The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-04
TRAIN DISpATCHING

| not now and don't want to be. This Is the reason:
 One night the road was fairly hot with trains when came on duty. wondered how In thunder l should ever get the passenger train through without delay. There seemed to be a train on every sidetrack over the whole length of the road and more between stations. I worked like a beaver. It was in the old days of what are known as "slngle" orders. when each train received separate order, which must be sent to each one concerned singly. You will easily see how in the rush of business n single order might be incor- rectly transmitted and trains leave sta- tlons under conflicting orders. which would certainly bring them together unless corrected.
 A double header left the foot of the mountain about midnight holding an order giving 1t the right to Summit. About thlrty-five minutes ahead of it was a fast freight. The latter had an engine numbered 427. and the double train had engines 342 and 327.
 Along toward morning a train was ready to go down the mountain. and gave the order to run wild" and walt for engine 427 at summit. In some way or other the double train follow ing slipped my memory completely. have thought since must have got mixed on the two numbers 42I and 327. At any rate. when the operator at Summit reported the two trains leav' ing it came over me with the sudden ness and pain of galvanic shock that I had given what we call lap or der.
 The horrible feeling that seized me often mikes me shudder when l thinf of 1t now. My hand fell from the kc' limp and nerveless. Something seemed to cast a blur before my eyes so could not read the orders before me. The blood rushed to my head. and my tenn ples beat like trip hammers. But only for n second. Like a flash seized the key and asked the operator to stop the down train. IL was too late. It had gone. Then | tried to reach the double train. but 1t. too. had passed the last telegraph office. and knew no earthly power could prevent those trains from striking hard. for the grade is nearly twenty feet to the mile up there.
 1 sent for the chief dispatcher imme- dlately and told hlm the situation. He was an old hand at the business. and m affair of thls kind fretted his nerves almost 10 the point of insanity. He added nearly 100 per cent to my agony of mind. He would sit down and look the train sheet over and seem to de- your the fatal orders with his eyes, then Jump up with a gesture of de- spair and say. By gosh. that's too bad! Then he would pace up and down the floor. repeating to himself: That's too bad. too bad. They'll strike as sure as the world" returning d. ways to pore over the train sheet and order book. could have screamed with the awful strain of nervous sus- pense. l confidently believe that noth- ing but lack of courage and the curious fascination kept me from rushing out and jumping into the river. seventy five feet below.
 felt absolutely certain that some of those men would be killed. Had both trains been single the drivers might possibly see each others headlights in time to jump. but I was sure the men on the second engine of the double header would go into the wreck all over and die as sure as fate. It has be- come fashionable nowadays to disbe- lieve In physical hereafter. l don't know anything about that. but do know that lf mental torture be the lot of those who sin In this life. after our accounts are audited. l should prefer Q take my chances with the old fash 'ncd style of punishment.
 Suddenly bo,h relays opened with q nnp The chief looked at mo with q rrfccily liu!cScrilmble expression and vert to the switchboard without q rord. We both knew without telling vErt lt meant. The trains had struck. ,nl the piled up wrecl;agc hnd broken .hc wires down. We tested for the ,.rak and som located it half way up he mountain. gave up the last parti- ., of hopc rt this and only waited in a
 lad of dull wonder to learn the extent fihr casualty
 The thirty CT forty minutes that lapscd after the wire failed until we :ot the official report of the accident sccm 10 mr now as misty as dream. worked nway at the wire mechanical- ly. guided only by the force of habit and using the circuits as they were made up by the chief. He kept fusslng at the switchboard in perfect misery of nervousness.
 At length the Summit operator call ed. and my heart beat almost audibly us I answered him. for l knew from his tremulous sending that he had re- ceived the report. l think he must have understood my feelings. for the first words he tclegraphed almost
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