The Argosy, Vol. XI No. 20 — page 10: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

314 of the switch engine shall stay by it when on duty whether it 1s needed or not,” ordered the superintendent with a frown. ‘Where did you learn to run an engine, Mr. Dykeman ?” he con- tinued, turning to Dash, ‘1 never learned it practically, sir, Forney’s ‘ Catechism,’ and several other books on the locomotive taught me all I know theoreti- cally, and it was not hard to apply it.” ‘* Indeed! You are the first one Il ever heard of doing so. a little trouble on your run, hadn’t you ?” ‘* Yes, sir,” replied Dash apologetically, ** but it couldn't possibly be helped.” He thereupon gave an account of the collision with the team, and what he had done in the matter. “Very good. I shall remember you, Mr. Dykeman,” said the super- intendent briefly, as he turned on his heel and went out. “You're in luck, Dykeman,” remarked Mr. Clikerger. Barsteel doesn’t say much, but he means what he says, up a round in the ladder, sure.” ‘) only did what circumstances threw in my way to do, and I shall not be disappointed if he doesn’t.” ‘You don't want even any cards or fowers 2" laughed the dispatcher, with an effort at a pun. ‘“No; I never saw sucha fall in bread stuff,” rejoined Dash, not to be outdone. Dash’s feat of running the switch engine and the manner in which he had gone through the collision raised him a peg in the estimation of the railroad employees. Among the engineers and firemen especially he was regarded with increased respect, and they esteemed it an honor and a privilege to be acquainted with him. He treasured the words of the superintendent that he would not be forgotten, and though he said he would not be disappointed if he received no reward, he began to build hopes on those words, which, if not realized, would certainly pro- duce bitter dissatisfaction. His prospects seemed bright, he felt the pleasure of duty done, which, indeed, is its own reward, and indulged in many roseate dreams of gratified ambition when he sought his bed that night. The next day was a dark and stormy one. The wind blew fiercely, carrying sheets of rain that defied the protection of frail umbrellas. Many of the telegraph poles on the line had been blown down, thus mixing up the wires and making it impossible to get a clear circuit with which to operate the trains. Line repairers had been immediately Cis- patched to remove the trouble: but, asit would take several hours, and perhaps the whole day, the train dispatchers had to do their work as best they could with the facilities left them. None but the initiated can understand or appreciate the strain on the patience and nerves ofa train dispatcher, who is compelled to direct the movement of trains over a badly working wire, which is Hable to ‘‘open,” or become useless, at any moment. And when it is remem- bered that the slightest mistake on his part may destroy millions of dollars’ worth of property and scores of prectous lives, tt will be seen that he occupies one of the most responsible positions in’ the service, and that all the heroes are not at the throttle or in the active operation of the trains. And how few of the millions of travelers over our railroads realize that there is a brain and hand watching and guiding their train to its destination, carefully noting its progress from. point to point; and all this in addition to the many modern appliances to insure safety, But errors of judgment, or those of inefficiency, will sometimes creep in and produce an accident, and then there isa wholesale denunciation of the system, the public forgetting the thousands of trains which are handled in safety. In bad weather the dispatcher is keenly on the alert, for sometimes the wire is Jiable to transmit what is not intended. It is slow and tedious work then, and if communication is entirely cut off the further movement of trains is left to the discretion of the train men and oper- ators, though there are certain rules governing just such contingencies, and itis one of the written imstructions of the railroad, ‘t In case of doubt always take the safe side,” On the morning in question, while Dash was posting the time of ar- rival of several late trains on the blackboard on the outside of the station, Mr. Clikenger sent an order to two stations, Ardley and Boyer, for the meeting of two passenger trains ata point about midway be- tween them. Ardley had repeated back the order correctly, and he had given his ‘All right,” when Dash came in and resumed his duties, Then Boyer, the other station, called up the dispatcher's office, and You had ‘* Old man He'll put you THE ARGOSY as was his custom Dash copied the order in the book for that purpose. The order read as follows : Zo Cond’r & Eng’r Nos. 6 and 7: RD and BO Number six (6) engine six forty seven (647) and Number seven (7) engine five ninety two (592) will meet and pass WHITE & WaDE, at Bassets. (Sig.) C. & E. No. 7. ‘Is Order 1016, to meet and pass at Bassets, all right, Mr. Cliken- ger ?” asked Dash, raisiny his voice, for the switch engine outside was blowing off steam, and there was considerable noise about the station. Ou perceiving a nod of assent from the dispatcher, he gave the ** All nighi,” followed by the time and the superintendent's initials. Forty five minutes liter, as Mr. Clikenger was looking over the order book, he pointed his finger to Order 1016, and asked in anxious tones : ‘“*Dykeman, did Bassets ?”’ ‘* Yes, sir; and I asked you if Bassets was all right,” replied Dash, a chill of apprehension creeping over him. ‘*T understcod you to say Barrets. Jsenf it Barrets. in for it.” ‘* Can't we catch No. 6?" whispered Dash in strained tones, rising to his feet. . ‘It’s too late.” ‘Good Heavens! Then those two trains will come tovether! No telling how many people will be killed or injured,” cried Dash, as he sank, white faced, into his chairand stared speechiessly at Mr. Clikenger in numbiny horror, ‘*T fear so,” responded the other, slowly and soberly, a strained ex- pression deepening about his mouth. Dash saw that it was no ruse of the dispatcher to try him, and amid the whirl of his agonized thoughts he vaguely wondered if he had copied the order wrong, or the operator at Boyer had repeated it back incorrectly. An effort was made to catch train No. 6 before it passed Bassets, but the operator there reported it had gone by. As there was no telegraph office at Rarrets, there was no possible chance of reaching train No. 7, and a collision seemed inevitable. Order No. 1016, you receive this order as it is written here— I fear we are CHAPTER 1X. SUSPENDED. OR a few moments neither th2 dispatcher nor Dash spoke a word. To them a strange, oppressive silence appeared to have settled about the station, The tones of the men standing outside talk - ing seemed subdued, and the large clock in’ the office, the ticking of which at other times was hardly noticeable, gave forth its regular strokes with singular distinctness, The great timepiece measured with unerring certainty the speeding seconds, as they flew by to that time both the railroad men knew the two trains would probably come together, and to Dash the steady tick tock of the swinging pendulum seemed to repeat over and over again, ‘* Too late.” Despite the suspense he was under, he was compelled to continue the discharge of his duties, though he did so in a mechanical manner, with nerves that were not the steadiest. He wondered over and over again if it could be possible he had made an error in copying the order Rassets instead of Barrets ; and he as often reviewed every minute detail of the art of receiving and copy- ing the order, and assured himself he had not. He had acquired such proficiency in his work he could not believe he had made such an error; and yet the names of the two stations were so similar, nat only in sound as spoken, but as they were made on the telegraph instru- ment, he could not help still having a doubt of his accuracy. If he had made the mistake tn receiving the word Bassets instead of Barrets, there would be no collision, and he wished and hoped it might be so, though it would be a serious reflection on his skill and accuracy as an operator; but if the operator at Boyer, who repeated the order back to him, had received it Rassets from Mr. Clikenger instead of Rarrets, there undoubtedly would be a catastrophe. An effort was made to reach the operator at Boyer, to ascertain just how he had received the order and repeated it back, but either the cir- cuit was too bad or he was not at his post, for he did not respond to the call, . ECORnNIC Oe So COWM