Iowa Old Press
Jefferson Era
Jefferson, Greene co., Iowa
Thursday, February 18, 1869
Fatal R.R. Accident
The most distressing death, caused by railroad accident
that has ever been our duty to record, occurred on Saturday last,
by a collision, near Glidden, some twenty miles west of this
place, a little before eleven o'clock, is that of Mr. J.K.
Burtch, one of our most esteemed citizens. A description of the
accident is given by our correspondent, in another article.
Mr. Burtch leaves a most amiable wife and one child, as well as
hosts of friends, to mourn his sudden death, he was beloved by
all, and his loss will be deeply felt.
Every employe on the road from Montana to Dunlap, showed the
utmost solicitude for him. On Monday the engines and cars were
draped in mourning, but no tribute to the sufferer, more touching
than that of the poor laborers, who would rush to his residence
and linger, weeping and sobbing most piteously.
He said that, when caught in the wreck his arm broken, and the
bursted boiler discharging steam over his body, and scalding him
horribly, the thought of his family alone, gave him such strength
as to enable him to wrench himself from it, breaking his leg, but
prolonging his life and sufferings, to reach his home.
On Monday evening, the Masons of whom he was a member,
accompanied by a large concourse of citizens, put the body on
board the cars, to be taken to Grass Lake, Michigan, for burial,
at the home of his parents. The stricken family were acompanied
by Rev. Simons, Mr. Adams, and Mr. Sheafe, with their wives, the
entire journey, and by Dr. Cowan and Capt. Yerger, to Chicago.
At our special request our worthy citizen Dr. W.S. McBride
furnished us with the following professional statement:
Summoned to Glidden, in company with Dr. Grimmel, on the 13th
inst., we found Mr. Burtch in the care of Dr. Gates, enduring
great physical suffering from his severe injuries. Dr. Gates had
judiciously administered anodynes, and made valuable preparations
for dressing his wounds. We found complete dislocation of the
left ankle with fracture of the tibia immediately above the ankle
joint - we reduced the dislocation and fracture with little
difficulty. We found the humerus of the left arm badly shattered
half way between the elbow and shoulder, muscles badly lacerated
and bruised, the artery and nerves severed - we amputated the arm
as near above the injuries as practicable, having first
administered chloroform which acted very benignly.
On examining the scalds, found them very extensive and very
severe involving most of the lower parts of the body and the
entire legs except when protected by the boots - the true skin
for most part was destroyed. The hands, the lips and nose were
also scalded and other indications showed that steam had been
inhaled. As soon as his wounds were dressed, he was conveyed by a
special train to his home in Jefferson, accompanied by his
physicians among whom was Dr. Saterlee of Dunlap, who arrived
just as his wounds had been dressed.
Mr. Burtch possessed an unusual good phesique [sic], but the
depressing effects of his grave injuries were too great even for
his good constitution to with stand. For a time stimulents and
anodynes kept him up, but the powers of nature succumbed and he
died at 10 o'clock and 40 minutes. A good man has been snatched
from us suddenly. Drs. Grimmel, Gates and Saterlee have my
sincere thanks for their skilful assistance and valuable
suggestions in the management of this lamentable case.
Communicated - Jefferson, Feb. 13.
Editors of Era - A serious accident occured
this morning about 11 o'clock on the C & N.W.R.R., one mile
west of Glidden, whereby five or six were slightly wounded and
Mr. J.K. Burtch, a resident of this town and Supt. of the Div.
from this place to Dunlap was fatally injured. The following is a
version of accident given by parties present at the time of
collision:
The "Gravel Train," conductor Marvin in charge, had
been engaged in distributing material for Mr. Burtch along the
line of the road, they were going west in the following order.
Engineer going backwards with "Caboose" coupled in
front of the Pilot and the remaining cars behind that, owing to
the heavy fog that prevailed, they passed Glidden unbeknown to
themselves, and were going along moderately, when about a mile
west of the station they were run into by the regular freight
train from the west (under conductor Rose) pushing the head of
the "Gravel Engine" into the "Cabosse" where
were Messrs. Burtch, Sutton and others.
The force of collision was so great as to burst the steam-chest
thereby throwing its contents over Mr. Burtch (who had became
entangled in the wreck) scalding him very severly, his left arm
was frightfully crushed rendering amputation above the elbow
necessary which was performed by Surgons McBride and Grimmel. In
endeavoring to extricate himself from his perlious position he
broke his leg.
The Engineer and Fireman saved themselves by jumping from the
engine. The wreck was removed as quick as possible; detaining the
passenger train from the west only two hours.
Mr. Burtch has been brought home and lies in a very critical
condition, he is however sensible of his condition.
The question arises who is to blame. It is conductor Rose, Marvin
or the station agt.? Somebody is responsible for crushing a man
and then steaming him alive! If the "Freight Train" was
running regularly and on time and Engineer observed all due
caution then conductor Rose is not blamable. If the conductor of
the "Gravel Train" received orders to lay by at the
station and failed to do so, then he is blamable. The excuse set
up to palliate this negligence is that they (Gravel Train) were
going to side track at Glidden to let the regular train go by,
but owing to the dense fog, and enveloped in the steam and smoke
of the engine, they failed to preceive the station; passing over
the "frogs" of the "switch" was enough to
tell them that they were near it.
P.S. Since writing the above we are informed of Mr. Burtch's
death which occured Saturday 10 1/2 P.M. His death the community
have lost a good citizen, the railroad a capable and efficient
officer, the fraternity of which he was a member, a good and
noble brother, while his family have lost an affectionate husband
and watchful protection. His remains will be taken to Michigan
under Masonic escort.
Original Notice
To Mary J. Vader, Defendant. You are hereby notified
that on or before the twenty-fifth day of February, 1869, a
petition will be filed by said Plaintiff, David W. Vader, in the
office of the Clerk of the District Court of said Greene County,
Iowa, claiming of you a divorce from the bonds of matrimony now
existing between you and Plaintiff on account of adultery
committed by you during the years 1868 and 1869 and during the
continuance and existence of the marital relation between you and
Plaintiff, and subsequent to your marriage with Plaintiff. And
that unless you appear thereto and defend before noon of the
second day of the next term of said Court, commencing at
Jefferson on the fifth day of April, 1869, Default will be
entered against you and Judgement rendered thereon.
Dated this thirteth day of January, 1969. Albert Head,
Plaintiff's Attorney.
The Assassins
The remains of Harold, one of the Lincoln assassins,
were given up to his mother on Saturday. Those of Atzerodt will
be restored to his friends. The remains of John Wilkes Booth were
yesterday afternoon quietly removed from the Arsenal grounds at
Washington, where they were buried in April, 1865, and delivered
to his friends for transmission to Baltimore where they are again
to be re-interred by his brother. The President ordered his
remains to be given up on application of Edwin Booth and others
of his family. -Chicago Journal, 16th.
[transcribed by S.F., August 2018]