The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1900-06-15
BRINDLE COW ON TINE.
Failure of Photographers Scheme to be
Awakened at Right Time.
New York SUM-


John Z. Foley, chief deputy in the
Office of the United States marshal at
Indianapolis, Ind, used to be a tele-
graph operator and his last service in
that capacity was for the Wabash
Railroad company at the little station
of Denver Ind. He had a night Job
and a lonesome one, for the inhabit-
ants Of Denver were usually III bed by
8 o'clock. and from that time till 1870
a. m, when he left his office, there was
not soul stirring in the town, The
operator was off duty as soon as the
1889 fast freight passed the station, aIt3
his report was sent in, but the time
dragged intolerably upon his hands
and he often fell asleep, despite his
desire to stay awake. After awhile he
began to take the risk of mapping a
little during the night. and as the fast
freight was the only train that passed
through between 10 o'clock and day
light, he felt himself reasonably sure
of being awakened by the noise Of
the train.
One night, however. he was awak-
ened suddea My and he thought he heard
No. 81 go past the station. He rubbed
his eyes and listened and then rushed
to the door and looked uD the track.
He could hear a rumbling noise, but a
trains red lights, if it was really a
train, and Foley did not know what to
do. He seated himself at his instru-
ment and pretty soon he heard the
agent at a station further north report
the train on time. Foley then sent in
his belated message and fully expected
to be called up the next day for an eS-
PLANTATION, but his hardness appeared
to escape attention. The incident con-
l. E.nA hr n
longer depend upon the passing train
TO awaken him. and he must stay
awake. Several nights Of close watch
fulness followed, but he found it diff
cult TO keep awake without going out
and walking up and down the track
This proved more lonesome than stay
ing in the office, but 1t finally suggested
! an expedient which he proceeded to
put in operation the next night.
AS soon as all the loUngers about the
little station had left for their homes
Foley tied cord to telegraph pole
/ across the track just opposite the sta
/ ton window and passed the other end
/ into the station. To this end Of the
cord he tied a couple Of oyster cans
and then he sat down and viewed his
work and called it good. He could now
take a nap, he thought. without fear
of No. q passing by without waking
/ him. Tor the englnc WOULD snap the
/ cord III two and the falling cans would
/ bring him to himself in an instant. So
/ Foley adjusted himself in his chair,
! placed his feet Oh the table by the
/ ticker. and leaned back for nap. He
/ was aroused by the falling of the cans
about him, and in the confusion he
/ heard. or thought he heard, the elat-
/ ter Of the rapidly passing train. Look
ing at the clock he saw it was precise
! ~ 1876 and he sent in this message to
/ the chief train dispatcher:
Number p on time"
Satisfied with his experience, Foley
/ gathered up his cans and laid them
away FOR another occasion, and then
put out the lights, locked the station
/ door and turned to go home. At that
! moment his eyes fell on a bride COW
standing by the side Of the track and
gazing at him in mute establishment.
1 At the same moment he heard the
whistle of an approaching locomotive
and realized that he had reported No.
q on time when 1t was fully five min
/ utes late. The next day an operator
/ appeared at Denver to take Foley s
/ place and before night he was out
! looking for another job, but he still
/ contends that his scheme would have
worked had not that brindle COW brok-
/ en- the cord 10 which the oyster cans
/ were attached.