ERNEST M. ADAMS (YOD: 1918)

ADAMS

Posted By: County Coordinator (email)
Date: 4/9/2020 at 19:17:40

DETAILS OF DEATH OF ERNEST M. ADAMS
A Patterson, California, paper gives the following account of the death of Ernest M. Adams, the 19 year old son of E.D. Adams, who formerly lived on the Case Alt farm near North Liberty in this county. The young man was a well-known high school student in Iowa City, a debater and contributor to the school paper. Some of the following particulars were given by the Citizen at the time of the accident.

The paper says:
"Falling beneath a moving ore train at the Crome Concentration Plant on the Patterson and Western Railroad, Ernest McCord Adams, 19 year old son of E.D. Adams, a local resident was instantly killed Monday afternoon. Ernest had been employed by the railroad for nine months. He was a graduate of the Patterson Union high school, a young man of exceptionally high attainments and ever popular among his friends here. He was a native of Iowa. He was laid to rest from the home of his pa rents Thursday afternoon. The services were conducted by Rev. George Greig, of Fresno, and were marked by the large profusion of flowers and large attendance of mourning friends. The interment took place at Del Puerto cemetery.

The train on which Ernest was serving at the time of his death was engaged in switching loaded ore cars in the Crome plant. The young man was stationed at the front ore car in charge of the operations. As the train was proceeding slowly up grade, the engine pushing the cars ahead, Ernest was seen to be throwing ore at a hog which was endeavoring to cross the right of way. The operator at the plant who was watching the switching, stated the Ernest suddenly left the center of the car and jumped on the front platform in front of the end gates. He knelt there a moment with the apparent intention of frightening the animal, maintaining his balance by holding on one of the end gate boards. The board, however, gave way, and the unfortunate youth fell directly in the center of the track in the path of the train. The brake beams crushed him, however, thus he escaped mutilation by the wheels. Phillips, the engineer, saw Ernest run forward and then disappear, throwing his arms in the air as he fell. Immediately throwing on the air emergency brakes the train stopped but life was extinct before they reach the body."
Source: Press Citizen, Iowa City, IA 26 Nov 1918