Grennbury S. Coad

COAD

Posted By: Leslie W. Saint (email)
Date: 9/6/2012 at 03:32:35

Burlington Daily Hawk Eye, Burlington, IA, Sun., June 27, 1880, p. 4

Death's Decree.

G. P. Goad is another Victim of a railroad switch.

Amid the scenes of peaceful home or in the quiet routine of daily business, how seldom we turn the eye of sympathy toward the moving mutitude, who hazard their lives in daily toil, supplying the great resources of commerce and propelling the very life blood of our nation, as it courses through its arteries irom year to year. We all pay homage to Mr Stephenson for inventing the locomotive, but how rarely do we devote sympathetic or appreciative thought to the thousands who operate tbe moving train. Seldom, indeed, were it not for the thrilling news which flashes upon us that some poor unfortunate young man has been mangled to death or maimed for life. Our cities afford vast numbers of cripples depending upon the friendly crutch as means of locomotion. When we think of these facts we are free to admit that no class of men deserves more sympathy and receives less than the railroad men.

The accident yesterday was a very sad one, about one o'clock. Mr. G. S. Coad, brakeman on tbe first section of train No. 14, was coupling cars at Mt. Pleasant, when his foot caught in the frog. He was thrown under the train, the cars passing over him in such a manner as to almost sever the body above the right hip; the incision did not extend over two-thirds through the body. The young man retained consciousness for a short time after the sad affair occurred, but expired at the end of an hour. The body was taken to this city on a train which arrived here about seven o'clock. It was then given (ed.-folded newspaper, three words) his vault till morning and prepared by him for the burial which occurs this afternoon.

The deceased. Greenbury Coad, was twenty three years of age, and been in the employe of the company about a year. Previously he had been engaged in the drug house of C. P. Squires & Co. His father ia an industrious mechanic, working in the C. B. & Q. ahops.