Narrow Gauge Disaster

ANTON, DAVIS, FAIRN, FONDA, HANLAN, MARTIN, MCLAUGHLIN, OLESON, ROHAN

Posted By: Kelli Wilslef (email)
Date: 1/18/2011 at 17:52:22

NARROW GAUGE DISASTER
THE JACKSON SENTINEL,
MAQUOKETA, IOWA
FEBRUARY 28, 1907

A combination coach on train 103 on narrow gauge railroad between Cascade and Bellevue was derailed three miles east of Washington Mills shortly before noon Friday and jumping from a trestle it was passing over crashed down with its load of human freight. One woman was killed in the crash and a half a dozen other injured. The dead was Mrs. John Rohan of Fillmore. The injured were Conductor Henry Martin of Bellevue, limbs badly crushed, fatally injured; Mail Clerk J. M. Fonda of Bellevue severely bruised; D. N. Anton of Oelwein, Iowa, bruised; E. H. Fairn of Dubuque, limb sprained and face badly cut; Mr. Davis of Cascade, badly cut about face; Miss Davis of Cascade, badly cut about face, hip and shoulder hurt; Miss Mary McLaughlin, Garryowen, back broken; Mr. Oleson of Red Oak, Iowa, leg broken; Theodore Martin of Bellevue, spine injured and badly cut about face.

There were a dozen passengers in the coach and there was no chance of escape by jumping for the coach struck on end and the passengers were thrown into a heap in one end of the car.

To add to the horror the freight car together with its contents crashed down on the coach. The greatest excitement prevailed among the passengers. There were a number of women in the coach and their screams rose above the din of breaking timbers. Engineer Hanlan and the tiremen hurried to the wreck and succeeded in extricating most of the passengers from the wreckage. Mrs. Rohan who was riding near the end of the car was instantly killed by being thrown against the side of car, and in coming in contact with the wreckage. When her body was taken from the wreckage, life was extinct. Mrs. Rohan leaves a husband and seven children to mourn her loss.

After assisting in releasing the imprisoned passengers from the wreckage, Engineer Hanlon ran his engine to Bernard, from which place a call was made on Dubuque, Cascade and other places for doctors. The engine was then taken to Cascade, where doctors were secured and the return trip was made to the scene of the wreck.

Since the above was put in type Miss McLaughlin has died and as we go to press it is said the conductor is lingering and expected to pass away any hour.