George STEEN

STEEN, MACINTOSH, STUART, FOWLER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/6/2008 at 11:40:55

1856-1891

Traer, Iowa, newspaper unknown
ca. 1891

Last Friday morning, Mrs. Ann [nee Macintosh] Steen, on Railroad Street, received a telegram bringing the sad news that her son George had been killed by the cars near Eagle Grove. She started on the first train for the spot. The death was found to have been caused by a collision of two freight trains--one of the most terrible that ever occurred in Iowa. It was all on account of a mistake in orders given by a train dispatcher. The two reights were running at forty to fifty miles an hour. Each was running down grade at great speed to make the grade beyond. They met in the hollow. Neither engine could be soon from the other until they were eight or ten rods apart, owing to a curve in a deep cut. The brakemen were both killed. One was George Stein. The engineers and firemen were all more or less hurt. Andrew Stuart was conductor of one train, but was in the caboose, which did not leave the track, hence was not hurt. The accident occurred at 3'oclock in the morning. Mrs. Steen returned with her son's body, Saturday, and the funeral took place Sunday afternoon from the Congregational church, conducted by Rev. Brown. The church was filled to over-flowing. The body was interred in the West Union cemetery, where two brothers, two sisters, and the father lie at rest. The deceased came here with his parents when ten years of age, and lived in the neighborhood until five years ago. He was married a few years ago to a daughter of A. S. Fowler, who lived but three weeks after her wedding day. He was thirty-five years of age and was an industrious, good-hearted young man. The aged mother who has so often been called to follow members of the family to the cemetery, has the deepest sympathy of our people.