and the combination freight and
passenger trains compose the second class. All other trains, such as
local freights, work trains and construction trains belong to the third
class. It is an invariable rule on all railroads that trains running one
way have _exclusive rights_ over trains of their own and of inferior
classes running in the opposite direction.

What is called the "double order system," is used almost exclusively on
all single track roads, and if the rules and regulations governing it
were strictly adhered to and carried out, accidents for which human
agency is responsible, would be impossible. It consists simply in giving
an order to all the trains concerned _at the same time_. That is to say,
if the despatcher desires to make a meeting point for two trains, he
will send the same order simultaneously to both of them. If a train is
leaving his end of the division and he desires to make a meeting point
with a train coming in, before giving his order to his conductor and
engineer, he would telegraph it to a station at which the incoming train
was soon to arrive, and from whence the operator would repeat it back
word for word, and would give a signal signifying that his red board was
turned. By this means both trains would receive the same order, and
there would be no doubt about the point at which they were to meet.

To illustrate this method, let us suppose a case of two sections of No.
13 running east and one section of No. 14 running west. Both trains are
of the second class, and as the east bound trains have the right of way,
No. 14 _must_ keep out of the way of the two 13's. A certain point, call
it Smithville, is, according to the time card, the meeting point for
these two trains. But No. 14 finds out she has a lot of work to do at
Jonesboro; or a hot driving box or a draw head pulling out delays her,
and thus she cannot possibly reach Smithville for No. 13. She is at
Jason, and unless she can get orders to run farther on No. 13's time,
she will have to tie up there and be further delayed an hour. The
conductor tells the operator at Jason to ask "DS" if he can help them
out any. "DS" glances over his train sheet, and finds that he cannot let
them run to Smithville, because No. 13 is nearly on time; but there is a
siding at Burkes, between Jason and Smithville, and he concludes to let
14 go there. So he tells the operator at Jason to "copy 3," and then he
calls Smithville and tells him to "copy 5." Both t