George Barton

BARTON, STECKMAN

Posted By: June Brewer Welsch (email)
Date: 2/20/2009 at 08:30:03

Sept. 29,1928 Source Muscatine Iowa Journal
CAVE-IN DEATH
George Barton Died Instantly in 22-Foot Ditch Near Ardon Friday.
Muscatine. la.,Sept. 29. George Barton, age 50 years, 1301 Oregon street, who was fatally crushed at Ardon Friday afternoon in a cave-in near the Milwaukee railroad tracks about a mile and a half east of
the station. Barton, employed as a tiler for the railroad, was a member of a crew draining a pond near the
tracks but was alone in the 22-foot ditch at the time of the accident. His fellow employees had left the
ditch a short time before, fearing a cave-jn. Barton remained to complete some work.
When found, he was completely covered by the dirt except for one hand. He had apparently died
instantly. It was necessary for workman to build cribs to keep the earth from continuing to cave in while they frantically attempting to effect Barton's freedom. His body was not taken from the cave-in until nearly 6 O'clock. He apparently died shortly after being struck by the earth slide.

Barton and Walter Allison of Oregon street had been working together but Allison left the pit before the cave-in occurred.

Coroner W. S. Norton, Sheriff Ed Sander and Fairbanks ambulance were called and the body was brought to the Fairbanks Funeral Home until after the inquest.

George Henry Barton was born in Muscatine April 15, 1877, the son of John Barton of Fairport and Elizabeth Steckman of Wheeling, W.Va. He resided for a time at Wisconsin Illinois, and for the past 18 years had made Muscatine his home.

He married Susan Walker here in 1926, and she with one daughter, Mrs. Helen Kulp of this city, and a brother and a sister, Mrs. Gladys Truitt and Frank Barton, both of Muscatine, survive.