Evening star., 1900-04-21

or one Of the great railroads leading out
OF AsheviIle. Putting my best front !
asked him if he needed a first-class opera
tor
Well" said he. looking me over quIzzi-
caIly. Il DO need a man if he's the right
kind Where have You worked2
] mentioned the name of a single rail-
road only Rowing telegraphers are not
favored
Any raferences?"
I produced a soiled paper that had ac-
g. ng..uied NE through all my wanderings.
~ little stale he said, and somewhat
the worse for wear: but it looks all right
tio iu,o -hc next room and Mr. Jones will
what You can do
lie took me to the door and introduced
me 70 Ihc dispatcher. VINO was sitting at
a table with the train record spread before
him
This young man claims to be a first
class man See what he can do
Well said the dispatcher. turning TO
me. answer that fellow calling 'Hx-'
answered took the message and handed
IT to him. lie looked al the handwriting
arproyinEly.
Now he said. send him that one"
When had done so he took me to the
superintendent
Well" said the superintendent. when he
hGd heard the report. Il guess you'll do
Now. l want you 10 go the east end of
Long tunnel. We are widening the tunnel
for three tracks. While this work is going
on OF the TWO tracks at present there
will necessarily be blocked. and will
have to run trains through the tunnel on a
single track For this purpose We have
opened telegraph office at each end of the
tunnel. The position will be one of respon-
sibility. You will have to be constantly
on the alert-no going to sleep and losing
trains there" he added. warninsly.
II thank you for your kindness" l an
swered. When shall 1 go?"
night"
II shall give a good account of myself
l answered as l left him.
The next morning l boarded the train for
my new field of labor. Long tunnel was
about forty miles west Of Coal tower For
miles to the east the railroad ran parallel
with the river. through a beautiful and
fertile valley. but at this point it had met
an obstruction in the shape Of the noun
tain. and, parting from its sinuous COM
paniOn, had pIowed Its way through this
natural barrier, emerging into the light of
day a mile to the westward. At each end
of the tunnel a temporary telegraph Office
had been erected, between which private
wire had been strung for the exclusive use
of the tunnel operators. The offices them
selves were hastily constructed shanties.
each containing a chair and table for the
Instruments
The same evening I went on duty at the
east of Long tunnel The day man ex-
planned to me the nature Of the work,
which was anything hut arduous.
You simply call up the man at the other
end when you want to let a train in the tun-
mel, said he. and get his permission. He
ter at his end. Such permission having
been given. the operator giving il IS bound
To hold all OppOS!te-b0und trains and keep
the tunnel clear until the train which has
been given the right of way clears at the
other end That Is all It amounts to. Its
the greatest snap | ever had"
The result Of all this was that no train
could enter the tunnel until the operator at
the other end had signified that the track
was clear and would be kept clear until
such train had emerged at the other end.
Simple as the system was, It's very SIM
phcity seemed only TO add to its effective
ness. and had We, the operators, adhered TO
II strictly. this story would not have been
written. But one night about month after
my advent at Long tunnel q chance event
disclosed to me and the operator at the
west end the possibility of making It sim
pier stlll. 1t came about In this wav:
About 3 o'clock one Sunday morning a
belated freight train approached nv end of
the tunnel. l opened the key and called the
man at the other end but he had evidently
forgotten that the train was back and had
taken advantage OF the quiet TO catch a
nap
Dawson must be pounding his ear"
said to the w3tchman, who was stretched
out on the floor in the corner. II cant
raise him
But that gentleman, whose duty II is tc
keep watch and ward. evidently in.
dElging IN the same luxury, for his answer
was a SnOre.
kept on calling until the long train hai
come almost to a standstill. / knew as q
matter Of fact that there were no trains
bound in the opposite direction within many
miles of Long tunnel i also knew thal
even IL there We're, they could not enter tht
tunnel until given the signal by the opera
tor, and such signal could not be given un
Gil had been consulted. ! was. therefore