Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 37, Number 25, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1905 — ROBBERS DITCH LIMITED. [ARTICLE]

ROBBERS DITCH LIMITED.

Raila Removed in lowa and Cara Go Down Embankment. Rock Island officials in Dt-s Mornes say that the wrecking of the Rocky Mountain limited near Homestead, lowa, was the work of robbers, who succeeded in escaping. Seven persons were injured, three of them dangerously. An examination of the track showed that the epikes for nearly the length of a rail had been removed. The wreck occurred on a high embankment. The Denver and Colorado Springs sleepers landed in the ditch, on end. the embankment at that point being about thirty-five feet high. The engine, mail ear and composite car also went down the embankment. The wreck, it is reported, was caused by an unknown person who removed spikes, bars and anglebare and misplaced the rail. Spikes were removed from two rails on the south side of the track. The engine and first four cars were thrown 'down a 45-foot embankment. The engine was completely stripped, the mail car destroyed, the buffet car thrown on its side and two sleepers Iwtdly damaged.