Iowa
Old Press
Daily Iowa State Press
Iowa City, Johnson, Iowa
February 17, 1899
Stories of Brave Girls.
On July 6, 1881, a storm of wind and rain burst over Iowa, and in
an hour's time every creek was out of its banks. So sudden was
the flood that houses, barns, lumber and all portable objects
within reach of the waters were carried away. Looking from her
window, which in daylight commanded a view of the Honey creek
railroad bridge, Kate Shelley saw, through the darkness and
storm, a locomotive headlight. A second later it dropped; she
knew that the bridge had gone and that a train of cars had fallen
into the abyss. There was no one at home but her mother and her
little brother and sister, and the girl understood that if help
was to be given to the sufferers and the express train, then
nearly due, warned, she would have to undertake the task alone.
Hastily filling and lighting an old lantern and wrapping herself
in a waterproof, she sallied out in the storm. She climbed
painfully up the steep bluff to the track, tearing her clothes to
rags on the thick undergrowth and lacerating her flesh most
painfully. A part of the bridge still remained, and crawling out
on this to the last tie, she swung her lantern over the abyss,
and called out at the top of her voice. It was pitchy dark below
but she was answered faintly by the engineer, who had crawled
upon some of the broken timbers, and though injured, was safe for
the time being. From him the girl learned that it was a freight
train that had gone into the chasm, and that he alone of that
train's hands had escaped. He urged her, however, to proceed at
once to the nearest station, to secure help for him, and to warn
the approaching express train of the fall of the bridge.
The girl then retraced her steps, gained the track and made her
way toward Moingona, a small station about one mile from Honey
creek. In making this perilous journey it was necessary for her
to cross the Des Moines river, about five hundred feet in length.
Just as she tremblingly put her foot on this structure, the wind,
rain, thunder and lightning were so appalling that she nearly
lost her balance, and in the endeavor to save herself, her sole
companion-the old lantern-went out. Deprived of her light she
could not see a foot ahead of her, save when dazzling flashes of
lightning revealed the grim outlines of the bridge and the
seething waters beneath. Knowing that she had no time to lose,
the brave girl threw away the useless lamp, and dropping on her
hands and knees, crawled from tie to tie across the high trestle.
Having gained the ground again, she ran the short distance
remaining to the station, told her story in breathless haste and
then fell unconscious. She was, however, in time to save the
express with the scores of lives it carried.
[submitted by C.J.L., March 2004]
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Daily Iowa State Press
Iowa City, Iowa
February 21, 1899
Chas Smith of the firm of Smith & Benda of Emmetsburg, is in
the city, having accompanied the remains of William Ryan of Cedar
Falls who was interred here this morning.
[submitted by C.J.L., Nov. 2003]