N&W in 1910--Narrow escape

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
October 5, 1910

WOMAN AND DAUGHTER HAD NARROW ESCAPE
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Attempted to Catch Passenger Train When it Was Moving Out From the Station
    Captain P. H. Shrewsbury, the well known passenger conductor, enacted the role of a hero at the depot yesterday and as a result an Italian woman and her ten-year-old daughter are safe at their home at Switchback, instead of lying at an undertaking establishment awaiting identification.
    It all happened when No. 1 was pulling out of the station yesterday afternoon.  The woman evidently not acquainted with the way the trains are run from the city, let the train get a good start before she attempted to board it.  Seeing the train was about to leave her she rushed for the train, but the strong arm of Mr. Shrewsbury prevented her from catching hold of the grab iron.  She fought frantically to free herself from the captain's grip fully bent on not disappointing her Sunny Italy provider.
    Finally the train was stopped and she boarded it, probably not knowing how near she and her daughter came to meeting a tragic death which would surely have resulted but for the timely efforts of Captain Shrewsbury.
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[The attached image shows an open-platform car, and note how the open platform would induce people to try to board or unload while the train was moving.  This type car would be replaced by closed vestibule cars that would essentially eliminate this safety hazard.]

Gordon Hamilton
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