Clark County NV Archives Obituaries.....NELSON, A. R. January 6 1918
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Gerry Perry missgerry@cox.net May 30, 2004, 12:28 am

Las Vegas Age - 1/12/1918
Las Vegas Age

1/12/1918



RAILROAD EMPLOYEE IS KILLED BY TRAIN



A. R. NELSON MEETS DEATH THROUGH COLLISION OF HIS SPEEDER WITH ENGINE



    A. R. NELSON, a track inspector on the Salt Lake Route, while coming

down the grade this side of Apex siding on his speeder, collided with the

engine of second number two last Sunday morning, receiving injuries from

which he died that evening.

    The deceased had been a resident of Vegas for several years and his

death was a shock to many.

    Coroner C. D. BREEZE held an inquest Monday to inquire into the cause of

the death.

    W. C. SEELEY testified as follows - "We were going east on second number

two January 6, about 18 miles east of here.  We were rounding a sharp curve

in a cut.  A. R. NELSON was apparently coming west on a hand speeder and did

not hear the train.  The speed of the train was about 30 miles an hour.

After he was struck we stopped the train and picked him up.  I was conductor

on the train.  After we picked him up we went to the next siding about two

miles away, set out the train and brought NELSON back to Las Vegas in the

caboose, about 2:45 p.m.  Before leaving Apex we put up the railroad

telephone and told the operator to have the railroad doctor come down to the

train to take care of A. R. NELSON as we had injured him badly.  Did not see

him when he was struck.  Was riding in the caboose."

    Chas. DOYLE, rear brakeman on the train testified to the same facts as

Mr. SEELEY.  "NELSON was lying about 12 feet from the track when I saw him.

The speeder was about six feet from him.  The speeder was struck by the

train."

    George DEVERELL, head brakeman, testified that he was riding in the day

coach.  He testified to the same facts as Mr. SEELEY and said that the road

is down grade coming this way.  The train was making 30 miles an hour.

    W. M. JONES, the engineer on second number two, testified that on a

sharp curve to the left close to mile post 350, between Dyke and Apex, the

fireman hollered, "Man on the track."  ":I shut off steam and applied the

brakes in emergency.  Just had time to whistle before he was hit.  I did not

see him before he was hit.  The curve is to the left and very sharp.  From

my position on the right side of the engine you cannot see a man that low,

sitting on a speeder.  The engine obstructs the sight that low.  There were

eight cars and a caboose in the train."

    Clyde CASKEY, the fireman, testified.  "As we rounded the first curve on

my side, just as near as I can tell about two car lengths east of this curve

I saw this man coming towards us on the speeder.  I hollered to Mr. JONES, '

Hold em,'  At that time he applied the air.  I said, 'I guess we have killed

that man.'  Just as I hollered 'Hold 'em,' it seemed to me that this man

must have seen us at apparently the same instant.  It looked to me as if he

raised up like that (indicates) to stop the speeder, but was in a bending

position.  Just at that the train appeared to strike him.  I could see about

two car lengths ahead of the engine.  Absolutely nothing more could have

been done to stop the train more quickly.  He was coming about fifteen miles

an hour on his speeder.  If we had been stopped he could not have stopped

his speeder coming around the curve.  When he was struck he was turned

around.  That was the last I could see of him.  I did not see the speeder

after that.  I stayed with the engine.  All I know is that the small wheel

of the engine was lying three feet from the track.  In answer to the

question as to whether NELSON knew that there would be a second number two

and if there was anything on the first section to indicate that there was a

second number two, he answered, "I do not know but there must have been."

    Dr. John A. FULLER, assistant railroad surgeon, testified.  "I knew A.

R. NELSON during his life.  He was delivered to me in an injured condition.

We removed him to the hospital and found he had a compound fracture on the

front part of his skull.  He afterward died in the hospital.  There were two

open wounds on the head from which brain matter was protruding - from one of

them.  He was bleeding from both wounds and from the nose.  Every time he

breathed {illegible} the air escaped from the wounds in his head.  He died

at 8:30.  There were no wounds on his body.  He died from the fractures of

the skull.

    The coroner's jury returned a verdict in accordance with the evidence

given above.  The jury was composed of E. W. GRIFFITH, foreman, E. G.

MURTAUGH, M. M. RILEY, H. J. WOODARD, J. M. ULLOM, R. H. JOHNSON and W. I.

ROBERTS.





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