N&W in 1911--New mail cars

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Bluefield Daily Telegraph
February 14, 1911

ORDER FOR SIX ALL-STEEL MAIL CARS PLACED
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Norfolk and Western Again Gives Evidence of Spirit of Progress
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WILL BE PREPARED WHEN LAW BECOMES EFFECTIVE
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Bill Introduced by Congressman Hughes, of This District, Came as Result of His Experience as Railroad Man and Observations
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MAIL CLERKS SELDOM IN POSITION TO ESCAPE INJURY

    The spirit of progress which has made the Norfolk and Western a road to be reckoned with as a business proposition has again marked the road as still progressive.  An order has been placed by the Norfolk and Western for six all-steel mail cars which will be used between Norfolk and Columbus.  These cars the road has ordered early so as to be certain of being equipped on time in case the bill fathered by James A. Hughes, of this district, becomes a law, which is more than likely, as by its provisions railroads must have all their trains equipped with steel mail cars one-third by January 1, 1913, on-third by January 1, 1914, and the balance by January 1, 1916.
    The cars now in use on the Norfolk and Western between the points mentioned are steel underframe cars of the heavy pattern and weight 107,000 pounds, being almost the heaviest cars on the trains.  At the time of the recent mail car wreck Cincinnati eve a number of papers stated that mail cars in use were flimsy affairs, but as a matter of fact the cars in use are the strongest made, next to all steel car, and it is unlikely that even an all steel car would have withstood the wreck of Christmas eve.
    The bill introduced by Mr. Hughes providing for all-steel mail cars came as a result of his experience as a railroad man, and his observation of the fact that many of the passenger train wrecks result in the death or injury of mail clerks whose cars are close to the engine and the men are seldom in a position to escape injury of some kind in case of a wreck.  Nearly every man, woman and child is interested in the movement of mail trains and the news that the Norfolk and Western is one of the first roads, if not the first, to order all-steel mail cars is of interest.
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Gordon Hamilton
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