HOW THE BABY PAID THE MORTGAGE.

Press, Volume XLV, Issue 7124, 21 July 1888, Page 3

HOW THE BABY PAID THE MORTGAGE.

'• Yes, sir ! the boy there, though but five years old, and not knowing a dash from a dot, stands upon the company's pay roll as telegraph operator, at fifty dollars per month. 'How did it come about?' you ask. Just wait a few moments until my relief cjmes, and as we walk to the house for supper, I will give you the story." The speaker was an old school friend of mine, whom I had hunted up after a long absence from my native city, and found busily employed in the Train Dispatcher's oilice of the Railroad, as chief operator. Upon his telegraph instrument rested the cabinet photograph of a little boy, and my remarking upon the smart appearance of the little fellow 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 1" 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, *or having, as was charged, caused the wreck of two freight trains at C , a small station upon our lins about , thirty miles east of here.

" You must know that all regular trains upo>; our road are ran 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 off their schedule time, must be helped along by telegraphic orders, issued by, or in the name of, the train dispatcher.

"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 as few words as possible."

" For an example : we will say the regular crossing point, for No. 3-1 going west, and No. 35 going east, is B . Now all trains are reported by telegraph from each station as they pass. We are on the lookout for these reports, and before us is the train sheet upon which must be noted the time of departure of each train from any station. Thus we can tell, at a glance, the position of every train upon the road, We will say these reports show No. 35 > going east to be thirty minutes late. Since No. 34 would be obliged to wait at the usual crossing for the laggard, we give it an order to proceed to C , 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.

" Oue day, sitting at my instruments, busily employed as you saw mc a few moments ago, I discovered that freight No. 102 was losing time. Soon it was thirty minutes behind, and wishing to help along freight No. 65, which usually crossed it at B , I concluded to push it along to C 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. 65' ' You will proceed to C and cross No. 102 there. (Signed) Hobbs, Dispatcher. " 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 ' Put out blue signal to hold No 102.' This 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 the signal before replying with 15, which means: ' blue signal is displayed, and will hold the train.' You see the use of the cipher figures is a great saving of time and space. The most imperative orders are issued, and the utmost care taken in moving trains by telegraph ; and to answer with 15 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 the signal will be neglected until too late.

"Well, upon receiving the assurance that the flag was out at A , I gave the order corresponding to the one above, but addressed to No 102. Thus I had al 1 arranged, according to rule, for a crossing at C . Soon came the answer from No Go: " ' To Hobbs, Dispatcher: 'We understand we are to proceed to C , and cross No. 102 there. «/c:_~ o/1 i Ukl-ce, Conductor,) — n-< (Signed) CosTAKi Engineer, J ]Sia 6o ' " To this I promptly gave O. X., 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 couise the blue flag would notify them was there, I turned my attention to other duties, and thought no more of that crossing until some time after, it occurred to mc that No. 102 was slow about replying. '•So calling up the operator at A , I asked : ' Had No. 102 arrived ?"' • : ' Arrived and gone," was the reply. "Gone without receiving the orders I gave you ? impossible ! Did you not display your blue flag?" "'No!' was the reply, 'Having re. ceived no orders to do so, I did not.' "The operator at A was comparatively anew man, a nephew of an influential member of our Board of Directors through whom he had obtained his position, and through whose influence I was soon to lose mine. His deliberate falsehood astounded mc, as well it might, for allowing the train to pro. ceed without the orders meant it would run by C and endeavour to reach the usuaf crossing place at B ,as soon as possible, to save delay to No Co, which was rushing along, expecting to reach it at C . The result must be collision. " The thought drovs mc nearly frantic

