N&W in 1903 -- Employee Accidents

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[The following three N&W employee injury or fatality articles were all from the same September 2, 1903, issue of the Bluefield Daily Telegraph.  A review of the 1903 issues of this newspaper reveal that hardly a day went by without one or more accounts of an injury or death to an N&W man, or at least to a trespasser on the N&W.  Railroading was rough in 1903.]

CONDUCTOR LEAMAN HAS LEG AMPUTATED
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Reported as Getting Along Nicely and No Doubt Entertained as to His Ultimate Recovery
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    Conductor Ike Leaman, who was so badly injured in the wreck near Chilhowie Saturday afternoon, as was noted in the Daily Telegraph, was taken to Roanoke hospital, where one of his legs was amputated on Sunday.  He is said to be getting along nicely and spent a comfortable day yesterday.  No doubt is entertained as to his ultimate recovery.


PARYLIZED [sic] WITH FEAR
BRAKEMAN MADE NO EFFORT TO GET OUT OF WAY AND WAS
MASHED TO DEATH
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    The tragic fate of Flagman Phelps [name blurred, best estimate], who met death in the Norfolk and Western collision near Chilhowie, Va., on Saturday, was attended by rather peculiar circumstances.  It is stated that the flagman, who was new in railroad work, was standing on the rear platform of the cab of the work train, which was moving slowly, when a heavy freight train came in sight around a curve.  It was plain that a rear end collision could not be avoided.  Flagman Phelps must have realized this, but he was so completely dazed at the unexpected sight of the ponderous locomotive bearing down upon him, that although he could have jumped to safety with impunity, he stood dumb and motionless and allowed the engine to crush him to death.  The least presence of mind would have saved him.  At it was, his body was horribly mangled between the cab and the engine.



ENGINEMAN LUCAS KILLED IN WRECK
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FIREMAN STAFFORD SERIOUSLY INJURED
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Freight Cars Broke Loose And Running Back Struck Engine
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Dead Man Was Well Known in Bluefield and Has Two Children Living in This City
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    Roanoke, Va., Sept. 1. -- A fatal wreck occurred this morning on the Roanoke and Southern division of the Norfolk and Western railroad, which cost the life of  W. H. W. Lucas, an engineer, and probably that of J. W. Stafford, a fireman.
    Engineer Lucas and Fireman Stafford had charge of passenger train No. 2, southbound, and when near Ridgeway, Henry county, the cab and four cars of freight train No. 88 [?? blurred], also southbound, broke loose, and as the freight was going up grade the cab came back at a fearful rate of speed and struck the engine of the passenger train, which was following, instantly killing Engineer Lucas and seriously scalding Fireman Stafford.  The report claims that the fireman's injuries are serious.
    The passenger train was in charge of Conductor Sam Johnson.
    Two physicians were sent to the wreck and rendered every assistance known to the medical profession.
    The dead engineer resided at ??? Patterson avenue. s. w.  Fireman Stafford resided at ??? First avenue, ?. ?. [some numerals and letters blurred]
    News of the death of Engineer Lucas reached Bluefield yesterday afternoon and has cast a gloom over the entire community.  The deceased was one of the oldest enginemen on the road, beginning before the Civil War, when the N. & W.  was the Virginia & Tennessee.  In all he was thirty-five years in the service of the road.  He quit the road four times during the time and embarked in other business, but he was so much attached to the life that he went back to it.  [The remainder of the article about his survivors, his affiliation with the Brotherhood, etc., is omitted here.]
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