Evening journal., 1912-04-11
ACUNNING
VISITOR
By JAMES c. BRADY

] SdlO an cA-fdllIOdu man, anu we ihu-
roaders get ours What surprises me
is that we don't get more than we do.
"We're so liable 70 be attacked for H.
legal purposes But when we consider
the number OF express messengers who
are killed by train robbers and station
agents forced to give enticing telegraph
signals to enable road agents to hold
up passengers, there's a good deal do
ing IN this line for us. after all.
1--WE had personal experience
that's a trihe different from these, and
I tell you when it was on there was
enough in It to make my hair curl.
was employed in one of the signal
block towers on the G., p. and ID. rail
way. Some distance west Of my tower
was a switch that led into a gravel
pit The company hadn't worked thepit
for some time and the track leading
into it was in a dilapidated condition.
If ever gravel train had attempted
to 60 over It there would have been a
spill.
Life in a block tower is rather dull
music / slept there and had my room
comfortably fitted up. I've always
been fond Of reading, and books took
up the principal part Of my time The
road was neither OF the greatest nor
least Importance, but there were three
tracks and an average number OF
! trains to look out for Stll, sometimes
there would be quite an interval be-
tween the passing Of the trains.
zone afternoon / was sitting with a
book when ! heard a step on the stairs
leading up into the tower. Then there
was a knock at the door. I opened It
and quite a respectable looking man
stood outside.
~ beg pardon he said, but would
you mind showing me the modus oper
andi of this system? I've passed the
towers on railroads many times and
always wondered what you gentlemen
are doing perched up here, pulling at
these levers
"Now, If I had dared I would have
told him that no one was admitted TO
the towers; that they were places on
which so much depended that the rule
was never 10 he broken, but notwith-
standing the mans respectable appear
ance, ! felt that a refusal meant death
to me. concentrated all my effort TO
avoid showing the slightest suspicion
and said that | would be most happy
to show him the apparatus and explain
its working Advancing TO the levers
first explained the fundamental point
that it was intended to admit but one
train at a time on n block. Then
told him how by pulling this or that
/ lever changed the direction OF trains.
He listened TO me attentively tin l had
got through then asked a number of
questions calculated to convince me
that he was really trying to under
stand what | was telling him. Tie
seemed especially anxious TO know how
worked switches that were not IN
sight told him that their being in
sight made no difference TO me, be
cause | knew that certain position of
the lever produced n given result
az passed gravel pit up above
here he said. into which a track was
laid Now, how would you proceed ia
switch n train on TO that trackf
81 pushed a certain lever, telling him
that the switch now stood to turn a
train from the main track into the pit
| noticed that he concentrated his
vision on the lever and noted especial
" how Il worked When he was salts
fed / threw the lever back into it's for
mer place.
MY talk being finished the man
thanked me and said that he was wait
ing for the 1850 up train and It. was
so much pleasanter waiting in the
tower than in the station below that
he would be obliged II l would permit
him TO wait there l assented, pre-
tending 10 do so gladly and steeled
myself for whatever was about TO hap
/, pen, for I was sure the man had some
sinister design.
AT 7:20 l told him that he would
, hardly have time to reach his train
/ whereupon he said he thought he
would take the next one. since hC
, couldn't walk fast on account Of a
} weak heart When the 1850 passed
what I had expected happened. The
man jumped for the lever / had told
y him would turn the train into tn,
n gravel. pit and threw it to accomplish
that result.
Il stood looking at him as though as
' tonished. not daring TO let it appear
n that I had suspected him. He looked
! after the train for awhile. taking ou
8 his watch 10 note the time. evidentl,
intending to give the few minutes re
-" quired for the train to reach the grave
d pit, for he would not give me an op
{ portunity to avert the disaster he in
, tended When ample time had passed
for the train to be wrecked he left th'
tower and ran after it as fast as pos
= sible
4 "But he and the gang that were work
= ing with him were disappointed,
had demonstrated on a switch below
r instead Of above.
Z Il didn't know but that when hl
s found that / had tricked him he woul,
. come back and murder me. | was il
a lonely spot. and there would be
good chance for him TO revenge him
: self if he felt so disposed.
4 "I kept revolver in a drawer and
e would have used il on the man whil'
s he was with me had he given me az
5 opportunity TO possess It. / took on
:. the weapon and. making sure It wal
ready for use. waited for the man'l
return. But he didn't come"