The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1916-01-13
ALMOST TRAGEDY
BY MAS.n

BY LAS"
"Br, Br, "" clicked the train
dispatcher's wire. Sam Ford, the
night operator at Bryan, lay snugly
wrapped in blanket, with his head
near the sounder, fast asleep, or, as
ne would have expressed it, pound
ing his ear"
His call had only sounded twice.
He awoke, lightly threw the blanket
into a stationery cabinet, glanced
first at the clock, then at memo
randum on his table.
Ford, although but nineteen years
old, fully realized the Importance Of
handling train orders. Being light
sleeper, he had never hesitated to
take advantage of the dulness of the
"wee sma' hours" to get some sleep.
But, to prevent mistakes that might
endanger innocent lives, he always
kept an "OS"-a notation Of reports
Of trains passing by way sta ions on
his division.
Ford, before giving o. K. and re-
peating orders, always set his signal.
His signal lamp, however, had be-
come damaged SO that even a light
breeze extinguished it, and ordinary
lanterns were being temporarily sub
stituted. A white one stood on the
signal lamp platform, which extend
ed from the telegraph Office on the
second floor to within plain view of
the track. When train was to be
stopped this was taken in and re-
placed by red one.
Ford now made this change, re-
peated the order, glanced out of the
window to be sure the danger sig
nal was properly placed and burn
ing, noted the reports of these trains
on his list, and got out his blanket
for another nap.
''It is now 4 :45. No. 12 won't be
here for an hour and a half at her
best. I'll get enough sleep now and
stay up after breakfast and ride my
bike over to College and see the
little stenographer," he unused half
aloud.
Ford awakened with a sense OF
something wrong, and found it was
broad daylight.
Going to the window, he was just
In time to catch a glimpse of the con-
ductor waving him kindly greeting
as the caboose whizzed by.
Horror-stricken for a moment, he
muttered!
"What Is the matter with old Col
Inns on 1879? Is he blind2"
More from force of habit than any
hope of enlightenment, he turned
to look at his signal board
"Great Scott l went to sleep with
that red lantern to stop 'em. Now in
the daylight they can only see the
board and that's set clear!
mo. IL and that cattle train will
meet on that curve south Of College,
then that excursion will smash into
that What can I do to save those
people"
"They can only run fifteen miles
an hour through the city limits, and
have two and a half miles to 60 be-
fore opening upl A horse to catch
'em at the crossing"
A searching view of the streets
from the front gallery revealed moth
ing but the usual 500 a. m. death
like quietude of country town, Not
a sign Of life of any kind.
'Br, Br, Br, v" rang the train
wire with an unmistakable tone Of
Impotence.
Ford almost fell into chair, and,
his head pillowed on his arms, he
seemed utterly paralyzed.
"The phone to College No
chance. I tried that last night on
that death message to the principal.
Wire broken"
College Station, the ordered me,t-
ing place, was blind siding, eight
miles south of Bryan and 300 yards
from the A. and NJ. College of Texas.
"Br, Br, v" ratified the four
saunders simultaneously, with note
Of genuine alarm, as the dispatcher