The Birmingham age-herald., 1909-12-26

Washington. December 25.-tspecial)- Heroes of the railroad track, persons who, at the risk of their lives, have saved others from death on railroads, are honored by the federal government by medals of honor. The honor is not lightly bestowed, for only 10 persons one of them a woman--has been so sim gularly honored by the United States.
 She is Miss Mary Guinan of Middle town, N. Y. Returning home from work one day her way was barred by lowered gates at a railroad crossing. Coming from the opposite direction were two express trains. They were to pass at the street crossing. On the track was an old man, bewildered by the shouts of warnings from the onlookers. Mo- ments were precious, if be was to be saved.
 The girl, unmindful of her own danger, ran under the gates, seized the old man in her strong grasp and supported him between the tracks while the trains whirled past with sparse two inches of either side of her form.
 The most spectacular hero is Charles Arms of Clarksvills, Tenn. He lived near the Louisville and Nashville railroad bridge on the Cumberland river For two months Arms had been confined to his bed with malarial fever. The doctors had just left, after the morning visit. when Arms was startled by crashing noise. train had broken through the draw, baggage and mail cars being pre- cipitated Into the river. The river, owing to spring floods, was a raging torrent
 Instantly Arms was out of bed. Partial ly clothing himself, he ran to the river bank. He saw the top of one of the mail cars still above water and two mall clerks and the baggage master clinging to It. They were crying for help. Those who were gathered with Arms said 1t meant death for anyone to attempt rescue as no boat could live in the rag ing food
 Arms launched his skiH and called for a. volunteer Not one would take the risk, all declaring him to be crazy. Alone he pushed the frail boat into the whirling water and skillfully avoiding the swift ly rushing logs and debris, gained the car top took the three men off and brought them safely to shore. lie was none too soon. A few moments later the car settled below the water.
 Four of the other heroes s1atched chil- dren from instant death by climbing out on locomotives and lifting them from the track
 The case of George H. Poell of Grand Island, Nebraska, had romantic turn. He was employed as a railroad fireman ana saw a little child of three years play ing on the track. He went forward, climbed down on the COW catcher and seized the little one. But his foot slipped and his leg went under the wheel, ana with the child he was thrown down an embankment. Poell lost his leg, married the widowed mother of the child ana IS now clerk of his county.
 TIT Icf cf<x1 0f saw a little child on the track. He applied the brakes, ran forward, and from the cowcatcher jerked the child to safety Three hundred yards fur ther the train stopped and Haight was found clinging to the front of the en- zine with the little child of a track walker pressed to his breast.
 Frank Larson of Fremont, Neb.. fireman, performed' deed similar to that of Poell, but he held his footing and suffered no physical injury Tn Pittsburgt Edward Murray, freight conductor, did the heroic deed that made him the fourth of those heroes. He was riding on the foot board of a shifting engine. At street | crossing he saw a brother ana sister, aged and 2 years, standing neipiessiy l on the track The engine could nor pc stopped in time. Jumping to the track ! he dashed madly at the children. throwing the boy off the track. seized ! the girl and made a successful leap for | the running board, just as the engine passed over the spot where he ana the 1 children had been moment before. Edward McGrath, crippled statlon | agent at suburban station Ill NH wa,,kee is another of the chosen l0. | The gates at the crossing had been lowered and an express train was ap- | preaching. AfcGrath saw 6-year-old | child on the track. She was oazed | and made no effort to save herself. Al 1 though cripple, the station agent un : l hesitatingly went to her aid. Just as l he cleared the girl from the track | inc eniIot beam struck McGrath He | wat painfully but not seriously in | jured. l The girl was mot injured. | The hsroio acts of George H. Will