Wendall Phillips Howard (1995-1904)

HOWARD

Posted By: Mark Christian
Date: 6/13/2023 at 20:00:10

From Ames Intelligencer, Ames, Story County, Iowa, Thursday, November 24th, 1904.

A Sad Accident

Further particulars in regard to the death of W. P. Howard and Geo. McKay have been received by relatives in Ames. In our last issue it was stated that the two boys had met an awful death in a wreck at Canon City, Colorado but particulars were lacking. Additional information gives a more detailed account of how they came to their death. After leaving Ames they had worked their way west and finding profitable and agreeable work on a fruit farm at Grand Junction, Colorado, remained there for three weeks. A postal card dated at that place Nov. 14 stated that they would leave the following day for Fort Worth, Texas and to address their next mail to that city. They gained the permission of the fruit shipper to be allowed to go in a refrigerator car which was loaded with celery, its destination being Fort Worth. This particular car was next to the engine and when the wreck occurred the end of the car was mashed in and immediately caught fire. It was necessary to haul this car to the nearest station in order to open it. When that was accomplished Howard and McKay were found in the ice box where they had met death by suffocation. When the bodies were given over to the charge of the undertaker they were partly frozen. The remains arrived here on number eight, Saturday night, and interment took place Sunday.

Wendall Phillips Howard

Was born at Albion, Marshall county, Iowa July 16, 1885. With his parents he came to Ames five years ago where he entered the Ames high school and prepared himself for college. He had been a student at I.S.C. for about a year and a half and was a popular student among his classmates. He was especially interested in Ceramics and expected to make this his life work. His last vacation was spent at work in the pottery works. He was a great lover of nature and had made a large collection of native bird eggs and animal skins. He was a youth of exemplary habits and was a constant companion of Geo. McKay, who met death together. The funeral was conducted from the parental home Sunday morning at 11 o'clock by Rev. Ison Wooster, of Marshalltown and Dr. A.B. Storm of the college. Interment was made in the Ames cemetery.