Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1876-07-19

Deen wrecked between this city and
Chillicothe, on the C. B. & @. railroad,
and that the engineer and fireman
were both instantly killed. The re-
port, unfortunately, in all its CHASTITY
particulars, proved only too true.
The particulars of the accident, as
gathered by COURIER reporter from
A. w. Bell, the conductor, are about
as follows. They had been running
along about as usual and arrived at
Chillicothe on time. The rain had
been very severe and the water was
pouring down the hillsides in tor
rents, filling the small streams until
they were overlooking their banks.
They left Chillicothe OH time and at
the time the accident 40 10 o'clock)
occurred they were running at the
rate Of about eight miles per hour.
The accident occurred a mile this side
of Chillicothe, where a small stream
runs under the railroad through a
stone culvert. At one time there was
a bridge there but it had given way
to this culvert and the banks had
been filed with earth for some dis
lance on each side. 1t seems that an
old stump had floated down
and lodged in the mouth of
the culvert. drift-wood packing
around it until the water was COM
pletely damned up. The water, it is
supposed. kept raising until it forced
its way through the bank, cutting
away the dirt from around the cul-
vert, leaving the ties suspended in
place by the rails. The gap made by
the water was about thirty-five feet
wide, leaving ditch from the top of
the rail about IL or Is feet deep. In
to this chasm the engine plunged, the
head of the engine striking the oppo-
site side, breaking the engine and
tender in two, doubling them up
with their backs together, four freight
cars following and piling on top,
completing the wreck, forming a
monument over the engineer and
fireman, who were dead and buried
beneath the ruins.
The conductor, when the train came
to halt, followed along until he
came to the ditch, and found John
Gibbons standing on the culvert, in
water half way to his knees, fright
ened half to death, and begging the
conductor "to 60 no nearer, for God
sake ! that the
ENGINEER AND FIREMAN
were both buried in the wreck, and
that if he went any nearer the train
would fall on him !"
Gibbons was standing in the gang.
way of the engine talking to the
engineer when the engine went down
and how he got on the culvert some
10 or II feet away is unaccountable
Mr.. Gibbons was badly bruised, and
at the time he was found, did no
know what he was saying. Bell as
sisted him off the culvert, took hin
back to the way car and left him il
the charge Of the passengers, of W hon
there were four. He then sent hi
remaining brakeman back to Chilli
cothe for
ASSISTANCE,
took his red light, came this wa,
some distance and stationed one o
his passengers with it to warn OF
approaching trains. He then returned
to the wreck, and with his hand LAM
commenced search for the deat
bodies of the engineer and fireman
THE DARKNESS
was intense, and, in the storm alone
with his lantern glimmering faintl,
in the black darkness, he climbed owe
the wreck in search Of the missin,
men. He says that he never felt s,
strange in his life, as when by fiasl
Of lightning, he discovered
NELSON BEST, THE ENGINEER,
on the outside of the wreck, hangin
over one of the rails, face downward
head and arms hanging forward wit
his feet fast in the wreck, stone deat
: 1t was a trying position, the lighl
ming flashing, the rain
II FALLING IN TORRENTS,
/ and the water rushing through I'll
wreck making a terrible din. II
!, was afraid to undertake to releas
the body for fear that it might ia
. into the water and be carried into tn
river. He finally left him, and whe
he obtained assistance from sectio
men from Chillicothe, they release
the body and carried it back to IL
way car. Mr.. Best was badly scalde
in the face, and was otherwise inju
n ed. He probably
DIED INSTANTLY.
4 1t was some hours before the bod
of the fireman was discovered, b,
he was finally found at the bottom
i the wreck, his limbs wrapped aroun
: the machinery, and his body torn a
most in two.
> of the disaster was telegraphed
+ this city. Mr.. Chatterton summont
c assistance and left in few momen
for the scene of the accident, whe
II by systematic direction and person
!" assistance, the bodies were proper
!: cared for, and q temporary foe
Y bridge built around the wreck, Il
. passengers, baggage and expire
n goods. from trains No. l and 2, wifi
e, met at the wreck, were transfers.
n from one to the other without &C,
r dent or unnecessary delay. IL
IN bodies were brought down to Il
city this morning.
at has been in the employ Of the c.,
= Il @. Road for several years, was
J" competent engineer, and an excclle
a. citizen. He leaves wife and ty
+. children, on whom this terrible bio
falls with crushing force.
es MR.. KIRFMAN
e. was man, who, although not so W
es known rs Mr.. Best, is well spoken
It's by everybody who knew him.
also leaves wife and two childr'
THE FUNERAL
), Of Mr.. Best will take place from
NJ End Methodist church, tomorrow
ss IL o'clock. He will be buried by
- Brotherhood of Locomotive Eng
GERS.
Notice.
All persons indebted to the und
ne signed will please call and settle
n. al3-dAwtf A. WELLMAN & Co
Ino Ladies
From both City and Coun
~ should not fail to visit Mrs. Plat
- Hcyland's millinery Store in Curl
~ - -