The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1906-1907, 1907-09-06
HONORS FOR HEROES,
How Two Men Won Railroad Life
Saving Medals.
ESPECIALLY HEROIC EXPLOIT

Life Of Boy.
For saving the lives OF two mail
clerks and a baggageman in wreck
ON the Louisville and Nashville rail.
road President Roosevelt has awarded
to Charles Arms Of GAINESVILLE, Tenn,
a railroad life saving medal. a medal
for heroic service in saving lives was
also awarded to Edgar r, George of
Parsons. Pa, says Washington dis
patch to the New York Sun.
The exploit for which Mr.. Arms re-
ceives recognition was particularly he
roic. lie saved the lives Of Mail Clerks
J. @. Martin and Thomas A. Frazier |
and Baggageman Robert l.. Morris,
victims Of the wreck Of Louisville and
Nashville train 1O2 at GAINESVILLE, |
Tenn, on Sept 90 1906. The train
ran through the open draw Of the
bridge over the Cumberland river at
GAINESVILLE, and the locomotive, mail
and baggage cars were thrown into
the river, fifty feet below. 1t was
about 8 o'clock at night and very dark
When the train crashed into the river
Mail Clerks Martin and Frazier and
Baggageman Morris, although terribly
bruised and shaken, managed TO break
their way out Of the ears and get on
top, where they chung with all their re-
naming strength, all the time shouting
for aid, while the partially submerged
cars were being rapidly swept down
the river by the swift current A
number OF persons were standing on
the river bank near the ferry landing
when the accident happened. They
saw the cars plunge into the river and
heard the despalrlng cries Of the mail
clerks and baggageman for help, but
none dared go TO their aid.
Arms lives near the ferry landing ON
the bank OF the river aud az the time
| OF the accident was confined to his bel
with malarial fever He had been
sick nearly four weeks, and a doctor
had visited him and given him treat
ment for his malHdy less than an hour
previous to the accident He heard
the crash OF the train as II plunged
into the river. and a moment later his
little daughter came into his sick cham
Der and told him what bad happened
lie Immediately arose, and without
waiting fully to elothe himself he made
bis way as rapidly as possible to the
ferry landing minus coat, hat and
shoes. His belief at the time was
that the entire train hnd plunged into
the river, and he thought there might
be scores OF people IN need Of help.
Arriving at the ferry landing, he
jumped into skin and appealed to
the bystanders for aid Offering $40, all
the money he had. To any persons who
would 20 with him Ia the boat His APP
peal for aid was met by the statement
that Il would be madness for any per
son TO so out with boat TO attempt a
rescue. the helper NJ the ferry landing
telling him, "If the drift don't swamp
you the people on these cars win lumT
} In and swamp you sure"
J Notwithstanding the attempts to dis
snRde him, Arms pushed of In thC
boat alone, and with cries OF encour
, agement 10 the imperiled persons he
/ finally reached the cars and succeeded
. In taking or the Injured mail clerk,
q and baggageman, afterward safely
r The Louisville and Nashville Railroad
4 company gave Arms $l0O In recognI
ton of his heroism, and the postofiic,
department took the matter up ant
made application for a medal for hin
under the act OF Feb. %, 1905, whlcl
provides for the awani OF medals o
honor for the saving of life ON rail
I, roads, The case was carefully lnqulr
, ed into by officers of the government
= and the medal forwarded, with LET
: ter of trausmlttal from the president
\ A medal was awarded to Edgar L
George for saving the life Of Pollsl
A. lad about twelve years OF are who's
|, foot had become fastened IN a frog OF
n The Delaware and Hudson railwa,
q track at Parsons. Pa. George and
number of other persons were on tn
station platform awaiting the approach
OF a fast passenger train when III
Al screams OF the lad attracted their nj
a tention. George Immediately statte
v ON run Ter the boy, hoping TO extr
Il cate him fram his perllous predieamen
AZ before the train reached him. lie mad
,e one or two unsuccessful attempts I
m release the foot. aud, finding Il lmpos
r. slble to 10 50 before the train reache
NJ him. hp seized the boys body ant
"a bending it down outside the rail- for,
to ed the Imprisoned leg under the engln
cylinders. oll boxes and steps OF III
cars, which scraped their bodies as the
came akne, The engineer applied ia
"a ensergen y brake. hut did not succee
N IN stopping uatt thu. locomotive an
4. one car had passed over Mr. Georg
p aud the BOY The hack. side and RICH
- arm Of Mr. Georges coat were h
10 smeard with iron rust and OIL fror
". the engine and ear. and his right han
n. was Slightly cut and bruised. Beyon
10 badly strained foot and leg the ho
OF was untaiared. Had It not been "a
he Georges nerve aud presence Of min
he would undouhtedlg have L,st hi
life and It was something Of mlracl
that both of them were not killed