George
W . Seigle, ,station agent at Tiffin, injured early today when a
Rock Island freight train ploughed through the Tiffin depot, was
reported in a serious condition at Mercy hospital this afternoon.
X-rays
revealed a badly crushed check, the surgeon in charge said, and there
may be a puncture of the right lung. There was also an indication of a
kidney injury, the surgeon said.
In recounting the accident today,
Mr. Seigle said he retired at 9 o'clock Wednesday night and was
sleeping on a cot on the north side of the office. Mr. Seigle said he
was awakened from a sound sleep by the falling of the chimney and
station timbers around him. He added that when the crash was over, he
got out of bed and walked out of the wreckage.
TIFFIN - With
a locomotive and 16 cars derailed, a Rock Island freight train plowed
through the Tiffin depot at 12:15 o'clock this morning. The
building was completely demolished, with Mr. George W. Seigle, 63,
ticket agent who was asleep in the depot, miraculously escaping with
minor injuries.
Railroad officials said this noon that a broken arch
bar on a car of cement was the cause of the accident which sent the
eastbound freight crashing into the building.
Suffers Broken Ribs
Mr.
Seigle suffered broken ribs and other injuries. A refrigerator car came
to rest over the spot upon which he was asleep when the crash occurred.
He was taken to Mercy hospital in Iowa City for treatment for shock.
A
watch and purse in Mr. Seigle's clothing hanging a few feet from his
bed were found more than 100 yards from the wrecked depot.
Second Engine Derailed
The
freight, made up of cars of fruit, corn, potatoes, cement, tractors and
livestock, was a double-header, with one engine in the middle of the
train. The first engine went past the depot, but the cars behind it and
the second engine plowed through the depot wreckage. Three of the cars
and a locomotive piled up on what had been the depot site.
Mr. C.
Frey, engineer, and Mr. C. E. Hayes, fireman, were uninjured. A
westbound freight train, on a siding near the depot was not damaged.
Tracks Cleared
Wrecking
crews from Cedar Rapids and Valley Junction, as well as section crews
from nearby towns,were called. The side tracks wee cleared t 9:05
o'clock this morning to permit trains to go through on the
Chicago-Omaha main line, Train No. 23, westbound, was held at Iowa City
at 1:40 a.m. and the eastbound 2 a.m. flyer was held at Marengo until
the tracks were opened.
Mr. A. C. Bradley of Des Moines, division
engineer, Mr. J. W. Pugh, road master and Mr. C. W. Lafler, train
master, both of Iowa City, were in charge of the investigation to
determine the cause of the derailment.
Box Cars in Heap
The
second locomotive was ditched on the site of the depot, the tender and
engine being twisted sideways. The box cars were twisted and piled in a
heap, much as if a cyclone had picked them up, whirled them around and
dumped them in a pile.
Corn, potatoes and other contents of the cars
were scattered over the area. The car of livestock was not upset. The
tracks were torn up half-way from the west crossing to the depot.
Source: Iowa City Press-Citizen, 4 Apr 1935, Thur., pg. 1
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