MAN IS KILLED ON HOGBACK CROSSING

JACOBS, WERNER, BARNES, JOHNSON, CURTIS, HANN

Posted By: Judy Kelley, volunteer (email)
Date: 9/5/2010 at 21:28:56

D. Jacobs of Letts Killed When Train Strikes Auto.

DEATH WAS INSTANTANEOUS

August Werner Was Injured - Men Did Not Hear or See Train Until It Was Upon Them - Curtains On Car Shut Out Sound - Warning Was Sounded by Engineer - Crossing a Dangerous One.

D. Jacobs of Letts, age 60, was killed, and August Werner, a farmer of near Letts, was badly injured Monday afternoon about 4:30 o'clock when the M.B.& S. passenger train due here at 4:28 struck their automobile at the Hogback crossing.

Jacobs and Werner, in the latter's car, had spent the day posting sale bills in this vicinity and were returning home. They went slowly down the hill toward the track, but did not hear or see the train until it was upon them. The engine struck the car squarely and hurled it into the air. Jacobs was catapulted through the windshield and when picked up was dead. Werner was hurled through the side of the machine, and although badly bruised and hurt, will escape without serious consequences.

The train was immediately stopped and the two victims brought to Wapello.

Tuesday morning Coroner Collins conducted an inquest and the jury, after hearing the evidence, rendered a verdict exonerating the railroad company from blame for the accident. The testimony gave proof that the engineer sounded the usual warning upon approaching the crossing and that apparently every precaution was exercised by the engineer operating the train. The evidence also disclosed that the automobile had on side curtains that prevented the occupants from hearing the approach of the train.

Mr. Jacobs, a resident of Letts, is survived by four sons and a daughter. His wife preceded him in death several years ago. The children are Walter, Ralph and Harry Jacobs at home, Erwin Jacobs, a member of the Muscatine battery now stationed on the Mexican border at Brownsville, Texas, and Miss Elizabeth Jacobs at home. Four sisters also mourn his demise. They are Mrs. Rena Barnes, Mrs. F. Johnson and Mrs. Hattie Curtis, of Letts, and Mrs. Mary Hann of Illinois.

The crossing where the tragedy took place is one of the most dangerous to be found in the state of Iowa, and more frequent train service and heavy road travel would undoubtedly mark the spot as the scene of more tragedies. It is practically impossible either to see or hear anything up or down the track when approaching the crossing from the east. The track here makes a sharp curve on both sides of the crossing and hugs the bluff closely. The road is cut through the bluff at this point and all that can be seen of the track until directly upon it, is just the crossing itself. Everybody has known for years that it was a dangerous crossing and many have remarked that some day it would be the scene of a tragedy. Now that it has claimed a life, we suppose they will get busy and fix it. It should have been done ten years ago.

Source: LCHS scrapbook; newspaper clipping with handwritten date of Nov. 13, 1916