Veteran Trainman Dies After Accident While Switching Cars

Transfusion of Blood is Made After Fellow Workers Volunteer

IN SERVICE 35 YEARS

James F. Christy, 60 years old, an employee of the Chicago and North Western Railway company for the past 35 years, died at 9:30 Tuesday morning in Court View hospital here, approximately nine hours after his leg had been crushed while aiding a railway crew switch a number of freight cars on the tracks near the site of the new Missouri river materials yard.

For at least 10 minutes and perhaps longer, he lay unconscious at the point of the mishap and it was only by chance that he was then discovered. He was rushed to the hospital here in an automobile but had lost so much blood that a transfusion was necessary. Fellow railway workers volunteered and gave blood, but his condition gradually weakened and he died without regaining consciousness.

As railway workers reconstructed the accident, a carload of railroad materials was being switched to the siding and Christy, conductor of the train was near the car that was being switched. Heavy railway ties had been wired to the track to prevent the switched car form traveling further than necessary. In some manner Christy became caught between this wired-on tie and the moving car and his leg was badly mangled.

Dr. Morris Nielsen responded to the call and after examination said that an amputation could not be attempted until a transfusion was made. In the meantime members of Christy’s family were summoned, his widow being with him when he died. A brother, Dr. Christy, of Hastings, Iowa, with Mrs. Christy made a hurried automobile trip to Blair, but arrived here a few minutes after the veteran railroad man had died. Christy’s home was at Fremont.

Discovery of the unconscious man was made accidentally by another Fremont man whose name was not learned. With other road workers he has been living in a bunk car on the sidetrack, laying the new track to facilitate unloading of materials for river construction work. Because of the extreme heat he was unable to sleep and shortly after midnight he rose and went for a walk, coming upon he injured man.

Christy was brought to Blair in an automobile belonging to another of the yards workers and the eight hour battle to save his life began, to no avail.

Note: Death date was 30 July 1935.

~~~ Obituary courtesy of the Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair Public Library at Blair, Nebraska.~~~

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