Year: 1876

~


The Boston "Globe' says. In view Of
the perlls Of rapid transit over the network
Of IRON rails that encompass the length and
breadth of the land, It IL worth while to
note An incident that took place some years
since on'one Of the great thoroughfares
that lead out from the city Of New York
through the Empire State, connecting with
the many arteries diverging in sll directions
over the grand prairies of the mighty west.
At that peric !, as at the present moment,
the telegraph" was valuable auxiliary,
and used to expedite the movements OF
trains, particularly when behind time or de-
layed by accident. Upon the division su-
perintendent was placed the authority of
forwarding trains by telegraph and keep
ing the road clear. On one occasion an
eastward-bound express was many hours
behind time, and, to use railroad term,
was "running against" Q similar train bound
west, having the right Of way. The rules
and regulations of the telegraph depart
ment were very strict and required much
care and good judgment on the part of the
attaches. Soon the delayed train came
laundering along, winding around the curve
like huge snake, the shrill whistle of the
locomotive echoing far away over the hills
and valleys, and passing safely of the
main track, silently and slowly crept on to
the side track. The iron horse became q
motionless mass, while the conductor
turned to the Office for further orders. He
was quite anxious to reach arOther station
a number of miles distant, having large
number of impatient and important New
York passengers, who followed him to
learn the result, and who had become very
demopstrative at the thoughts of reaching
the end of their journey with such loss Of
time.


Click, click, click The welcome order
comes at last to move on, etc. How do
you understand 1t, Mr.. Conductor is the
question asked. The answer is to be re-
! s,rste verbatim, and 1t is also required Of
TIC receiving operator to acknowledge by
his signature and office call, after such re-
ception, that it Is all right, all correct
Suddenly, when only the latter was want
ing to complete the whole arrangement, the
subtle element had vanished like ray Of
meteoric light the relay gave 70 sound
whatever, and the erratic fluid, by some
singular fatality, danced no more over
the flashing wires. Everything was legal
and proper, all but the simple signature and
response of the astonished operator over
whose shoulder the head officer stood pow
erless, awaiting developments of time. The
tardy conductor assured the ticket agent
and the operator that he felt justified In
proceeding on his journey. The indignant
passengers expostulated against delay
Here was curious case of responsibility
to decide, technicality to overcome, but
alas, simple doubt was in the way. Tht
operator gave one glance at the human


freight safely anchored on the switch, tore


up the dispatch, and turned away. Thu
train waited its allotted time and the1


resumed its onward fight. The next day


in an interview that took place between


tile superintendent and agent, the forme
| stated the fact that limb of tree hat
fallen over the wire at the critical mo
ment, breaking the circuit completely, ant
furthermore congratulated and SUSTAINED


the agent in his action with the remark
worthy of repetition, 'that 1t was ia
better for train to remain on the road
week in safety than to be running blindly Il
I the slightest shadow of possible doubt