James P. Forrest 1849-1897

FORREST, TYLER

Posted By: Merllene Andre Bendixen (email)
Date: 4/19/2013 at 00:53:48

Conductor J.P. Forrest Killed
Meets Death While on His Train This Side of Cedar Rapids
Seldom has our community been shocked as it was yesterday morning upon receipt of the telegram announcing the death, by accident, of Conductor J.P. Forrest, near Cedar Rapids, while on his run between here and that city. While a resident of this city, he had, by his genial way and open heartedness endeared himself to the hearts of all with whom he came in contact, and his friends here are legion. To them his untimely death is most painful and their heartfelt sympathy goes forth to the sorrowing wife.

Mr. Forrest was a prominent Mason being past commander of the Knights Templar and a leading figure in the Mystic Shrine. He was also a prominent member of the Order of Railway Conductors. The funeral services will be held from his residence at Cedar Rapids tomorrow at 2 o’clock, and will be in charge of the Masons, many from this town will be in attendance. He was a member in good standing of North Star Lodge 447 A.F. and A.M., and of Esdraelon Commandery No. 52, Estherville, Iowa. Full particulars of his death are given in the following, as taken from the Cedar Rapids Gazette:

“Jimmie,” as he liked to be called by his friends, left the city on his run to Estherville yesterday morning as usual. He was not feeling well, thought the ailment was not of a serious nature. No particular attention was paid to it until last night, when he left Estherville feeling quite badly. He registered at Vinton early this morning, and stated to the night operator that he was very ill. After leaving Vinton he went back into the sleeper and engaged in conversation with the conductor. They chatted for a few moments, when the sleeping car conductor said he thought it was time to call the porter. He left the seat and at the same time Mr. Forrest, without saying anything about what he intended to do, unlocked the rear door of the car, opened it and walked out. He never returned, and the train pulled into Cedar Rapids without him.

Conductor Forrest’s train is followed into the city by what is known on the line as No. 6. These trains are scheduled but ten or fifteen minutes apart, and when a search of the train at the union passenger station developed no trace of the missing man a telegram was sent to the conductor of train No. 6 to keep a lookout for him. They were, however, unable to find him. Superintendent Goodell was notified at once and in company with Night Yardmaster Ross a locomotive and caboose were taken out and they proceeded carefully along the line. Knowing the clear head of Mr. Forrest it was now apparent that he had met with some accident, and the track was watched with the utmost care. No trace of him was discovered until the bridge between Palo and Linn Junction was reached. On a sandbar, not fifteen feet from the river, lay the body of a man.

The Body Found
In fear and trembling Superintendent Goodell and his assistants climbed down to the sandbar, and there was the lifeless remains of their old friend and associate, Jimmie Forrest. There were small wounds on the forehead such as might be the result of a fall upon the sidewalk or any other manner of a trivial nature. His railway cap showed by the dirt and the cut that he fell upon the right side. His money and the tickets which he had collected off the train were where he had placed them, and his gold watch marked the hour of 2:49. He had been talking with the Pullman care conductor at 2:45.

The body was tenderly and sadly borne to the caboose and brought to the city and Undertaker turner took charge at once. It was not until an examination had been made here that the serious phase of Mr. Forrest’s injuries were known. The blow upon the skull would probably not have caused dauth, but the entire left side, below the heart, was crushed in, scarcely a bone remaining as it was in life.

Owing to the short time between Conductor Forrest’s train and that of No. 6 the most careful precautions are taken by all concerned to see that there is no possible danger of collisions. This had been doubly necessary from the fact that both trains run at a speed of between thirty-five and forty miles an hour. James Forrest was careful almost by instinct, cultivated by an experience of twenty-five years in the Cedar Rapids route. Instructions have been given to watch the rear lamps which are kept at the top of the care and to notice that they are burning properly. This is undoubtedly what Mr. Forrest was doing before he met his death. It is the theory of Superintendent Goodell that he must have swung or leaned out farther than he intended to, and that the bridge caught him, knocked him off the car and he fell to the river below. There is no curve at this point, but a straight piece of track for some distance, and there would be no possibility from that cause. He struck an upright of the second span with such force that a sliver three feet long and two inches thick at one end was split off and fell with him to the river bed, for it was picked up near the body by the trainmen this morning. The timbers of the bridge a few feet toward the top are coated with sand, put on by the blistering process known to painters. This coating on the opposite side of the sliver was rubbed bare, showing that he struck this upright before the fall. Superintendent Goodell has the sliver in his office.

