Oral Culbertson Accidentally Killed; Collided with Train

CULBERTSON, MOEN, ANDERSON, THOMPSON

Posted By: Deidre Badker (email)
Date: 6/15/2006 at 06:57:44

Oral Culbertson was killed and Alvin Moen badly hurt as the result of an automobile's collision with a freight train here last Thursday night about 9:30 p.m. Both young men are from Carpenter, Iowa.

Lloyd Anderson, Claude Culbertson, who is a brother of Oral and his brother-in-law, Milton Thompson, were riding in the rear seat of the car and were uninjured, except for a few painful bruises.

The five young men were driving from the east into Northwood on highway # 105. A long freight train was standing on the main track across Central avenue waiting for another freight to get in and take the siding. The young men evidently did not observe the obstructing train. Leland Rustad was in his car on the east side of the track, having stopped until the crossing could be cleared. When he saw the car approaching, he tried frantically to signal the driver to stop, but his warning was not heeded.

Moen, who was driving a new Studebaker sedan, drove around Rustad's car and headed straight into the freight train.

Physicians were summoned and got to the sight of the wreck within a few minutes. Culbertson and Moen were bleeding profusely, Culbertson being unconscious. First aid was given while the ambulance was procured. Both injured men were placed in it and rushed to Park hospital, Mason City, accompanied by Dr. Herbst.

Considerable difficulty was encountered during the trip to Mason City to keep Moen breathing. It seemed that the shock had affected the respiratory system severely; but by manipulation of the chest, as well as by a heart stimulant, administered with a hypodermic needle, respiration was accomplished.

Culbertson had sustained a severe fracture of the skull and other injuries, the former causing death at about 3:30 o'clock Friday morning. His father and mother were with him when the end came.

Moen's scalp was cut in horseshoe shape, the cut being 5 or 6 inches long. He also had a cut above the nose, and a finger on his right hand was injured. It was discovered a couple of days later that one kidney had been injured, which required a longer stay in the hospital.

Oral was the son of Mr. & Mrs. Charles M. Culbertson who is a rural mail carrier at Carpenter, IA. He was nearing his nineteenth birthday. Olaus Culbertson, living just east of Northwood, is an uncle of the young man.

Alvin Moen runs a garage and oil station at Carpenter. His parents, Mr. & Mrs. Ole Moen, reside in Northwood, IA.

The automobile was badly wrecked, having a smashed engine and other breaks. It was taken to the Underwood & Peterson garage.

An accident of a similar nature, though not so serious, happened at the crossing in question within the past few years. There is no obstruction of the view of the track there; but a train standing still on it at night can be quite unnoticed unless the driver's lights are good, and the rays of light thrown high enough to reveal the cars on the railroad track.

Funeral services for the young man were held Sunday afternoon at the Deer Creek Lutheran church. The Rev. M. E. Waldeland, until recently pastor there, but now of Northfield, MN, had charge of the service. The largest crowd ever seen there, it is said, assembled to pay their last tribute of respect to the youth so quickly and tragically removed from the ranks of the living.

Of the immediate family, there survive the stricken parents; 3 brothers and 3 sisters. The body was interred at St. Ansgar, Iowa.

(From the Northwood Anchor and St. Ansgar Enterprise, both Iowa newspapers - July 27, 1927)