AN HEROIC GATEKEEPER AT A RAILWAY CROSSING.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIV, Issue 5548, 9 January 1879, Page 3

AN HEROIC GATEKEEPER AT A RAILWAY CROSSING.

Amidst all the excitement and turmoil of the elections, the Parisians, and indeed Frenchmen generally, are finding time to talk of the devoted heroism of Jean Flantier, a gatekeeper on the railway line running through the Kive-de-Gier. His post was at a level crossing at one end of it, and on a recent night he was, as usual, on duty, expecting no evil, and very probably inclined to underrate the hazard of his position. At all evsnfa, it seems a train unexpectedly approached him, and he had to use more than ordinary expedition to get his gates shut in time. That on one side of the line he had already closed,. and was hastening to bar the highway on the other. But this,through some miscalculation of the momenta at his disposal, he was unable to accomplish in time, and before he could swing back the heavy gate the engine, going at an express rate, rushed by, knocking him down, and passing over his arm. Fortunately he did not faint with the pain and shock, but managed to get up on his feet, though, horrible to relate, his left arm, cleanly amputated by the locomotive wheel, remained on the ground. His agony naturally was intense, and the horror of his situation was intensified by the fact that his was a lonely post, and that it was a considerable time before he could expect to bo relieved, the chancqs being that he would have bled to death long before any succour could : arrive in the ordinary course of events. His first impulse probably was to make his way as he beat could to the nearest habitation and have his stump tied up ; but he quickly remembered that the post he occupied, left without a gate-keeper, would most probably be the scene of another and more terrible accident. Instantly his mind was made up. He would remain on duty at any risk till he died or was relieved ; and covering up his wounded arm as best he could, he prepared to go through his terrible ordeal of duty. Fortunately, the driver of the engine that had injured Jean Flantier had noticed the accident, and at the next station had told of what he feared was a fatal casualty some miles back on the lino he had come along. ‘ The station-master and some.porters at once set ous to see if assist, snpe was yet of use; and after an anxious tramp along the Six-foot way,' fearing each moinent wfiat ghastly sight would meet their eyes, had come on a pool of blood and the mutilated limb the brave gate-keeper had left where he fell. A moment after Jean Plantier knew that succor had unexpectedly come. TTia tone was. almost apologetic as he answered the station-master’s questions—- “ Yes, fie was horribly wounded, and was suffering terribly; but he hastened to assure his superior officer he had not left his post a moment, land the train service had been in no | •» *> : .j r Jin 1 -V > w ■' >

danger/’ Such is the simple story of devotion to duty that, bo it found in Frenchmen or Englishmen, or whom not, makes one’s blood run quicker, and one’s opinion of one’s kind wax higher and better. The Paris papers are calling for a Cross of the Legion of Honor for Jean Plantier ; and we can only say that it would be well if ©very member of that somewhat voluminous order had done as much to deserve his decoration.