Rensselaer Republican, Volume 20, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 April 1888 — GREAT TRAIN WRECK [ARTICLE]

GREAT TRAIN WRECK

Eighteen Killed and Wounded: Gillam Township, April 2nd, 1888. —Train started I from voting precinct of Gillam tp., at 8 o’clock a. m., Adam : Hess first engineer, and Fom Rockwell second engineer, running a pusher behind. Thos. 'Robinson first conductor and Chas. Faris second conductor. Train started up grade with full Bead of steam but it was soon found out that the' mixture in the boiler, two thirds whisky and one third prohibition, caused disorder in the" management of the train. Thus when Hess whistled for breaks off the others always put them on, and vice versa. The train pushed up-hill until 4 p. m. when the mixture suddenly exploded, causing a terrible wreck. The list of killed and wounded are as follows: First engineer, Adam Hess, first conductor, Thos. Robinson, second engineer Rockwell, and second conductor Chas. Faris killed. Geo. W. Farris and Austin Ratbfon mortally wounded. David Rathfon and others escaped with slight in juries. J. E. and Preston Comer fell from the train early in tfie mpining, severely wounded. The Republican train come rushing in at 4 p. m. with J. R. Guild firsthand Calvin Coppess second engineers, and Al Robinson first conductor, heavily loaded with Republican voters waving the flag of victory with 36 votes ahead.

DEACON.