Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1907 — DIE IN IOWA WRECK. [ARTICLE]

DIE IN IOWA WRECK.

ROCK ISLAND EXPRESS COLLIDES WITH freight; Accident at Norris Siding—Nearly All Men on Train Injured and Work of Rescue Devolves on WoW«». •• ■" , • . ■-i .» Twelve persons were killed and twelve seriously injured in the wreck of the north bound express on the Rock Island Road Friday aftdrnoon at Nod ris, a little station three miles north of Cedar Falls, la. The express, which was ten minutes late, was thundering along in the effort to make up the lost time. On the siding was a. long freight train waiting for the expresßTTP pass. Just as the engine of the express came opposite the freight engine the trucks of tbe express left the track and the engine crashed with terrific force into the engine of the freight, wrecking both locomotives, telescoping the baggage and mail cars and demolishing the smoking ear, nearly every seat of which was occupied. 9

Women Aid In Reacne. It was among the occupants of this car that ail the fatalities occurred, none of the passengers in the two day coaches following thes moker being injured beyond a violent shaking up. As nearly all the men on the train were in the smoker, the work of rescue devolved almost entirely on the women passengers, all of whom assisted heroically in removing the dead and Injured from the wreck. The only man in the smoker who escaped injury, was the newsdealer, who was thrown through the broken roof and landed unhurt. One of the unidentified dead is a young man about 20 years old, in whose pocket was fonud a ticket bearing the words “Lakeland street, Chicago.” The engineer and fireman on the express train stuck to their posts and were thrown away from the wreckage. Following are the names of the dead: Oliver, P. 8., Waterloo, la. ; Goodman, Will, Waterloo; Watson, John N., Waterloo; Landphere, C. L., Shell Rock; Johnson, W. Ray, Dike,; Christy, B. R., Minneapolis, Minn.; Toja, Lepovan, Hammond, Ind.; laborer, name unknown, Hammond, Ind.; three unknown men; Bedpan, address unknown.—- - . —: ;

Those “Seriously injured were: Newell, J. A., Illinois Central conductor, Waterloo, la.; Shaw, John, Waterloo; O’Keefe, Dr. C. J., Marble Rock; Douglas, J. 11., Waterloo; Evenson, Thomas, Mora, Minn.; Martin, O. H., mail clerk, West Liberty; Steppierre, Edward, Minneapolis, Minn.; Crisxen, Trocoin, St. Phul, Minn.; McMahon, 11., fireman, Cedar Rapids, la.; Mason, Albert, engineer, Cedar Rapids ; Welllver, A. L., lineman, Cedar Rapids; Kinch, F., engineer, Cedar Rapids; Meyers, W. 11., baggageman, Burlington. Injured Man Refuses Aid. Rescuers were immediately at hand to care Tor the injured and to take the dead from among the wreckage. Sitting in the midst of the wreckage was Dr. Charles J. O’Keefe, who. although badly injured, little .realized how seriously he was hurt. With heroic fortitude, while suffering intense pain, he waved the rescuers aside and directed them to the assistance of those who he thought were in a more serious contMtloa than himself for tn front of him and behind him on all sides were men writhing and groaning in the agony of their sufferings. Physicians and hospital attendants were hastily taken to Norris on a special train, and pending their arrival such medical relief as the little station afforded was given the injured.