Further questioning only resulted in further denial from the operator of having received any orders to hold the train, which he accused mc of having failed to \ send. " With fast-beating heart, and a terrible faintness upon mc, I dropped my head : upon the instruments and prayed for the : poor fellows upon the trains. How many , of them would survive the wreck ? It was , now impossible to prevent this, for between the two heavy trains rushing toward each other so swiftly no operator was on duty with busily-clicking instruments to warn them of their fate. "Noticing my actions the dispatcher eagerly inquired the trouble. I could not reply in words, but noticing the instru. ments calling I grasped a pen, and with my trembling fingers copied this message, which relieved my mind of the heaviest load it has ever known. It was addressed to the superintendent from the conductor of No. 65, and ran thus : '"Freights No. 65and 102 met in head collision one mile east of C , speed of fifteen miles per hour. Crews of both trains escaped, uninjured. Fifteen car s derailed, live of them wrecked completely, badly blocking the main line. Will report in person by first train.' "My greatest fear had been that loss of life would result. Now that was past. I was ready to explain. "As is usual in such cases, all the participants in the affair were called

before the superintendent. Each man told his story. The operator at A firmly adhered to his falsehood, and I as

lirmly to the truth, but to no purpose. The influence of his director uncle saved for him his position, the blame was attached to mc, and I was discharged, forced to give up my position, and move.

Some time before this, trusting in the security of my position, I had put all our little savings together and purchased a small house andlot in thepleasantestpartof our city. I had borrowed from the savings bank the sum of two thousand dollars, and placed a mortgage for that amount upon the place, believing that with prudence and economy we should be able to repay and lift the mortgage in due course o l time.

"A pleasant little place it was, and much pleasure we took in fixing ie up with flowers and vines, until it presented a most attractive appearance, and to ourselves, at least, was the very perfection of taste and 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 had caused a wreck ?

"No! I must give it all up, and commence at the foot of the ladder again, " The company, having decided to put down wires and open a station at C , as a measure for guarding against further trouble, very kindly offered the situation to mc. I could but accept. Soon we were removed into oar new quarters—l cannot call it a home—in a modest house uear my station. '•Day after day came and passed now, so uneventfully as nearly to destroy al] ambition. Duties there were noue to speak of. My station was what is termed a'flag station.' Trains made no regular stop there, and when an occasional passenger wished to take the train, a very unusual occurrence, by the way, my red flag by day, or red light at night, ' hauled up,' the desired train. I grew despondent. Every day I sat in my little den of an office, listening to the business passing upon the wire, business in which ol took n 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 which we were obliged to lead, grew stout and brown as any little rustic, and his delight knew no bounds, as he stood upon the platform when the heavy freights went rolling by, or the fast express, with a rush and scream of the whistle, passed like a flash ; and he would watch them out of sight with great round eyes, laughing and clapping his hands with delight. " We used to watch him in silence, my wife and I, for she often came to sit with

us, and cheer mc by her presence; and thoughts of the opportunities he would miss, and the privileges of schooling he would be debarred from by my 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 better to do, I heard the dispatcher's office calling A , heard him answer, followed by an order from the office to '14 for special freight passing east,' heard the reply exactly as the operator had given it to mc on the day of the wreck—' 15 for special freight'—then this order: '"To Conductor and Engineer Special Freight. "' You will not leave A until special passenger train, Fairfield, conductor, has arrived." " The special passenger train referred to. was, as I knew, for I had heard it reported by wire, composed of an engine, superintendent's private car, and director's car, filled with the officers of the road with their wives, all of whom had been down the line on a pleasure trip, to inspect the new station and 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 the dispatcher to give them the right of way as far as practicable, and in accordance with this instruction he was now holding back the freight. " I sat idly watching the approach of the special, and marking the quick time they were making, the telegraphic reports one by one succeeding each other, as the train passed station after station—and still bemoaning my hard fate. " No mistakes thie time, I thought, only for mc was the ill luck reserved; for surely the operator at A would not, could not, commit the same fault twice. This time there would be no poor assistant to attach the blame to, but the chief dispatcher.

