The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1900-05-20
BRINDLE COW REPORTED ON TINE.
Failure of a Railway 'Tcle rapher's scheme To
lie walked at the Right Time.

INDIANAPOLIS, MAY 10 John J.. Foley, chief
deputy in the Office Of the Inited States Mar
shall here, used to be a telegraph operator and
his last service in that capacity was for the
! Wabash Railroad Company at the little
station of Denver, Ind, lie had a night iob and
n lonesome one, fer the inhabitants Of Denver
were usually IA bed nv . O'Clock and from that
time ill n3O A. NJ, when he left his Office, there
was not a soul stirring in the town. The
operator was of duty a. soon as the $50 fast
freight passed the station and hi- report WIS
sent in. but the time dragged iurolcrablv upon
his hands and he often fell ASLEEP despite hi5
desire TO stay awake if1er Il while he began
10 take the risk OF mapping a little during the
night and. as the fast freight was the only train
that passed through beE ween 10 O'Clock ard
daylight, he tclt himself reasonably .urc of
being awakened by the noise " the train.
One night, however. Ac was awakened sud
denly and he thought he heard No u 20 past
the station. He rubbed !LS eyes and listened
and then rushed to the door and looked up The
track. He could hear a -umbling noise. but a
curve in the track cut OF . view OF toe trains
red lights, IL II was really a train. and Foley did
not know what to do He seated himself at his
instrument and pretty soon h. heard the agent
at n station further north report the tain on
time Foley then sent in hi b"lated message
and fully expected to be called ny the next day
for an explanation. but his tafdiness appeared
10 escape attention. The incsient convinced
him, though. that he could no longer depend
upon the passing train 10 avalon him and h"
must stay awake. Several night 81 close watch
fitness followed. bur he found II difficult 10
keep awake without going out ano walking M
and down the track. This pror"t NOR" lone
some than staying in the oai,.. but il finally
suggested an, expedient which H. proceeded to
put in operation the next night.
As soon as all the ioungrr~ about The little
station had left for their homes. Foley tied Il
cord To n telegraph pole across the track inst
opposite the station window and passed the
other end into the station. To jhiS end of the
cord he tied n cplpl" oil. oyster cans. and then
he sat down and viewed his work and called II
good He could now take a nSD, he thought,
without fear of No. II passing by without wax
ing him. for the engine would suHlp The cord in
two and the falling cans would bring him TO
himself in an instant. So Foley ld listed him
self In his chair. placed his feet on the table bv
the ticker and leaned back for a nap. lie was
aroused by the falling Of the cans about him
and in the confusion he heard or thought he
Looking at the clock he saw il was precisely
l,9U and h. sent in this message to the chief
train dispatcher:
Number u on time"
Satisfied with his experience, Foley gathered
up hiI cans and laid them away for another
occasion, and then put ont the lights. locked
the station door and turned to 40 home. At
that moment hI evts fell on n hrindle COW
standing by the -!do Of The track and gazing at
him in mute establishment Ar the same
moment he heard the whistle of an approach
ing locomotive and realized that he had reported
No. II on time when it was fully five minutes
late. The next day an operator appeared at
Denver to take Fol"y'S place and before night
h" was ont looking for another lob. hut h" .till
contends that his scheme would have worked
had not that hrndle COW broken the cord to
which the oyster cans were attached.