James Earl Fahey 1885-1914

FAHEY, FLAHERTY, FAHERTY, BAGAN

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 6/18/2011 at 22:28:31

James Earl Fahey Dies of Injury
Injured on Railroad Derrick While on Duty Near Round Lake Saturday Night
Died Sunday Afternoon
Funeral Services Held From Catholic Church Tuesday Forenoon at 9:30 O’clock
The shadow of death has again cast a gloom over our community and this time the people are called to mourn the death of Earl Fahey. Stricken in the prime of life, a bright future before him, blest with a splendid home, a beautiful wife, a loving father and mother and sister an innumerable friends, his death seems untimely and inconsolable.

While on duty as engineer on the Rock Island road near Round Lake, Minnesota, Saturday night at about eleven o’clock Earl Fahey was injured on a big derrick and wounds inflicted from which he never recovered. He had been called out on a special early Saturday morning to pull the big derrick and crew to near Round Lake to remove piling on the company’s right-of-way to enable a big dredging outfit to pass. Work had been prosecuted all day and was nearly completed. A few more piling had to be removed but the sixteen hour service of the crew had almost expired. Conductor Harry Hollenbeck was standing on the derrick table near the operator and Engineer Fahey stepped on the table to consult the conductor about their time of quitting. While they were in conversation a piling was raised and as the boom swung around to deposit the piling the rear portion of the boom caught Engineer Fahey just below the waist line and crushed his body against a beam on the derrick table. His pelvic bones were broken and other serious injuries sustained. He was at once taken by special train to his home in this city where all was done for him that loving hands and skilled physicians could do, but in vain and at about four o’clock Sunday afternoon, surrounded by relatives and friends his spirit returned to the God that gave it and the dreadful words went forth, “Earl is dead.” But there is yet the consolation that Earl is not dead. His frail body is dead but his spirit lives and awaits the coming of those who mourn his absence and genial comradeship.

Rev. Father J. G. Murtagh met Earl as the train pulled into Estherville and there received word that he was prepared for the worst and had not forgotten the Catholic faith and the teachings of his mother.

He was taken to the city hospital where an operation was performed after a consultation by the leading physicians but nothing could be done to prolong life.

Earl Fahey had scarcely reached the prime of life. He was a faithful employee of the Rock Island railroad, being at the time of his death an engineer and one of the best on the road. He was kindhearted and true and no one knew him who was not his friend and loved him.

Those who knew him best loved him most. He was a prince among his comrades and when the word went over the wires Sunday afternoon and passed to his associates on the railroad, strong men bowed their heads in grief and wept. They all realized that their truest friend and most congenial companion had been stricken at a time when most needed.

The funeral was held from the Catholic church Tuesday at 9:30 o’clock and interment made in the Catholic cemetery. The Elks lodge No. 628 of which he was a most beloved member was represented by a large delegation and a large concourse of friends at home and abroad were present to pay their respect to the departed. There was also in attendance a large delegation of the fireman’s and engineer’s organizations.

The floral offerings were numerous and beautiful, the casket at the home and the room in which the deceased remained until the funeral was literally covered by lovely cut flowers and floral emblems, mute but beautiful tributes to the dead from loving and heart broken friends and relatives.

The community mourns the death of Earl and to the bereaved and sorrowing wife and parents and sister, Mrs. Dennis Bagan, the heartfelt sympathy of all goes forth.

James Earl Fahey, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Fahey of this city, was born at Galt, Iowa, August 5, 1886 [1885]; died in this city at 3:30 o’clock p.m., May 31.

At the age of five years he moved with his parents to Iowa Falls, where he remained until 1903, having graduated that year from high school. That fall he went to Cedar Rapids and attended business college for a short time and in December of that year he came with his parents, to Estherville, where he resided until his death.

After coming to Estherville he accepted a position in the superintendent’s office of the Rock Island railroad, which he held until he resigned to take a position as fireman on the same road. Three years ago he was promoted to engineer and this position he held when he received his fatal injury. He was held in the highest esteem by his fellow employees as well as by the officials of the road and out of respect to his family and in his honor no freight trains were run out of this city Tuesday morning until after the funeral.