" 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 been busy at play outside He came in in high glee, exclaiming, 'Papal papa ! train coming 1/ "No, dear, not just yet. Wait five minutes and then we will see it go flying by,' I answered him with a smile, knowing how pleased he would be to see the rushing train. "' No ! now, papa, now! I can see the smoke —come out, quick!' To please him I complied, and looked up the line in the direction of the approaching special, which had passed the last station east of mc, and must now be within five 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 wae ' ordered to remain at A to cross the , passenger train. For a moment I was; dazed, but only for a moment, for I knew j something must be done, and that quickly,, to avert au awful catastrophe. j •' Below my station, some hundred yards or so, round a carve which hid it from sight, was a switch which opened upon a; side track running by the station for an- \ other hundred yards, and which would [ hold the freight could I but reach and. open it before the freight arrived there- i But I must also stop the passenger train, ' for fear the freight would not get on in \ time. J "Rushing into the station I grasped my. signal flag, put the blue in its proper place, but not daring to trust to that to stop them, for fear the engineer, having his orders to run past my station, and at the high rate of speed he was coming, might

not see it, I took the red flag and boy in my arms, and placing vim iv the middle of the platform, put the flag in his hands. ! " ' Arthur,' I said sternly, ' do just as papa says, now, and we will save the trains. Stand right here 1 Do not move ; except to wave the flag, so !' giving him ; the up-and-down motion. * Wave it, my , brave boy, and do not stop till papa gets , back!' " His blue eyes filled with tears at my manner, and giviug him a kiss to reassure him, I turned and ran for the switch. Could I reach it in time? I must! I must! Over the ties I ran for life, for lives ; for if the trains came in collision at that high rate of speed, many lives must be sacri ficed. '* As I turned the curve I looked back at the station. There the little fellow stood, just where I had placed him, and the flag, yes ! the flag was waving, up and down, up and down, as fast as the stout little arms could move it, and way down the line as far as the eye could reach, I could see the special passenger train coming. Now for it ! Looking and running ahead again I saw the freight. " ' Thank heaven! I shall reach the sw:tch first,' I cried, and ran on. My switch key was out of my pocket as I ran, and in my hand. A moment more and the switch was reached, and the train one thousand feet behind in the race for life. To insert the key, unlock and throw the rails upon the siding was the work of an

instant. " Yes! I was discovered by the engineer of the train —heard the shrill whistle for

breaks, the danger signal, saw the engine reversed, the breakmen scrambling over the tops of the cars setting the brakes > and knew all was done that could possibly be done to slacken the speed of the heavy

train—standing at the switch, ready to throw the rails back as soon as they had passed upon the siding. " In a moment they were within hailing distance, the fireman was upon my side t down upon the steps of his engine making ready to jump. " ' Stick to your engine, , I cried. ' Bun upon the siding, and do your best to stop her. Tell the engineer to stick and stop her for his life.'

" It is wonderful that he heard mc, 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 reduced speed; but I saw him climb back and commence sotting the

brake of the tender. With a terrible roar and grinding of the brakes upon the wheels, the train passed. " I closed and locked the switch upon 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 us. Yes! Sure enough—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 flag, in the arms of the superintendent. Crowded about him were president, board of directors and other notables, invited guests of the road with their ladies, numbering fully twentyfive people, who certainly, some of them if not all, owed their life 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 inquiry, my story—how the baby had discovered the approaching freight, how I had instantly placed him

with the ilag, 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-nine 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 excitment—and the boy. Speeches were made which brought the blush to my cheeksand tears to my wife's eyes, tears of joy and pride in the boy.

" Yes, sir ! They voted mc two thousand dollars ' for prompt action and heroic conduct in time of danger.' and at the sugges. tion of the ladies—who but a woman would have thought of anything so romantic ? —also voted to place 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 offices, and the dispatcher having told his story, how the orders had been promptly given to hold the freight, there were no doubts now as to the person who bad been remiss in duty upon both occasions. I was re-instated in my old position, and we immediately moved back into the little house you see yonder, which the company's gift allowed mc to free from debt; and, yes, that is the boy running to meet us now—a proud little fellow upon pay day, as he goes' with mc to the offlce> and stands among the men taking their turn to receive their pay—the pet of allMy wife fears that their attentions, with the presents of the ladies on that train, will spoil him. "The operator? Oh I Without stopping to learn the result of his second blunde l " he deserted his post, and.for aught I know, may be running yet; for, certainly, 1 have no knowledge of his future career. His error lay in replying that the blue was displayed before putting it out, and then neglecting it. When he saw the train pass in the first instance, he deliberately tore up the orders, trusting in his ability to shift the blame upon mc, but the second was too much."