PETERS, Peter 1860-1900

PETERS

Posted By: Tammy (email)
Date: 2/24/2019 at 17:38:16

Burned In A Box Car

Reinbeck, Nov. 27.--Peter Peters, an emigrant, en route from Reinbeck to Salem, South Dakota, with his household goods, farm implements and live stock was burned together with the greater portion of his possessions this morning, while the car was standing in the Northwestern yards at Gladbrook. The car was cut out from the Great Western train onto the Northwestern tracks about 2 o'clock this morning and about 5 o'clock the car was discovered to be on fire.

Mr. Peters, having bought a farm in South Dakota, loaded his stock, implements and household goods in a car, and left last evening via the Chicago Great Western for his future home. At Gladbrook his car was transferred to the Northwestern road, and while waiting for the train the car was burned up, except a part of the floor in one end and on this, among the remains of his horses and cattle was found what was left of the body of Mr. Peters, limbs burned off and head nearly all gone, and his heart and liver exposed to view. He leaves a wife and six children. The property loss is about $1500 and he is said to have had $120 on his person. Remnants of his purse and a mass of about $75.00 in melted gold and silver metal were found. The remains were taken to Reinbeck for burial. It is uncertain how the car caught fire, whether from his pipe or from his lantern, which he had with him in the car. He was said to have been the worse for liquor when he left Reinbeck.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 29 November 1900, pg 1

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A skull and a few partially burned bones are all that are left of Peter Peters of Reinbeck, who started a few days ago in an emigrant car containing three horses, six cows and his household furniture from Reinbeck for Salem, S.D. The car was switched in on a siding at Gladbrook thence to be taken by the C. & N.W. to the destination. Early the next morning a pile of ashes was found where the previous evening there had been a car. Some time during the night the car had caught fire and it, together with its contents, had been entirely destroyed. Mr. Peters was an industrious German farmer and by careful management had accumulated sufficient to buy a farm for himself in South Dakota to which he was en route at the time of the accident. He leaves a wife and seven small children, the eldest 12 years of age. The farm he purchased recently in Dakota was paid for and he also had some money in the bank which is left to the widow. The loss of the contents of the car will amount to about $1,500.

--The Grundy Republican (Grundy Center, Iowa), 6 December 1900, pg 7