Carson, Martin E. – d. 1889

CARSON, CARLSON

Posted By: Diana Wagner
Date: 11/30/2022 at 11:12:53

Carlson, Son of Fred
Child Killed By The Cars – The Colfax Clipper gives particulars of a horrible accident on the Iowa Northern Railroad, between Colfax and the Coal Mines, last Friday evening. W. L. West, book-keeper for the Coal Company, on his return home, riding his railway tricycle, and just south of the old Star Mine, saw something lying on the track, and coming up to within fifteen feet he saw it was the body of a child. Further investigation showed it to be cut in twain just above the hips. He summoned aid from the cottage of a miner nearby and as they raised the little form from the rail its life went out in one faint gasp. At this moment the 10-year-old daughter of Fred Carlson (a teamster employed at the Valeria mine) came along looking for her 4-year-old brother, and immediately recognized the remains as his. Amid the shrieks and wails of his almost demented sister, they bore the lifeless, severed body to the nearest cottage and left it there – not daring to take it to its home at once, because of the delicate condition of the mother. The little fellow had been observed playing, near the place where the body was found, all the afternoon, and it is supposed had become tired and lain down on the track to sleep with his head inside the rails.
Neither the trainmen nor anyone on the rain knew of the accident until on their return trip at 6:30 when they were told of it.
(Jasper County Death Record Book 1, page 43 says Martin E. Carson buried in Poweshiek twp, believed to be Poweshiek Cemetery aka McKeever Cemetery.)
Source: Newton (IA) Journal; Wednesday, April 24, 1889

Died Apr 19, 1889, age 3y 6m, d. near Colfax from a “wound across pelvic region which severed extremities from body, made by moving train” at Star Coal Mine
Source: Jasper County Death Record #648