N&W in 1909--Tricycle

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
April 14, 1909

ATTEMPT IS MADE TO WRECK TRICYCLE
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Tie Placed Across Track Would Have Caused Serious Trouble If Struck

    It has become known that an attempt was made to wreck a tricycle on which B. W. Stras, of Tazewell, and Campbell Stras, of McComas were riding one day last week near Springton [West Virginia].  Campbell Stras is manager of a coal operation near Springton, where B. W. Stras had gone on a business trip, being interested in mining coal at that place.  B. W. Stras was invited down to Campbell Stras' operation to dine with him, and upon his acceptance of the invitation, Campbell Stras brought a tricycle after him, the distance being several miles.  While they were returning, a chain broke on the machine, and it had to be pushed the rest of the distance.  Just as they were rounding a sharp curve, they found lying crossways of the track a large railroad tie, which, if they had struck it with the machine, would have wrecked the machine, and probably seriously injured its occupants.  No reason, whatever, for the placing of the tie upon the track could be given by either of them, other than that robbery was the intention of the person who placed it upon the track.  If the tie had not been noticed and removed by them, a serious wreck might have been caused to a passenger or freight train.
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[Springton was on the right fork of the N&W's Bluestone-Widemouth branch and in the early years saw three passenger trains a day as well as freight trains.  What were these non-railroad employees doing on the track on a tricycle?]

Gordon Hamilton
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