N&W in 1911--Speeder accident

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
April 12, 1911

GASOLINE SPEEDER CRASHES INTO TRAIN
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Murray Jones, Railroad Employe Making Inspection Trip, Receives Injuries That Prove Fatal
    Rushing along on a gasoline speeder used by signal maintainers yesterday about noon, Murray Jones crashed into the rear of a local freight standing at Cedar and received such severe injuries that he lived but a short time after he was taken to the Y. M. C. A. building at Williamson.  It is estimated that the man was running his speeder over thirty miles an hour and was perhaps working on some part of the machinery when he came upon the train so suddenly that he could not bring his machine to a stop in time to avert the smash which caused his death.  The speeder was demolished.
    Jones's remains were taken to Ronceverte on train No. 3 and he will be buried at his home there.
    The man was in the employ of the railroad company and was making an inspection trip when the accident occurred.  The speeders, which are geared high enough for men using them to get out of the way of any trains which may be following, are used at times in great bursts of speed and chauffeurs frequently drive them at a speed greater than fifty miles an hour, according to the reports of railroad men.  Several men have been injured from time to time while riding the cars and only recently one of the officials of the road received a broken arm when he ran into an open switch which the negro [sic] who was riding with him saw, but did not speak of because he said he thought his boss "had ought to know all them things and if he could take a chance he guesses a poor old 'nigger' could."
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[It's interesting that the reporter wrote that the remains were taken to Ronceverte on No. 3 because Ronceverte, WV, is on the C&O.  Apparently the remains were transferred from No. 3 to the C&O at Kenova.  Incidentally, Ronceverte is on the Greenbrier and I heard long ago that "Ronceverte" is French for "Greenbrier," but I could not confirm this using Google translation.  Anyone know?]

Gordon Hamilton
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