Burial vault bringing drivers to dead stops

A burial vault along Silver Springs Road near Highway 74 is bringing some drivers to a dead stop, which is what Bill Beggs, 68, and his son, Bill Beggs Jr., had wanted.

Beggs was tired of seeing people speed by his property on Silver Springs Road. Besides, he needed something to cover up telephone wires suddenly exposed to the elements by road work.

"We were having trouble with wires shorting out," the elder Beggs explained.

So Beggs decided he'd find something to cover up the wires and at the same time send a message to speeders. What better to slow down cars buzzing by at speeds of 55 mph in the 45 mph zone, while protecting his phone wires, than a steel burial vault?

Beggs Jr. said he discovered the burial vault in a salvage yard while working for an excavating business years ago. He said it had been sitting on the farm for a while, and was big enough to cover the phone junction box so they used it.

He said he plans to keep his 1930-model, Dixie-made burial vault on display until the city completes its work on Silver Springs. After that, he figures that he'll put the steel shell back into storage, until he needs it to cover up something else around the farm.

When asked whether he thought the vault might actually lead to an accident due to its distracting nature, the elder Beggs said that he feels that it will do the exact opposite and help to prevent accidents.