He served on the legislative board of the locomotive fireman organization for two terms and was its financial secretary one year.
June 20, 1911, he was united in marriage to Miss Lulu Flaherty, at Mooreland, Iowa, with whom he lived happily until the Grim Messenger severed the bond.

The funeral was conducted by Rev. Father J. G. Murtagh assisted by Rev. Father Kelly, deacon of Graettinger and Rev. Father Carroll, sub-deacon of Ayrshire, services being opened by Solemn Requiem Mass.

The pall bearers were: Henry O’Neil and Dan Casey, of Cedar Rapids, Chas. O’Neil of Des Moines, and H. T. Nichols, Chas. Stedman and Ed. Donovan of this city.

Relatives and friends from out of town to attend the funeral were: Mrs. W. Riley, Mrs. P. J. O’Neil, of Iowa Falls, Mrs. J. McGuire and daughter, Genevieve, of Buffalo Center, Mrs. J. Pardin and Mrs. S. Martin of George, Iowa, Mr. and Mrs. Tom Fahey, Mr. and Mrs. John Fahey and Mrs. C. Carlson of Ackley, Iowa, Mr. Edward Flaherty, Mr. Tom Flaherty, Miss Francis Flaherty and Mrs. Chas. Savage of Fort Dodge, Mr. Albert Flaherty, Mr. Ed T. Flaherty, Miss Nellie Flaherty and miss Luly Roy, of Mooreland, and Miss Mayme Flaherty of Des Moines and Vincent Kelly of Emmetsburg. (Vindicator and Republican, Estherville, IA, June 3, 1914)

J. E. Fahey is Killed
Was One of Estherville’s and the Rock Island’s Highly Respected Young Men
Death Not Instantaneous
Was Struck by the Rock Island Wrecking Derrick and Crushed.
Died Within a Few Hours
The citizens of our city received a severe shock on Sunday last by the announcement of the sudden death of one of its most respected young men. Mr. Fahey has lived in this city for years and had become a factor among our young people by his ever friendly and gentlemanly ways. He was one of those young men who was at all times strong in his convictions, but was ever obliging and a close friend to those with whom he associated. Earl as he was called was for some time connected with the general offices of the Rock Island railway, but finally changed his occupation to that of fireman. He was ever faithful and industrious and soon worked up to the position of an engineer in which capacity he was working at the time of his death.

On last Saturday evening he as engineer pulled the wrecking train to a point this side of Round Lake that it might lift a bridge to let a dredge through. While the pileing were being lifted he and Harry Hollenback, the conductor in charge, were standing on the rear of the wrecking car. It was about 11:30 and the place was well lighted, but for some reason Earl did not notice that the big derrick was swinging farther than usual and he was caught between it and the edge of the car and his body crushed about the hips and injured internally. The machine had him so pinned in its death grip that it had to be reversed before he could be removed.

When taken from the machine he was unconscious, this lasted, however, only five minutes and he was as rational as ever and remained so until death came at 3:30 Sunday afternoon.

James Earl Fahey, son of Mr. and Mrs. William Fahey, was born in Galt, August 5 ,1885, he moved with his parents to this city when a young boy. On June 20, 1911, he was united in marriage to Miss Louise Flarety [Flaherty] of Fort Dodge. Since their marriage they have made Estherville their home. He was an active member of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and also of the B.P.O. Elks. The funeral services were held from the Catholic church Tuesday, the Rev. Father Mutaugh officiating. The remains were laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery under one of the most beautiful floral offerings ever presented by loving friend.

Those present from out of the city were: Albert, Nellie and Eddie Flaherty, and Louis Ray of Moorland. Mamie Flaherty of Des Moines, Thomas and Edward Flaherty, Mrs. Charles Savage of Fort Dodge, Mrs. S. Martin and Mrs. James Pardon of George, Mr. and Mrs. Thomas and Mr. and Mrs. John Flaherty of Ackley, Mr. and Mrs. D. Casey of Cedar Rapids, Mrs. Clarence Carlson of Ackley, Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Crosby, Worthington, Minn., Vincent Kelly of Emmetsburg, Charles O’Neil of Des Moines, Henry O’Neil of Cedar Rapids, Mrs. W. Riley of Iowa Falls, Mrs. McLaughlin of Buffalo Center. (Estherville Enterprise, Estherville, IA, June 3, 1914)