Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1903-07-21
jumped to Death.

rltuoy u1ui uiu6 at A-.Vv la s"N
devort, a fireman in the employ of the
Santa Fe company, jumped from his
engine at the east switch at Pisgah,
a siding 1870 miles ives. of Needles,
Cal, and from the injuries received he
died some two hours afrerward and
before medical aid could be obtained
He was the fireiiaa on the engine
pulling the passenger rain No. ! and
at Pisgah they met extra No. 77o,
which was in the siding waiting for
them. The S~witchl.g,s. was not burn
ing and as No. Z approached the
switch at a rapid speed, the headlight
showed it to be thrown for the sid
Ing which would head the passenger
train into the extra east or ditch 1t.
Fireman Vandevort saw the danger.
dropped into the gangway and jump
ed into space. Engineer Mark Devlin
was also ready to Jump but just the
moment before letting go his hold he
saw the switch thrown and the train
went on down the main line in safety.
He missed his fireman. brought the
train to a stop and hurried back. The
engine crew on the extra saw the fly
ing body and thought the passenger
had struck the brakeman at the
switch. When picked up the injured
fireman gave his name in answer to
inquiries, but before No. Z had reach
ed Barstow he had expired.
Shops to Be closed.-It looks as
though the strike of the boilermakers
machinists, car repairers and other
employees of the Atchison, Topeka &
Santa Fe railway company at La Jun
ia. Colo, will result in greatly increas-
ing the work Of the shops in Topeka,
as all Of the work formerly done there
except that of repairing gears, will be
taken to the Kansas capital. The
strike at La Junta now amounts al
most to a lockout. Asked II the en-
ployes at La Junta had been locked
out, H. U. Nudge, general manager Of
the company said:
mo, it is hardly a lockout. About
three hundred and thirty men, inclui-
ing a number of boiler makers, ma
chinists, car r~epairers, and other la
borers, quit work this week and the
company will not allow them to return
to their places. We have made no ar
rangements to fill the places OF the
men and do not intend doing anything
Of that kind. There is no great neces-
sity of the La Junta shops nov that
we have the new shops in Topeka.
The work formerly done at La Junta
will now be brought to Topeka with
the exception Of repairs that are i'm
mediately necessary to rolling stock.
The work which has been handled in
the shops at La Junta will all be
brought here"
What was the contention or de-
mand of the strikers" was asked.
"They made no demand" said Mr..
Nudge, Their pay checks did not
arrive on the day they were expected
and the men just walked out. OF
course, the company could not stand
for that. It is customary to deliver
thel checks to them on the 10th of
each month. The checks were deliv-
cred to the express office here on the
18th as usual, but failed to reach their
destination on time. The master me-
chanic Of the shops asked the men
for a conference with their grievance
committee, but this request was ig.
nored. The men will not be taken
back. We cannot have strikes over
such trivial matters ami do not want
such men working for us. Some Of
the men were led into the trouble by
the agitators and these may be given
work again after we have time to
learn who they are, but the leaders
cannot work for the company again"