C. R. Simons

SIMONS

Posted By: Sharon Elijah (email)
Date: 12/5/2016 at 19:09:43

7 April 1911 - The Lowden News

C. R. Simons is dead and James O'Hara badly injured as the result of being struck by an extra freight on the North-Western railway at Wheatland about 6 o'clock Tuesday night. Both men were from Tipton. The two men were employed on the Cedar county bridge gang, but did not work Tuesday on account of the rain. They went to Wheatland to spend the day, and late in the afternoon went to the depot, where they intended to board the evening west-bound passenger. It is presumed that the men mistook the freight for the passenger and crossed to the south platform, preparatory to getting on board. Discovering their mistake they undertook to cross back to the north platform in advance of the train but were struck before they could reach safety. Mr. O'Hara was hurled across the south platform by the force of the impact and Mr. Simons was deposited between the south platform and the tracks. Doctors were immediately summoned, dressed the wounds of the two men and conveyed them to the hospital, where an operation was performed at once. Mr. Simons died within an hour, however. He had sustained a broken leg, a badly torn scalp and internal injuries.

The injuries to Mr. O'Hara are not believed to be so serious, although at first it was feared that both men had been fatally injured. His left arm was broken above the wrist and his jaw bone fractured. A sister, Miss Julia O'Hara, teaches in the schools at Stanwood and was immediately called, arriving at 7:12 o'clock Tuesday evening. Father Glynn of Mechanicsville was also summoned, arriving in the evening. Mr. Simons leaves a wife and two children in Tipton, to mourn his death.