The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1906-12-27

block system is in operation, necessi-
tating telegraph Office every six miles,
in some places less At each Office a
day and night operator is employed,
requiring fifty telegraphers whose du-
ties are simply to block trains. As a
train passes over the division, and is
handled by so many men, 1t runs a
chance in each one of going in the ditch.
will give an example of carelessness.
1 am working at "B." Six miles west
is GA" Six miles east is &C." An east
bound train is approaching GA" ga"
calls me on the wire and says: "B-
No.2-A," meaning bold all west bound
trains at your station as number two
is about to occupy the track between
your office and mine. AS the normal
position of my signal is always at dan .
ger, respond: "BC-No.2-B," mean
ing block Is clear and unOccupied.
Let number two proceed. When num-
Der two passes GA" he reports the ex-
act time, which is the time that number
two enters the block. The block is
then occupied. register the time as
given me by ga" on a sheet provided
for that purpose as does GA" also. Be-
fore number two reaches me, CA calls
and asks if number two has passed me
and is the block clearp Ireply: "NO;
hold all trains" If GA" then allows
another train to follow number two, he
does so in direct violation of the rules.
The reason GA" asked me if number
two was clear, is this. A long, heavy
freight train is approaching his station.
If number two don't clear quickly, he
will be compelled to stop the freight.
FL tries ito avoid stoppiH9 itzifTPcs-
sible. Wishing to keep traffic moving,
he calls me again and asks it can see
I. number two coming. look out, see q
a light down the track which appears to
be aheadiight, so tell him this: "Yes,
j lit is coming close" Knowing that
number two is almost clear and being
fast passenger, the heavy freight
could not possibly overtake them, he
gives the freighta clear signal and it
enters the block full speed. He is fa-s
vor;ng the freight, but at the same
time endangering the lives of those on
number two. This il criminal negii-
gence. ss'@ eFasss
!, Now, Lam young and new at the
business. Idon't know that there is q
freight coming When : told him I
!, saw number two, Il though i did, but
, insteadI saw the glare of; a; distant
switch lamp. Now the freight having
! passed "a" he is anxious to get number
: two clear, SO he calls me again. what
: time did number two 60 by? 7" he asks.
9 "StilI coming" Issay. He doesn't tell
! me that there is freight in the block,
too. He is waiting till /, clear number
, two to him, then he will put the freight
in the block at the same time so as to
have my register sheet show that num-
Der two was clear before the freight
entered. That is al operators trick
covering your tracks.
h 1t happens that number two struck
4 cow and derailed the pony trucks of
q the engine. The freight, believing the
f track clear, comes pounding down on
. them. The 1agman of the train is
- back protecting the train. As the
% freight shows up he gives his lamp 8
n violent swing and it goes out. The
. engineer of the freight does not see
IS him and comes on. If it should be q
9 straight track, he will see the red lights
n on the rear of number two. If on q
# curve, he will just have time to, jump.
n 1 have given you an illustration of q
d common practice among operators.
lie Sleeping on duty is another great
le cause. An operator will run around
all day and come on duty half dead
W He places his signal at clear when ii
h should be at danger. He reasons that
7e the roar of the trains will wake him
in when they pass. If he leaYes his sig.
Of nal at normal position danger" and
is sleeps, he will stop the. trains and then
8" he is caught sleeping. Before he lays
til down, he tells the operators each side
,e, of him that all ts cleap 81 Office; lei
is Ethemjcdme. All tslsgraphers should
y. be licensed and examined By e board
A Of commissioners, and those who arr
ID negligent should have their license
he taken from the >. as 585.
IS 9 & s Z s. s: