HOW THE MORTGEGE WAS PAID.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXII, Issue 2581, 26 January 1889, Page 1 (Supplement)

HOW THE MORTGEGE WAS PAID.

— L ' i:s ) s I-! tl ic boy there, though bul [ live viiars old, and not knowing a tlasl from a f!ot, stands upon the company'. l pay roll as telegraph operator, at fifty dollars per month. " flow did it conic about?" you ask. Just wait a few moiueiit.-i until my relief comes, and as wo wait: to the house for supper, I will give } oil the story." The speaker was an old school friend of mine, whom I had hunted up after a lone; absence from my native city, ami found busily employed in the traindespnteller's ollice of the railroad, as chief operator. Upon this telegraph instrument rested the cabinet photograph of a little boy, and my remarking upon the smart appearance of the little fellovV elicited the above reply. " Not much time for conversation here," continued my friend; 'the hours are short, though, and sure enough, here comes my relief." " Now for the story!" continued my friend, as we emerged upon the street, and turned our steps towards his home. " One year ago I was discharged from the very position I now hold, for having, as was charged, caused the wreck of two freight trains at C , a small station upon our line about thirty miles east of hero. " You must know that all regular trains upon our road are run upon schedule time, or in other words, upon that laid down in the time tables of the company. But extras of any sort, or regular trains when oil' their schedule time, must be helped along by telegraphic orders, issued by, or in the name of, the train despateher. " As I might weary you by details, if I entered into too minute an explanation of how this is done, I will give you the system in a few words as possible." " For an example : we will say the regular crossing point for No. 31 g'oing west, and No. 35 going cast, is I! . Now ail trains arc reported by telegraph from each station as they pass. We are oil the look out for these re ports, and before us is the train sheet upon which must be noted the time of departure of eacli train from any station. Thus we can tell, at a glance, the position of every train upon the road. Wc will say these reports show No. 35, going east to be thirty minutes late. Since No. 31 would be obliged to wait at the usual crossing for the laggard, wo give it an order to proceed to G—ten miles beyond, and cross No. 35 there, thus keeping it on time while causing no further delay to the delinquent. Of course it is necessary to notify both trains of the change in crossing points, and here is where my trouble occurred. " One day, sittingat my instruments, busily employed as you saw me a lew moments ago, I discovered that freight No. 102 was losing time. Soon it was thirty minutes behind, and wishing to help along freight No. G5, which usually crossed it at B —, Iconcluded to push it along to 0 for a crossing. Accordingly 1 called up D —, the next station beyond the usual crossing-point, and upon receiving the response went ahead with this order To Conductor and Engineer No. (15. Yim will proceed to C and cross No. 102 there. (Signed) Hones, Pespatcher. " The next move was to protect them in thus passing their usual crossing point, by giving the same order to No. 102 at A . "Calling up A , I said in the cipher used on such occasions; "14 for No. 102," which means " l.'ut out blue signal, a flag by day and a lantern by night, conspicuously displayed in front of a station, means telegraphic orders, and by this signal no train is allowed to pass. Instantly came back the reply from the operator at A —, "15 for 102. " Now, every operator's duty is to put out tlie signal before replying with 15, which means : " Blue signal is displayed, and will hold the train." You sec the use of the cipher figures is a great saving of time and space. The most imperative orders are issued, and the utmost care tak en in moving trains by telegraph ; and to answer with to before the signal is displayed is contrary to all rules, as in so doing there is a chance that some duty will come up, in the performance of which t.he signal will be neglected until too late. "Well, upon receiving the assurance that the Hag- was out at A , I gave the order corresponding to the one above, but addressed to No. 102, Thus I had all arranged, according to rule, for a crossing at C . Soon e.amo the answer from No. G5. To 1 [ebbs, Dispatcher : We understand we are to proceed to C , and Cross No. 102 there. Bkcck, Conductor, 1 -, T (Signed) q ostalli Engineer, J ■

"To this I promptly gave 0.K., and they were dispatched. As No. 102 had not arrived at A——, and no reply could be received from them until the conductor and engineer had signed the order, which, of course, the blue flag- would notify them was there, I turned my attention to other duties, and thought no raoro of that crossing until some time after, it occurred to mo that No. 102 was slow about replying.

"So calling l up tho operator at A , ' I asked had No. LO2 arrived ? "Arrived anrl gone," was the reply. "Gone without receiving l tho orders I : gave you? Impossible! Did you not [ display your blue flag ?" " No," was the reply. " Having received no orders to do so I did not." ! " The operator at A was eoinpara--5 tively a new mail, a nephew of an influential member of our Board of Directors, through whom he had obtained his position, and through whose influence I i was soon to loose mine. Ilis deliberate falsehood astounded me, as well it might, for allowing tho train to proceed without tho orders meant that it would run by O and endeavour to reach tho usual crossing place at 13 as soon as possible to save delay to No. 05, which was rushing along, expecting to roach it at C . Tho result must bo a collision. The thought drovo mo nearly frantic. Further questioning only resulted in further denial from tho operator of having received any orders to hold tho train, which ho accused mo of having failed to send. " With fast-boating heart, and a terrible faintness upon me, I dropped my head upon the instruments and prayed for tho poor follows upon the trains. How many of them would survivo the wreck? It was now impossible to prevent this, for between tho two heavy trains rushing towards each other so swiftly no operator was on duty with busy clicking instruments to warn them of their fate. "Noticing my actions tho dispatcher eagerly inquired tho trouble. I could not reply in words, but noticing tho instruments calling I grasped the pen, and, with my trembling fingers, copied this message, which relieved my mind of tho heaviest load it has cvor known. It was addressed to tho superintendent from tho conductor of No. 05, and ran thus : — " ' freights Nos. Go and 102 met in head collision one mile east of C—, speed of litceen miles per hour. Crews of both trains escaped uninjured. Fifteen cars derailed—five of them wrecked completely—badly blocking tho main line.

Will report in person by first train." " My greatest fear was tliat loss of lifi would result. Now that was past, I wa: ready to explain." "As i.s usual iu such eases, all tin participants in the affair wore called be fore the superintendent. Each man toll his story. The operator at A—firinlj adhered to his falsehood, and I as firmlj to the trul h, but to no purpn.se. Tin influence of his director uncle saved foi him his position. The blame was attachec to mo, and I wan discharged—forced te give up my position and move. Some lime before this, trusting in the security id' my position, I had put all our little. savings together and purchased a small house and lot in the pleasantost part ol our city, I had borrowed from the savings bank tho sum of two thousand dollars, and placed a mortgage for that amount upon tho place, believing' that with prudence and economy we should be able to repay it and lift the mortgage in due course of time. " A pleasant little place it was, and much pleasure wo took in fixing' it up with flowers and vines, until it presented a most attractive appe irance, and, to ourselves at least, was the very perfection of home comfort. Now it must all be given up. This made the blow doubly hard, for where could I obtain a position at my business, with the knowledge that I caused the wreck ? "No; 1 must give it all up, and commence at the foot of the ladder again. " The company haviug decided to put down wires and open a station at G , as a measure for guarding against further trouble, very kindly offered the situation to me. I could but accept. Soon wo were removed to our new quarters—l cannot call it a homo—in a modest house near my station. Day after day came and passed now so uneventfully as nearly to destroy all my ambition. Duties there were nono to speak of. My station was what is termed a flag station. Trains made no regular stop there, anil when an occasional passenger wished to take the train —a very unusual oecurrenco by the way—my red flag by day, or red light at night, hauled up the train. I grew despondent. Every night I sat in my little den of an olfiee, listening to the business passing upon tho wire, business in which I took no active part, for few indeed were the opportunities I had to open the wire. "The little boy was my almost constant companion. He took great delight in the rural life we were obliged to lead, grew stout and brown as any little rustic, auul his delight knew no bounds when tho heavy freights went rolling by. or the fast express, with a rush and scream of the whistle, passeel like a flash ; and he would watch them out of sight, with great round eyes, laughing and clapping his hands with elelight. '• We used to sit and watch him, my wife and I, for she often came to sit with us and cheer 1110 by her presence, and thoughts of the opportunities he would miss, and the privileges of schooling he would be debarred from by my misfortune, were not calculated to make us cheerful. " One beautiful summer day, when I had been some three months at my station, sitting as usual watching and listening at my instruments, for want of something bettor to do, I heard the dispatcher's ollico calling A , heard him answer, folleiwod by an order from the ollice to " 1 i for spechel freight passing east,'' heard the reply exactly as the ollicer had given it to me on the day of the wreck—" 15 for special freight." Then this order : '"'The Conductor and Engineer Special Vroight. ' "You will not leave A until special passenger train, Fairfield, conductor, has arrived." " The special passenger train was, as I knew, for I had heard it reported by wire, composed of an engine, superintendent's private ear, and director's car, filled with the otliecrs of tho road and their wives, all of whom liael been down tho line 011 a pleasure trip to inspect the new station anil grounds at our eastern terminus, and were now returning' with all haste in order to reach their homes before dark. " I had heard the superintendent's telegraphic request to tho dispatcher to give thorn tho right of way as far as practicable, and in accordance with this instruction lie was now holding back tho freight. " I sat idly watching the approach of the special, anel marking tho quick time they were making, tho telegraphic reports one by erne succeeding each other as tho train passed station after station— and still bemoaning my hard fate. "No mistakes this time, I thought, only for me was tho ill luck reserved ; for surely the operator at A would not, could not, commit the samo fault twice. This time there would be 110 poor assistant to at tach tho blame to, but tho chief despa teller. " I sat there some time filled with these; ungrateful and useless thoughts, until I was disturbed by the entrance of the little boy, who had bceu busy at play outside.

Ho carao in in high glue, exclaiming "Papa! papa! train coming "No, dear, not just yet. Wait fiv minutes and then \yo will see it go flyin; by," I answered him with a smile, know inir how pleased ho would bo to see tin rushing train. " ' No ! now, papa, now ! I can see tin smoke—como out, quick !" To pleasi him I complied, and looked up the litu in the direction of the approaching special, which had passed the last station east of me, and must now be within live miles of our station. ' " That, that way, papa ! Look through the trees—see !'' " I turned, and saw rising above the trees, the black smoke which denoted the approach of a train. In an instant I understood the situation. The freight was approaching, the freight which was ordered to remain at A to cross the passenger train. for a moment I was dazed, but only for a moment, for 1 knew something must be done, and that quickly, to avert an awful catastrophe. "Below my station, some hundred yards or so, round a curve which hid it from sight, was a switch which opened upon a side track running by the station for another hundred yards, and which would hold the freight could I but reach and open it before the freight arrived there, But I must also stop tiio passenger train, for fear the freight would not get on in time. " Rushing into the station I grasped my signal flig, put the blue in its proper place, but not daring to trust to that to stop them, for fear the engineer, bavin" his orders to run past my station, and at the high nito of speed he was eominy. might not see it, I took the red flag and boy in ray arms, and placing him in the middle of the platform, put the flaa: in his hands. " Arthur," I said sternly, 'do just as papa says, now, and we will save the trains. Stand ri^ r ht here ! Do not move except to wave the flag, so .'' giving him the up-and-down motion. ' Wave it, my bravo boy, and do not stop (ill papa gets back ! ' ' His blue eyes filled with tears at my manner, and giving- him a kiss to reassure him, I turned and rau for the switch. Could I roach it in time? I must ! I must! Over the tios I ran for lite, for lives ; for if the trains came in collision at that high rate of speed, many lives must be sacrificed. " As I turned the curve I looked back at the station. There the little fellow stood, just where I bad placed him, and the flag, yes ! the flag was waving up and down, up and down, ns fast as the stout little arms could mo7o it, and awav

flown the lino as far us the eye conli ranch, I could see the special passenge train coming. Now for it! Looking am running ahead again I saw the freight. '"Thank heaven! I shall reach tin switch first," I cried, and ran on. Mj switch key was out of my pocket as I ran and in my hand. A moment more am the switch was reached, and the train om thousand foot behind in Iho race for life To insert the key, unlock and throw tin rails upon the siding was the work of ai instant. "Yes! I was discovered by tin engineer of the train—hoard the shril whistle for breaks, the danger signal, saw the engine reversed, the breakmei scrambling over the tops of the ears set ting the brakes, and knew all was dom that could possbily be douo to slackcu tin spied of the heavy train—standing at tin switch, ready to throw the ruils'back a; soon as they had passed upon the siding. "In a moment they wero within hailius distance, the fireman was upon tny side down upon the steps of his engine making ready to jump. ' " Stick to your engine,"l cried, 'liui upon the siding, and do your best to stoj her. Tell the engineer to stick and stoi: her for his life." "It is wonderful that he heard me. much more comprehended my meaning through the rush and roar of the train' and hiss of escaping steam, as the engine rolled by at greatly reduce:] speed ; bill 1 saw him climb hack ami commence setting the brake 011 the tender. Witl a terrible roar and grinding of the brake; upon the wheels the train passed. "I closed and locked the switch upoi. the main line, and started back for the station. I knew the special must have stopped there, else, ere this, it would have been upon 11s. Yes ! Sure enougl: —coming in sight of the station—there she stood, safe and sound, and upon the siding beside it stood the freight, now come to a full stop. " The platform in front of the little depot was filled with people, passengers of the special, and train men, I saw the boy, still holding the red (lag, in the arms of the superintendent. Crowded about him were president, boarl of directors, and other notables, invited guests of the road, with their ladies, numbering fully twenty-five people, who certainly, some of them if not all, owed their lives to the little fellow. " Upon reaching the station I was at once the centre of the excited throng, all eager for an explanation. In as few words as possible I gave, in answer to the superintendent's inq,.ury, my story—how the baby had discovered the approaching freight, how I had instantly placed him with the flag, which, it seems, had been the means of stopping them, how I had hastened to the switch, arriving just in time to put the freight upon the siding, and that, was all. All—no ! This was followed by an impromptu directors' meeting in my little seven-by-ninc station—a directors' meeting in which ladies took a prominent part. I was called in with my wife, who had run to the station, alarmed by the unusual cxcitemout— and the buy. Speeches were made which brought the blu-h to my cheeks and tears to my wife's Bye-, tears of joy and pride in the boy. 11 es, sir! They voted ine two thousand dollars "for prompt action and heroic conduct in time of danger," and at the suggestion of the ladies—who but a woman would have thought, of anything so romantic ?—also voted to plaeo the boy on the pay roll as telegraph operator, "A happy household we were that evening, and with many a kiss the boy was put to bed at night. The next day I was called to the general ollices, .and the despatcher having told his story, how the orders had been promptly given to hold the freight, there wero no doubts now as to the person who had been remis.s in duty upon both occasions. I was reinstated in my old position, and we immediately moved buck into the little house you see yonder, which the company s gift allowed me to free from debt ; and, yes, that is tho boy running to meet us now—a proud little fellow upon pay day, as he goes with me to the ollice, and stands among the men taking their turn to receive their pay—the pet of all. My wilo fears that their attentions, with the presents of tho ladies 011 that train, will spoil him. •'The operator:- Oh! Without stopping to learn the result of his second blunder he deserted his post, and for aught I know, may be running yefc; for, certainly, 1 luivo no knowledge of his future o.r. eer. liis error lay in replying that tho blue was displayed before putting it out, and then neglecting it. When ho saw the train pass in tho first instance, he delibeia'.ely tore up the orders, trusting iu his ability to sUit'i- the bl-imo upon in 0, but tlie st'Cond wus tno much."