George Allen TALLMAN

TALLMAN, WARRICK, REEDAL, INGERSOLL, CLEAVER, DALEY, ANDERSON, CARLBERG, HOON, OGILVIE, BONNER, HIRD, BEAL, COMSTOCK, CLARK, WINTERS, COREY, HICKS, HACKETT, HOWLAND, WOOD, WHEELER

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 2/10/2024 at 13:06:54

George Allen Tallman
8 October 1860 ---- 13 July 1927

Engineer George A. Tallman died Friday morning, July 15, from injuries received when his engine on train No. 24, with three cars in its wake plunged into the ditch at a crossing on Primary No. 10 about a mile west of Marathon. Gravel which had either been dragged up and onto the crossing or rattled off passing trucks threw the engine off the track. It traveled along on the ties for about fifty feet and then went down the grade on the south side of the track. The front end embedded itself in the bank and its own momentum together with that of three baggage cars and the tender, turned the engine completely around and it laid over on its left side, headed back toward Hawarden.

Three Seriously Injured.

Two members of the train crew and a tramp riding the blind baggage were seriously hurt. Fireman J. T. Johnson was knocked unconscious and was seriously bruised but no bones were broken. Baggageman Earl Wallin had a broken leg and a broken rib. He was thrown clear of the wreckage over into the weeds on the north side of the track. A tramp who gave his name as Earl Towne of Carroll, Iowa, riding the blind, had his leg broken and his foot smashed. He was sitting in the doorway of the baggage car with his feet braced against the tender. It was necessary to send to Marathon for an acetylene torch and cut away the steel frames of the baggage car door before the unfortunate hobo could be extracted. He was turned over to the town officials at Marathon who had his wounds dressed and Friday sent him to the University Hospital at Iowa City for treatment. He had no money and said he had no relatives or friends to notify.

How the Engineer Was Injured.

Engineer Tallman was thrown clear of the wreck but was scalded by the escaping steam and boiling water. Several of the steampipes in the engine were broken and the steam and boiling water poured out with a 200-pound pressure behind it. Mr. Tallman was struck in the back and knocked down. Still conscious, he tried to crawl out on his hands and knees but was [non legible] when John Melgren discovered him and with the assistance of Trainmaster Larkin, who was also on the train, pulled him away from the scalding steam and water. Doctors from Marathon, Laurens, and Sioux Rapids were phoned for and immediately responded. The doctor from Laurens arrived in his car with a nurse and took charge of Mr. Tallman. He was rushed to Laurens where his wounds were dressed. It was apparent to the doctor that the injured engineer was too badly burned to make any prediction of recovery justifiable. But the patient lived until about sixteen hours after the wreck, death relieving his sufferings at 10:30 the following morning. The accident occurred about six o'clock Thursday evening.

Conscious to the Last.

The stricken engineer was conscious almost to the last. He seemed to realize the seriousness of his injuries and gave directions to various acquaintances regarding his insurance papers and other business affairs.

Johnson Talks of Wreck.

Fireman Johnson was leaning out of the engine to see if the crossing was clear. He was standing on the platform between the tender and engine. He said he felt the engine raise up into the air as it hit the gravel on the crossing. He says he grabbed hold of the side railing and held on when the engine jumped off the rails and began to bump along on the ties. The next thing he knew he was head down in the ditch. He was struck a severe blow in the forehead which cut a deep gash, requiring several stitches to close. His shoulder is seriously bruised, and his body is practically covered with bruises. His injuries are not considered serious.

Expressman Not Hurt.

E. G. Fenner, expressman, who was in the express car which also left the track, was uninjured and came in with the train the next morning.

Wrecker Ordered From Boone.

The big 150-ton wrecker from Boone was ordered out and reached the scene of the wreck about 3 o'clock in the morning. The track was repaired and cleared, ready for traffic at 7 o'clock the next morning.

Criminal Carelessness Cause.

