Four Killed When Freight Strikes Auto

KIRKENDALL, PARK, BOSCH

Posted By: Volunteer: Sherri
Date: 7/24/2013 at 13:46:14

FOUR KILLED WHEN FREIGHT STRIKES AUTO
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Two Former Van Buren County Citizens Killed at Burlington
**Handwritten: July 17, 1930

Edward O. Park, cashier of the West Burlington Savings Bank, and Dr. Edward E. Kirkendall, president of the bank, two of the four who were killed when the car in which they were riding was struck by a freight train on a West Burlington crossing.

Dr. Kirkendall is the son of the late E.B. Kirkendall, a brother of Mrs. Elias Heckart, of near Selma and a brother-in-law of Henry Peacock, of near Pittsburg. Mrs. Kirkendall was formerly Miss Lizzie Peacock, sister of Henry.

Edward O. Park, was former station agent at Libertyville and Batavia, and married Miss Ethel Fellows, daughter of the late Evan Fellows of Douds.

The other two killed were August A. Bosch, vice president and John G. Bosch, director of the bank named above.

Flagman Tells of Accident

J.W. Renner, 1100 Arch street, flagman at the crossing, said last night that the auto started over the crossing just as he was letting down the gate. "The front wheels of the car were on the track. The engine hit it and it seemed is if an explosion followed at once. You could not see the car then for the smoke and fire." The auto was carried several hundred yards down the track and a building on the west side of the tracks caught fire. The train was headed south.

John Bosch and Dr. Kirkendall are said to have burned to death before aid could reach them. Their charred bodies were burned beyond recognition and were not positively identified until after they were removed to Prugh's chapel. The car was a total wreck.

A. Bosch, who died early yesterday afternoon in Burlington hospital, was also severely burned. Park was seriously wounded, suffering a fractured arm and fractured leg. He died at the Burlington hospital at 4:30 p.m.

The four men were on their way to Burlington to secure cash for the purposes of meeting the heavy demands of pay checks of railroad shop men.

Source: Van Buren Co. Genealogical Society Obituary Book C, Page 139, Keosauqua Public Library, Keosauqua, IA