Superintendnt Goodell scouts the theory of foul play which was advanced by a few who knew nothing about the matter this morning. When the sleeper from which the conductor fell arrived at the union passenger station the end-gate in the vestibule platform, which is probably four feet high, was found closed and fastened as the trainmen had left it at the starting point. The small glass paneled doors at the east side were closed but unfastened, and the ones on the opposite side were both closed and fastened. The fact that the east doors being closed is easily accounted for from the motion of the train, through which the doors would naturally swing to and so remain to the end of the trip. The story of a scuffle with a tramp on the rear platform is denied, for the reason that Conductor Forrest would never attempt to put a man off while the train was in motion. He was physically a giant, and any one who attempted to handle him would have had a busy time of it. The theory of a fall upon the right side is strengthened by the broken right arm. Mr. Forrest’s keys were found in the rear door of the car as he had placed them. (Emmet County Republican, Estherville, IA, July 1, 1897)

The Funeral
From the Republican of July 3rd
Yesterday afternoon there was laid to rest in Oak Hill cemetery all that was mortal of the late James P. Forrest, the popular and genial B.C.B. N. conductor, who lost his life early last Wednesday morning while in the performance of duty. Sorrowing friend and loving hands yesterday did for this kindly man that which must be done for all of sooner or later.

The friends of James Forrest were legion, and did each bring to his bier but a single rose, he would rest upon a bed of flowers.

The funeral was held from his late residence, corner of Sixth street and Third avenue, and was under the immediate supervison of Apollo commandery of this city, although a large delegation of the Order of Railway Conductors took part in the ceremonies. A delegation of Sir Knights from Eedraelon commandery No. 52, of Estherville of which Mr. Forrest was a past eminent commandery, also came down to attend the funeral of their much loved frater.

The services at the house were the beautiful ritual ceremonies of the Episcopal church and were conducted by Rev. Sir Knight Thomas E. Green. A quartet composed of General Greene, W.B. Rose, Mrs. L. Benedict and Miss Weakley rendered during the ceremonies in a most touching manner, two selections – “Nearer, My God to Thee” and “God Be With You Till We Meet Again.”

P.A. Murphy, E.O. Soule, James Morton and John Kimbro, of Apollo commandery, of this city, and Alexander Peddy and Frank Allen, of Eadraelon commandery of Estherville, were the pall bearers who tenderly carried the fallen Sir Knight to his last resting place.

At the cemetery the beautiful ritual of the Knights Templar burial service was rendered in full, Rev. Dr. Green acting as prelate.

Mr. Forrest leaves a sorrowing wife [Emma Tyler Forrest], two sisters, four brothers and an aged mother, who were all present yesterday at the funeral obsequies.

James P. Forrest was born at Carlake, Scotland, July 24, 1849, where he resided until he was 6 years of age. He then came with his parents direct to Linn county, Iowa, which he has considered his home ever since. At the age of 16 he began learning telegraphy, but after mastering this art he found the telegraph services too confining, and he decided to enter the railway train service, which he died in 1874. With the single exception of a year’s furlough that Mr. Forrest obtained for the purpose of looking after some western interests, he has spent the past twenty years in the train service of the B.C.R. & N. railway. During all of his long term of service with the home company, Mr. Forrest has proven himself a painstaking and efficient officer, and enjoyed the full confidence of his superior officers. (Estherville Democrat, Estherville, IA, July 7, 1897)