Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-15
LLSRAL1AYMn a. K0MoR,
Copyright. 1905. by John Elfreth watkins)
cir

HE President has already deco
rated seven heroes and one
heroine with the nations new
order of merit. Some time
ago he reminded Congress
that the government had long been be-
slowing medals of honor for acts of great
heroism upon the water. and recommend
ed similar decorations for 'conspicu-
Gus bravery and self-sacrifice in the saw
ing of life in private enlployments under
the jurisdiction of the United States and
particularly in the land commerce of the
nation" An act authorizing such re-
wards for saving OF life on our railways
was passed. and according to the regula-
lions framed to carry it into effect appli-
cations for the decoration may be filed
] with the interstate commerce commission
| II accompanied by ahidavts of sye-wt-
! nesses to the deeds of heroism for which
! recognition is desired. Such applications
! are passed upon by a committee of five
! officials of the commission. and when
! there is favorable action the President
OF the United States decorates the hero
with a handsome medal OF honor. stamped
by hand at the United States mint: also
with gold and enamel button. which the
owner may wear Slpon his coat lapel.
With these two emblems of a country's
appreciation of bravery the President
transmits to each hero a personal letter
commencing his bravery.
The new medal of honor is of bronze
and is about as large as silver dollar.
On the diverse side it bears the classic
figure of a sturdy man standing upon a
railway track, with one knee resting upon
boulder which has fallen between the
ing an approa ching train of its peril. On
the reverse side is laurel wreath such as
The Romans placed upon the broWs or
their national heroes. Against the outer
rim Of the medal are the words. THE
United States medal for life saving on
railroads" and inside the wreath Is in
seribed. For bravery. Awarded to -.
The button accompanying the medal and
intended for everyday wear is shield OF
the United States in :he> three colors.
About circle upon the shield is the in
scription, For bravery
One Of the most heroic acts thus re-
warded by the President was that Of
Charles Arms of GAINESVILLE Tenn Some
months ago the locomotive. mail and bag
gage cars OF Louisville and Nashville
train crossing the bridge over the Cum
nerland river at GAINESVILLE ran through
the open draw and plunged into the water,
nifty feet below. 1t was a very dark night.
and the river, at flood tide, was so full o.
driftwood that the ferry service was sus-
pended
Hundreds alarmed by the crash of the
fallen train. swarmed the ferry wharf
ard lined the river bank. Scores of able
bodied men stood agape and We're SO
stunned that not one budged q jot to
give aid in response to the distress cries
rising out OF the black torrent before
them.
There were many brave men in the
throng. but against the bridge piers they
heard the bump OF the driftwood whose
black shadows they saw pass in the glare
of the wharf lights.
Near the ferry landing Charles Arms a
poor man. lay in bed. ill with malarial
fever. He had lain thus in It's clutches
now nearly four weeks. The doctor had
recurd. Arms from where he lay could
not hear the crash of the falling cars
nor the cries of the victims The frs.
news of the catastrophe was brought to
him by his little daughter
4
on all of his clothes. the sick man left his
bed, rushed to the ferry slip. jumped into
skin and appealed to the bystanders for
assistance. But not man would volun-
foe as the rushing drift. Arms offered
sld-al that he had-to any one who
would help him haul in the victims. No