Iowa Old Press
Rock Valley Register, February 2, 1894.
A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
A Railroad Wreck Causes the Death of One Person.
On Tuesday morning our citizens were surprised to hear that a railroad wreck had occurred at 7:15 a.m., and that Fokke Van der Laan had been killed.
The regular freight which leaves here at that time started west as usual and when crossing the Eden switch the trucks of the first car jumped the track and the rest of the train started down the Eden branch. The two car houses are situated between the tracks about 100 feet from the switch. The first car followed the engine down the main track but the second started down the branch road, but remained coupled to the first car and was hauled sideways over the section houses, which was completely demolished.
The first car which was loaded with machinery and was very heavy was found turned end for end lying on its side down the embankment about 200 feet from where it jumped the track. The second car which was loaded with hard coal, was evidently the one which was dragged sideways over the car houses, was found coupled to the cars on the Eden branch just beyond the car of machinery with the end and side busted out. The trucks were left where the car houses stood. Five cars on the Eden branch were found off the track, just inside the rails and slightly damaged.
The wreck was caused by a broken switch bar. On examination the bar was found to have previously cracked, and evidently had been so for a long time. As the flaw was on the underside of the bar it was nearly impossible to detect the same.
Fokke Van der Laan, a section hand, who was in one of the houses was caught and instantly killed. When found one side of his face was torn away, his body badly bruised, and partially covered with debris. He was picked up and taken to Kelly's blacksmith shop and Undertaker Maher prepared his body so it would not present such a sickly and ghastly appearance.
Mr. Van der Laan had been a resident of Rock Valley for about two years and had won the respect of all his acquaintances by his honest straightforwardness. He was a trusted employee of the Milwaukee company and often had charge of his section. The deceased was 35 years old and leaves a wife and four children in narrow circumstances. His brother resides north of town, and a sister at Orange City. Two half sisters reside in the vicinity.
THE INQUEST.
On Wednesday Coroner DeBey arrived from Orange City and empanelled a jury to hold an inquest over the remains. Milt H. Allen, the railroad company's attorney, was on hand to represent their interest in the matter. Robt. Roantree, O. J. Dunham and M. B. Smith were sworn in as jurors, and after viewing the remains and visiting the scenes of the disaster rendered the following verdict
We, the jurors, called in at the death of Fokke Van der Laan do say that the deceased came to his death by violence while in the discharge of his duty as section hand on the C. M. & St. P. railroad in Rock Valley, Iowa, produced by the derailment of a freight train; one of the cars running into him and nearly severing his head from the body. And we further find that said cars were derailed by a defective switch rod giving away while train was passing over the switch of which this rod was component part; and we further censure the C. M. & St. P. railway company in that we think they do not exercise proper care in selecting and testing said rods before being put in place or allowing them to be used when defective. [signed by the 3 jurors]
A PRESENTMENT.
It would seem that the dead man had a presentment of his death. On the morning of the accident he ate his breakfast and left the house for his work, but walked about the yard for some time and again returned to the house. His wife asked him if anything was the matter and would he have another cup of coffee. He replied no, but that something was bothering him, and he knew not what and he wanted to bid her goodbye, and he kissed her. It was his last caress on this earth.
THE FUNERAL.
The funeral services occurred Thursday at the Dutch Reform church, Rev. Huizenga conducting them. The remains were interred in the Holland cemetery south of town, a large number of friends showing their last respects to his remains.
Alton Democrat, February 3, 1894
Alton, Iowa
Short and Sweet
Tony Brechter of Remsen died last Sunday of asthma after an illness of only 3 days. Nic Sheckel attended the funeral and bears testimony to the splendid qualities of the deceased. He was only 26 years of age and has many friends in this locality.
[transcribed by LZ, Nov 2019]