The engineer lost his life through the criminal carelessness of those in charge of the gravel hauling. At 4:30 that afternoon the crossing was perfectly free from obstructions of any kind. At that time, the section crew passed over the crossing on their little light car. At the time of the wreck there was three or four inches of gravel on the rails and sometime during the night men, not employees of the railroad company, came with shovels and cleared the crossing and flanges of the gravel. The very next morning along came a road grader spreading the gravel and crossed the track without raising the blade and the crossing was again buried under several inches of gravel. The driver went on down the road and made no effort to stop and clear the crossing. Trainmaster Larkin was watching him and stopped him and pointed out what he had done and finding that his boss was in the crowd at the wreck, brought the two together and explained to them in very pointed and clear English just what their carelessness had done, and might do again.

Highway Commission Investigates.

The highway commission held an investigation Saturday morning but thus far nothing has been done about it. The grand jury of Buena Vista county should investigate this wreck, indict the guilty parties and start them on the road to the penitentiary. No one riding on a train is safe as long as those in charge of the road work go unpunished when their negligence and criminal carelessness kills innocent people and causes ruthless destruction of property. This is the second wreck on this division in less than two years caused exactly the same way. Between Woolstock and Webster City gravel dragged up and onto the crossing put the engine and several cars into the ditch. Fortunately, in that instance, neither Engineer, Fireman Ray Bradford, nor any of the baggagemen or express or mail men were injured. No one was ever punished. To place the lives of innocent people in jeopardy is so reprehensible and is so criminal that l aw enforcing officials who will not file and press criminal charges should be removed from office.

****

The funeral of Engineer George A. Tallman was held at the Congregational church Sunday afternoon. Rev. Haney, former neighbor and pastor of the deceased engineer, preached the funeral sermon. He was assisted at the service by Rev. Floyd D. Reeves, present pastor. Rev. Haney's sermon was replete with reminiscences of his personal acquaintance with Mr. Tallman. He told of his ambition to establish a home for his wife and daughter in Denver when he had completed his years of service for the Northwestern. He would have been pensioned two years from next October. His service for the company covered a period of over 40 years and these years were full of hard, active, beneficial service. Mr. Tallman was universally regarded as an honorable and upright citizen and a faithful and efficient employee by the officials of the Northwestern railroad. The sincerest sympathy of the entire community is extended the bereaved wife and daughter.

Obituary

George Allen Tallman, son of George Poage Tallman and Caroline Warrick Tallman, was born Oct. 8, 1860, on a farm four miles north of Marshalltown, Iowa. He was the eighth child of a family of twelve children, three of whom died in infancy, only four remaining of the nine who grew to manhood and womanhood.

He was married May 28, 1908 to Miss Mary Reedal at her home at Kirksville, Mo. To this union one daughter, Mildred Caroline, was born. Besides the wife and daughter, the four remaining brothers and sisters are John A. Tallman, Marshalltown, Iowa; Mrs. Clara B. Ingersoll, Boone; Mrs. Al Cleaver, Council Bluffs; and Chas. C. of Trinidad, Colo. Numerous other relatives and a host of friends who mourn his untimely passing.

Mr. Tallman was a member of Bower Lodge 464 A.F. & A.M. at Eagle Grove, Royal Arch Masons, Eagle Grove Chapter No. 123 of Mt. Lebanon Commandery at Clarion, of Kaaba Shrine Temple of Davenport, Ia., of Eagle Grove Chapter O.E.S. of Sharon, White Shrine chapter of Eagle Grove and of the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers.

Mr. Tallman’s first service for the Chicago Northwestern railway began in 1881, when he went to braking on the Northern Iowa division out of Eagle Grove. In 1882 he took up firing, from which position he was promoted to engineer in 1885. All these years he has been continuously in the service of the C. & N. W. Co.

On the evening of March 27, 1927 at a meeting and banquet of division 211, given in his honor at Eagle Grove, Mr. Tallman was presented with the honorary badge given for forty years of continuous service in the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers. The presentation was made by brother, John McGuire, who unstintingly praised the recipient on his record of splendid service to the Northwestern Co., and to the Brotherhood.

