The Morgan County press. (Wartburg, Tenn.) 1916-1926, 1917-06-28

cination of his work, "that we have q
clear block between the next two sta
tions." Soon we were upon the green
light, and as we Numbered by the lit
tie station could see the dispatcher,
at work over his keys, look out
through the window at us.
HE is telling the next station that
Number Eleven has just passed." said
Demmer.
In these men along the way, then,
| we trusted. If one Of them forgot to
tell the next that we had passed,
shambling string Of freight cars might
be let into the block from the other
end. There were a thousand "ifs"
which might mean death for us, but
DeYnmer trusted the silent, isolated men
at the keys. And back in the coaches,
men and women were slumbering in
warmth and safety through the same
trust. In the city, the chief dispatcher
was watching our flight, mile by mile.
A flash from him and we could be-
stopped almost anywhere along the
route-unless the flash came too late.
Remember that cyclone we had last
summer that caught one of our trains"
Demmer asked. / nodded, and he said:
"Well, she struck the. train-Number
Five, / think it was-just down the
line way. I'll show you the place in
a minute" .
Just then we reared across long
Nno chxy
"This trestle was picked up by that
Storm" Demmer said, land set down
there in the lake hundred yards from
here, just after the train had crossed.
And here's where the train was when
the storm struck. Every window In
the cars was broken; the engineer and
the fireman had to lie fiat on the bot
tom of their cab, while the wind took
the windows clear out. I'm glad we |
don't have many cyclones on the road. |
"The officials are very careful about
that" Demmer added, with chuckle.
"In a storm, or when the snow piles
up ahead of you and you've got to get
through it and make your schedule is
when we catch 1t. Or when 1t Is pour
ng rain and we can't see two feet
ahead into the mist, we can't tell when
/ freight train or a stalled passenger
rain may appear ahead-and we have.
o know just where to pick out the
idings, too"
The miles poured by us. An occa-
ional farmhouse doomed up along the
way, and slipped silently into oblivion
gain as we leaped along.
Freight cars, and even strings of
assenger cars stood by the main line
gain, all dark and empty. Green, red ,
nd white lights began to appear in '
and we slowed down little S
Y little. It was the end of the run. [
emmer became absorbed in his brakes {
nd levers, and 1 crossed over to the |
remains side again. S
He sat there, calm and controlled, {
ringing the train into the last mile. {
cookery opened the doors again and /
le yellow-white light Of the IRE threw I
emmer into relief against the cab Z
indow. looked back at the trailing q
ain, the lights of the window max S
e pale shadows along the tracks. a
ockery went to a cabinet in the door O
the tender and took out a big jug Of Ii
alter to drink. He with his water, "
Id Demmer with his pipe-a very hui n
an picture. / thought, and what a v
large they had. {
We parted, I to be taken by the I,
ain, which we met there, back to the a
y--to be one Of the passengers In Il
e soft-cushioned, easy-riding cars. tC
listed In the green star and the watch %
, IA the cab. II. KInsella, In St Il
'uis Globe-Democrat "