Eugene J. Gorman

GORMAN

Posted By: Rebecca Foster (email)
Date: 9/5/2014 at 13:25:43

Young Davenport Mining Engineer is Killed in a South American Accident.

According to word received by relatives here Eugene J. Gorman, 22 year old Davenport mining engineer, was killed in an mining accident at Sewell, Chili, in South America. Details of the circumstances surrounding his death were not given. The young man is the son of Matthew J. Gorman of 825 Pershing avenue. According to the cablegram his death was caused by "internal injuries".

News dispatches Sunday told of a $250,000 fire in the offices of the Braden Copper Mining company at Rancagua, near Sewell, however, and it is presumed that the death of the local young man may have been the result of injuries sustained in fighting the conflagration.

Was Known as "Bud".

Mr. Gorman sailed from New York on May 21 to assume his duties. He was a graduate of St. Ambrose college and of the Missouri School of Mines at Rollo, Mo. News of his death comes as a severe shock to hundreds of local friends. He was known to most of his acquaintances as "Bud" Gorman.

Associated Press dispatches from Chili regarding the fire which occurred early Saturday morning were very meagre. They merely stated that "the main offices of the Braden Copper company were destroyed by fire with a loss of 2,000,000 pesos. That is between $240,000 and $250,000 in American money.

Rancagua is a city of from 10,000 to 15,000 population and the capital of the state of O'Higgins, Chili, while Sewell is a mining town 15 or 20 miles to the west. Rancagua is about 50 miles south of Santiago, the capital of Chili.
Eugene J. Gorman was born in Davenport on Nov. 17, 1902. He was educated at the Sacred Heart cathedral school and at St. Ambrose college from where he was graduated in the academic department in 1920. He returned to St. Ambrose for one year as a student of engineering and later went to Rollo, Mo., where he was graduated in May of this year.

Both at St. Ambrose and at Rollo "Bud" Gorman was known as an excellent student. He was prominent in the Dramatic club at the local college and was an editor of the school paper at Rollo.

Mr. Gorman was a member of Loras council, Knights of Columbus. He was also a member and a past president of the Bonanza club of Rollo as well as of the Knights of St. Patrick, an honorary fraternity of engineers. As a boy he was a member of the Sacred Heart cathedral choir.

While no definite plans can be made until further details are learned it is probable that the body will be brought to Davenport for burial.

Survivors are the father, Mathew J. Gorman, three brothers, Frank, Matthew and Harry, and one sister, Mrs. Helen Coughlin, all of Davenport. The mother of the family died when Eugene Gorman was less than two years old and since that time an aunt, Miss Nellie Gorman, has made her home with them. Eugene Gorman was the youngest member of the family.

Further details of the accident have been promised by the offices of the Braden company at New York.
Source: Davenport Democrat and Leader; Davenport, Ia.,15 Sep 1925.