Upon receiving the badge, Mr. Tallman said he was very proud to receive it, and would endeavor to wear it, with honor to the Brotherhood and to himself. He has kept his work and finished his service an honorable, upright citizen, and true Brotherhood man. His active service in the Brotherhood is evident by his serving as chief of his division delegate to conventions, local chairman, and for the las twenty years he has been a member of the legislative board.

As we review the activity of our membership in the Brotherhood and look into the character records of the men engaged in carrying on the work, we find justice, truth, sobriety, and morality indelibly stamped. We can only say: God bless you, and keep you, and pray that when life’s work is done, one and all may be received into that great kingdom above, with, “Well done, good and faithful servants.”

The funeral service was held Sunday afternoon at two o’clock from the home and two-thirty from the Congregational church. Rev. Richard S. Haney of the Congregational church of Webster City, formerly of Eagle Grove, and a close friend of Mr. Tallman, preached the sermon, taking his text from Timothy 4, 7th verse – “I have fought a good fight; I have finished my course, I have kept the faith.” It was a sermon of great consolation to the bereaved family and friends. Rev. Haney was assisted in the services by Rev. Reeves, present pastor of the Congregational church.

The music was furnished by a quartet from the church. Mr. W. C. Hathaway, Mrs. Fred Cotton, C. A. Lee, and L. P. Eversz with Miss Ollie Cowan at the piano. The songs sung were “Safe In the Arms of Jesus”, “Sometime We'll Understand”, and “Lead Kindly Light”. The pall bearers were W. J. Robinson, A. Badley, J. W. McGrath, M. E. Dion, W. C. Hathaway, and W. E. Warnes. The flowers sent were wonderful in their beauty, expressing the love and esteem of relatives and friends. These were in charge of Mrs. F. P. Foil and Mrs. W. R. Blake. The ladies of the Eastern Star attended in a body. Members from the Masonic order led the procession from the home to the church with the Knight Templars forming an escort for the funeral car. The Masonic ritualistic burial service was given at the grave by Ward Barnes.

The church was filled with relatives, neighbors, and friends who came to pay their tribute of love and respect to a man whose character could be truthfully summed up in these words: “A dutiful, helpful son; a devoted, affectionate husband and father - a loving brother; and a true friend”.

Those who came to the city to attend the funeral were: Mr. and Mrs. John A. Tallman, Marshalltown; Mr. and Mrs. Al Cleaver, Council Bluffs; Mrs. Clara Ingersoll, Boone; Mr. and Mrs. Holgar Anderson, Council Bluffs; Mr. and Mrs. Roger L. Ingersoll, Boone: Mrs. Justin Daley, Council Bluffs; Mr. and Mrs. Fred Warrick, Nevada; Miss Georgina Warrick, Des Moines; Mr. and Mrs. Helmer Carlberg, Aurelia; Mr. and Mrs. Will Hoon, Jewell Junction; Wilbur Tallman, Sutherland; Mr. and Mrs. Lowell Tallman, Ames; Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Ogilvie and daughter, Ellen of Blue Earth, Minn.; Mrs. Dan Tallman and son of Des Moines; Geo. Bonner and wife, Mason City; Mr. and Mrs. J, Hird, Mason City; H. Beal and F. Comstock, Hawarden; Mr. and Mrs. L. J. Clark, Jefferson; Geo. Winters and Mr. and Mrs. Frank Corey, of Belle Plaine; Bert Hicks and Tom Hackett, Lake City: Kate Wood, Mason City; N. A. Howland, Mason City; Rev. Wheeler and grandson, Marshalltown; and others whose names could not be secured.

EAGLE GROVE EAGLE --- Eagle Grove, Iowa
Thursday, July 21, 1927

Source ---- Paul Wilde

[interred in Rose Hill Cemetery in Eagle Grove, Iowa]