Iowa
Old Press
The Chariton Patriot
Chariton, Lucas County, Iowa
June 23, 1875
On the first page of this paper will be found a copy of our
extra, published on the morning after the recent railroad
disaster at this place, giving a full account of the calamity.
And we simply add the following items of additional interest in
regard to the killed, injured, &c. Coroner Millan impaneled a
jury composed of MESSRS. H.H. DAY, S.H. MALLORY and W.L.
ALEXANDER, who, after an investigation, decided that no blame was
attached to the employees of the company for the accident. The
company took charge of the dead bodies and after providing
coffins for them, sent them to their friends at different points.
MESSRS. MARTIN RHINE and DAVID WOODS, two of the injured, are
still at the Sherman House and doing well, and each have
relatives with them and good care. MR. WOODS was not expected to
survive the injury to his spine, but we are glad to learn that
there is a prospect for his recovery. JAMES DICK has returned to
his home near Russell, while MESSRS. MENDENHALL, ALLEN and
COOPER, who were at the Clinton house, were all sent home on
Monday, of this week. They were each doing reasonably well. We
called on MESRS. MENDENHALL and COOPER, at their request, and
they wished that we should mention especially their physicians,
MESSRS. HEED & BAIRD, as having been unusually attentive and
kind to them, and we think that as much could be said of all in
any way engaged in waiting on the various unfortunate strangers,
who were left temporarily in the care of our people.
MR. MARCUS L. EVANS, of this county, was taken to Russell on a
special train soon after his death, and buried at the Salem
Cemetery in Benton Tp. on Friday, an unusually large procession
of his friends and neighbors following him to his grave. He was
in comfortable circumstances and leaves a wife and eleven
children.
By the accident the B. & M. accounts for the first passengers
ever killed upon its road. This speaks well for the safety and
management of the great trunk line of the West, over which
hundreds of thousands of people have traveled. Employees have
been killed but never before a passenger.
[transcribed by N.M.S., March 2007]