parting from its sinu0us compan-
ion, had plowed it's way through this
natural barrier, emerging into the
light of day mile to the westward. At
each end of the tunnel a temporary
telegraph office had been erected, be-
tween which a private wire had been
strung for tn exclusive use of the tun-
mel operators. The offices themselves
were hastily constructed shanties, each
containing a chair and a table for the
instruments.
The same evening I went on duty at
( the east of Long tunnel The day man
explained to me the nature of the work,
which was anything but arduous.
You simply call up the man at the
other end when you want to let a train
IN the tunnel" said he, and get his
permission. He must DO the same be-
fore he let's a train enter at his end.
Such permission having been given, the
operator giging it is bound to hold all
opposite bound trains which has been
given the right of way clears at the
other end. That is all it amounts to-
It's the greatest snap I ever had
The result of all this was that no
train could enter the tunnel until %ne
operator at the other end had signified
that the track was clear and would be-
| kept clear unit; such lrain had emerged
at the other end. Simple as the sys-
tenn was, its very simplicity seemed
only to add to its effectiveness, and had
We the operators adhered to its strict
/ ly, this story would not have been
I written. But one night about a month
after my advent at Long tunnel a
chance event disclosed to me and the
operator at the west end the possibility
of making it simpler still. 1t came
about in this way:
About 8 o'clock one Sunday morning
a be-ated freight train approached my
end of the tunnel. opened the key and
! called the man at the other end, but he
| had evidently forgotten that the train
was back, and bad taken advantage of
! the quiet to catch a nap
Dawson must be pounding his ear, ="
1 said to the Waterman. who was
| stretched out on the floor in the corner.
/ Il can't raise him"
/ But that gentleman, whose duty it is
/ to keep watch and ward was evident
| ly INDUCING in the same luxury for his
/ answer was a Snore.
1 kept On calling until the long train
| had come almost to a standstill. I knew
as matter Of fact that there were no
/ trains bound in the opposite direction
within many miles of Long tunnel I
also knew that even if there were they
could not enter the tunnel until given
/ the signal by the operator, and such
signal could not be given until I had
/ been consulted. I was, therefore, per-
) fectly safe in allowing the train to pro-
/ coed. SO, not wishing to hold it, 1 pulled
! the signal, and it rolled into the tunnel.
/ When it came out at the other end the
noise aroused the sleeping operator, and
/ l told him what 1 had done.
/ This event, as I said, awakened in
/ both of us possibilities that had never
/ occurred before. Sitting at breakfast in
| the big farm house the same morning.
we talked the matter over.
There is no reason" said Dawson.
after we had discussed the thing from