No one but the superintendent himself was permitted to give a train order on any part of the Pennsylvania system, or indeed of any other system, I believe, at that time.

It was then a dangerous expedient to give telegraphic orders, for the whole system of railway management was still in its infancy, and men had not yet been trained for it.

It was necessary for Mr.Scott to go out night after night to break-downs or wrecks to superintend the clearing of the line.

He was necessarily absent from the office on many mornings.
One morning I reached the office and found that a serious accident on the Eastern Division had delayed the express passenger train westward, and that the passenger train eastward was proceeding with a flagman in advance at every curve.

The freight trains in both directions were all standing still upon the sidings.