Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1914-08-12
ARKANSAS Boys
Wit MAY WIN HIM
AN EDUCATION
Join Painter Saves Iron
Mountain Train When
Roof Tunnel Caves.

BateSville, Ark, Aug. ll.-John
Painter. tousled- haired, unlettered
mountain youth of only Is years,
can't understand what it is all
about.
He is beginning to know what fame
is, but he doesn't seem to appreciate
that doing the natural thing in a
dramatical situation when lives are
at stake sometimes wins reward.
This tall youth is the lad who first
located the cave-in of the Cricket
tunnel and it was his quick action
that saved many lives and the Iron
Mountain railroad thousands of dol
lars, for he rushed pellmell half
mile across country over the noun
tains and stopped double-headed
freight train Just before the long
train rushed through the tunnel to
what undoubtedly would have been a
serious wreck.
| But if there is to be reward, this
boy wants it so arranged that he
may attend school and get an educa-
ton.
Young Painter for few years past
has had no place to call home. He
has wandered aimlessly about from
place to place working at odd jobs.
Some weeks ago he began work in
| the upper White River county. Early
one morning he was walking down
| the railroad track and came to the
mountain through which the Cricket
tunnel passes.
Stumbles Over the Cave-ln.
knowing that a train was due he
did not so through the tunnel, but
walked over the mountain above the
opening. About midway of the noun
tain ne noticed the rocks and dirt
giving way. He knew that the tunnel
was rapidly filling and his first
thought was to stop the approaching
north-bound freight train and pre-
vent a wreck and save the lives OF
those in charge of the train.
Painter rushed madly over the
mountain, a distance OF about one
half mile, and reached the railway
track just as the train was coming
around sharp curve. Running dowI
the track, waving his hat, he
tagged the engineer. The train was
brought to stop and the lad, will
the enginemen and trainmen, started
an investigation Of the tunnel, which
is nearly mile i'll length. 1t was dis
covered that about $50 feet of thu
tunel had caved in.
The DANCE to this property helt
up traffic for more than two weeks
on the road, all passenger trains
transferring at that point.
u The train crews, whose lives
Painter had saved, were. so grateful
they secured the name of the boy ant
sent the particulars of the incident te
the officials of the road. The officials
at once sought to locate the lad bu
the fact that he roams about made i
}! difficult to find him.
: A special agent of the company
came to Batesville Monday in al
effort to find the boy, but failed
However, parties who knew the lac
heard of the search being made fol
this county.
Company Offers Him a Job.
Painter was found at Cushman, this
county, having gone there some time
ago to visit relatives. He came tt
Batesville yesterday and found let
ters awaiting him here. The compan.
has offered him two different posi-
tons and a sum of money.
The lad does not seem to attacl
any Importance to his act and KEEP
) travelling about. not thinking that hi
{, was ever to be rewarded, nor i
seems, he did not think he deserved
any reward. When he heard that h,
was to receive something for his deco
he was much surprised.
That the boy has had a hard life il
: apparent. His mother died when h
was seven years of age. His fathel
lives near Cushman, this county, ant
is poor farmerA Young Painter ha
7 always made his own living dom.
odd work, but with all that he has
good reputation.