Wells, Victor S. 1856 - 1878

WELLS

Posted By: Reid R. Johnson (email)
Date: 1/29/2013 at 02:39:22

Postville Review, Sat., 16 Nov. 1878.

DIED ON THE RAILS. Vic Wells Instantly Killed.

Another of those terrible and too frequent railroad accidents occurred on the main line of the B.C.R.& N. R.R. one and a half miles south of Clarksville last Saturday evening, at 7:30, by which Victor S. Wells, son of Benj. Wells of Postville, was instantly killed.

Vic, as he was familiarly called, was breaking on a freight train, and as the train left Clarksville the conductor sent him onto the train to bring back a tramp that had climbed onto the train as it started. Accordingly, he went forward from the caboose several cars to where the tramp was standing, and was talking to him when the train passed a bridge, the cross timbers of which were not high enough to clear their heads when standing. The tramp being ahead of vic, about in the center of the car, was struck first and fell on the car, not seriously hurt. Vic, being near the rear of the car, fell backward between the cars and eight cars ran over him, crossing his body from his right hip to his left side, severing him entirely in twain, and of course killing him instantly.

The train ran on to the next station when the tramp informed the engineer what had happened, he having crawled to the front of the train while it was in motion, and it was immediately backed up and the remains taken to Cedar Rapids, where his wife resided. The relatives here received the terrible news by telegraph on Sunday, and Mrs. Wells and her sons went on the morning train Monday to the Rapids to attend the funeral, which took place at Green on Tuesday afternoon, from the M.E. church, Rev. Shoemaker officiating, where his remains were intered, at the urgent request of his wife whose home is at Green.

The railroad company did all in its power to assist the relatives and friends, running a special car from Cedar Rapids to Green for their free accommodation, paying all funeral expenses, furnishing passes to relatives &c.

Victor was 22 years of age the 25th of last April. He was married in April last. He was held in high esteem by the company as well as by all who knew him; and if he had lived he would have been soon promoted. But in a moment he was cut down and his place is vacant. His wife, his parents and other members of the family have the sincere sympathy of all in their great and sudden bereavement.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.

Submitter is not related.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------.