TILLOTSON, George E. 1841-1873

TILLOTSON

Posted By: K.L. Kittleson
Date: 1/12/2013 at 23:39:49

[Dubuque Herald, Wednesday, July 02, 1873, Dubuque, Iowa] From section "Summary of News"

The Funeral Of Tillotson the Engineer -
An Impressive Service, Etc.

WATERLOO, July 1 - On Sunday last, the mangled remains of the unfortunate engineer, Tillotson, were laid away in the tomb. On this sad occasion there was the largest concourse of people I have ever seen at a funeral in Waterloo, which assembled at 2 o'clock p.m., at the house of the deceased. The impressive funeral services of the Episcopal Church were performed by Rev. J. E. Ryan, rector of St. Mark's Church, in the open air, during which everything around seemed enveloped in gloom. The sun was obscured the most of the time by dark clouds; the gentle zephyr-like breezes seemed to sigh requiem to the departed; in fact, solemnity seemed to pervade every surrounding object, added to which was the strains of the Waterloo cornet band as they played a solemn dirge.

Mr. Tillotson being a mason, the order of masons were out in full force, and they, headed by the band, led the immense procession to the cemetery, east side. Arriving at the grove, and after the conclusion of the Episcopal burial service, the Masonic brethren performed their last solemn and impressive rites.

Mr. Tillotson was a man highly respected by his railroad brethren, and a good citizen. These considerations, added to the awful and sudden manner of his death in the midst of his usefulness and the summer-time of his life, was a mute lesson not soon to be forgotten.

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[Dubuque Herald, Friday, June 27, 1873]

RAILROAD HORROR

The Disaster on the Illinois
Central Near Farley,
Wednesday Night

A SCENE OF WRECK AND RUIN.

Engineer Tillotson and Fireman
Anderson Terribly Mutilated
and Killed.

The railroad accident on the Illinois Centeral west of Farley Wednesday night, disclosed in daylight Thursday morning a scene of disaster surpassing even the worst anticipations when intelligence of it reached Dubuque shortly after its occurrence.

The wrecked train was composed of twenty cars lead by engine No. 196, one of the largest freight engines, termed in the parlance of railroad men, "Moquis." A number of the cars were loaded with merchandise, one of them with cattle, and others were empty. The train left this station on time at forty minutes past 8 o'clock Wednesday night, bound for Fort Dodge, the terminus of it's route, reaching Farley at 10:30, where it makes but a few minutes stay, and a mile and a quarter west of the station, about have a mile from where the rails were found displaced by the freight train Wednesday morning, the terrible disaster occurred.

The investigation which has been made into the affair proves conclusively that it is the result of heartless villainy on the part of some scoundrel whose soul is steeped in guilt that the grace of heaven can scarce wash away. The perpetrator, whoever he is, evidently had a spite against the railroad company, and sought revenge methodically, and if it is any satisfaction to him, let him go and view the fruits of his work - let him gaze upon the disfigured human ashes of poor Tillotson and Anderson and take joy to his heart if he can.

The locality of the accident is in a cut about sixty feet wide and five or six feet deep, where the road descends a light grade. It was caused by the removal of a rail covering seven ties on the east side of the track, which was carried and left on the bank a car length and a half west of the tract opposite from where it was taken. All the spikes, excepting one on the outside of this rail were removed from ties with a claw-bar, those on the inside were left standing above the wood, and when the engine reached this point were flattened down to the surface by the wheels. The train was under full speed when it reached the defective track.

The engine wheels missed the end of the rail of the opposite side of the breach, and after running two or three rods on the ties, veered around and tumbled over on its side, cross-ways in the cut, the tender following turned upside down and the cars urged forward by the high rate of speed at which they had been moving, crushed in and mounted upon each other, and Thursday morning were found piled three deep in one place. One car shot over the others, and landed in the cut thirty or forty feet beyond.

The merchandise with which the box cars were loaded was profusely scattered around in every direction. The stock car was battered and smashed, but very fortunately the cattle escaped unhurt. Gentlemen who visited the scene of the disaster yesterday say the train is the most complete wreck they ever witnessed, every car is more or less injured, but seven of them - four stock and three box cars - are knocked into splinters, and the locomotive stove to pieces.

But what of George Tillotson, the engineer and ____[Can't read] Anderson, his fireman. The saddest part of our record is yet to be made. These two men were both in the engine cab with the hour of disaster came. When it had passed and relief came, Tillotson was found standing or leaning against the butt of the boiler with his hand grasping the throttle lever, stark dead, hemmed in on every side by the debris of broken cars surrounding and covering the cab, and those who secured his body had to hack their way to him with axes. His hands were cooked by the steam escaping from the boiler, and the flesh hung from them in dribblets; his skull was broken and his face cut.

A fine watch was taken from Tillotson's pocket, the crystal was broken and it had stopped running at 10:40, probably the exact time the accident took place. Tillotson lived in Waterloo, and leaves a wife and one child to mourn him.

Anderson was found under a freight car, lying on his back in the dirt, naked. His left leg was torn from the hop socket, and his body was crushed to a jelly and hardly recognizable. Anderson also lived in Waterloo, and leave a wife and two children. He was a son-in-law to Mr. Wm. Davenport, engineer on the Illinois Central, who resides at Independence, and there his body has been sent for burial.

Tillotson and Anderson were men of great integrity of character and the fullest confidence was reposed in them by the railroad company.
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NOTES:

George E. Tillotson
Birth: Nov. 19, 1841
Death: Jun. 25, 1873

Children:
May Tillotson (1871-1875)
Georgie G. Tillotson (1873-1875)

Burial: Fairview Cemetery, Waterloo, Black Hawk County, Iowa

(Credit: Laurie Bowman)

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