Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1882-06-28
THE STORM OFFRIDAY NIGHT
The Sad Death Of Engineer
w. Fuller Musser.
Large Funeral Sunday.

The Sad Death Of Engineer
w. Fuller Musser.
Large Funeral Sunday.
The rain fell in angry torrents last Fri
day night. The weather during the day
had been excessively hot, and the storm
was expected. This portion of the State
was fortunate in escaping the terrible cy-
clones which visited several other points,
yet Austin lost one of her sons as result
of the storm. w. Fuller Musser, engi-
neer of the St. Louis night express, which
left Austin at 1: 35 Saturday A. NJ, for St.
Paul, met his death at point about two
miles this side of Aurora about 8 o'clock.
The heavy rains had washed out small
culvert at the bottom of filled portion
of the road about 80 feet high. Musser
was looking for bad places in the road at
about this point, and the train was run
ming very slow in consequence. It seems
the track appeared all right, but the cul.
vert and filling had washed away from
underneath, and the track hung together
by very slender thread. The engine
went on and dropped straight down some
twenty feet. Poor Musser, who was
standing faithfully by his post, was killed
instantly. There were four freight cars
piled on top of the engine, so it was inn
but his position when found satisfied all
that he was instantly killed. The train
consisted of five freight cars one baggage
car, passenger car and a sleeper. The
fireman-Thomas Clancey-escaped al
most miraculously. He says the first
thing he knew he was in the water and
swan out. He received some slight in
juries, but not serious. The train was in
charge of conductor Lyke, with James
Harvey and man from Minneapolis as
brakemen. None of the other train
hands or any of the passengers we're in
jured. Mussers remains were brought to
Austin Saturday night, and the funeral
was held Sunday at 8 p. m.
Two or three of the cars contained
cattle and hogs, the greater portion Of
which were killed outright.
The scene at the wreck was truly dis
tressing. The wrecked engine at the
bottom of the abyss, with the lifeless
body Of the faithful engineer held in it!
embrace as with vice. On this were
piled four freight cars, and around thu
wreck were strewn dead cattle and hogs
the victims of the accident. Only two o.
three head of cattle and a few hog
passed through the ordeal alive.
| Warren Fuller Musser would have beer
thirty-six years old had he lived unit
August 18th. He was born in Ohio, ant
in 1867 his father settled in Otranto, som,
twelve miles south of Austin. Durint
the year 1862 the family removed to .
farm in Lyle township in this county
Fuller remained on the farm until h
went to work on the railroad as a fireman
over ten years ago. For the past 81!
years he has occupied the position of en-
gineer. He was regarded by the Officers
of the Co. as one of their most trusted
engineers. He was married Nov I'd, 1878
to Miss Lydia A. Woodward, of Calmar
Iowa, and one child has blessed thei
union-a little girl, now 2 years old. Mr.
Musser had recently purchased hom'
ON Water street and was building an ad
dition to the house. His home was hi
paradise. His mother lived with them
and he was always kind, tender and tru'
to all his loved ones at home. Warrel
Fuller Musser carried with him always
pleasant, beaming countenance. He wa
a true friend of his friends, and although
he had few if any enemies, he always hat
a cheerful greeting for all his acquaint
ances, whether intimate friends or not
He leaves, besides his wife, child an,
mother two brothers and two sisters
The sad intelligence came to the strickel
wife with crushing weight, and friend
feared that reason would be dethroned
For hours there were no tears to shed, an
the breaking heart could only mourn on
it's agony.
| THE FUNERAL.
The funeral services, Sunday, at 8 P. NJ.
were in charge of the Austin Lodge of Cd
Fellows, of which Musser was member
The attendance was as large as eve
known in Austin. Special trains wer
run from Mason City, and from both di
rections on the main line, to bring in tn
railway employees and friends. 1t is es
timated that there were two or three hun
dred railway employees in the procession
A brother, J. p. Musser, and wife, o
Minneapolis, and two sisters, Miss Hele1
L., and Mrs. Mary NJ. Pierce and husband
of Eldora, Iowa, and an aunt and tire
cousins from Mason City, were present
One brother, f. H., of River Falls, Wis.
was unable to join the mourning relatives
The exercises at the house consisted o
vocal music, an opening prayer and yer.
appropriate and touching remarks by Rev
r. G. Spafford, and a prayer in closin
by Rev. Lathrop.
The funeral c0rtege was preceded b.
the Odd Fellows in uniform, with tn
Austin Union Band in front, then cam
the Austin brotherhood of Locomotiv
Engineers and railroad employees, eac
with a badge of mourning on the LEI
arm. This was q long procession. Fol
lowing was the hearse, monrpers an
friends in carriages:
After simple ceremony at the grave
in Baudler's cemetery, the long pre-
cession wendell its way back, accompany
ing the sorrowing wife to her desolate
home.
Odd Fellows Tribute.
So soon again has death entered til
sacred circle Of our brotherhood, an
taken from us, our beloved brothel
Warren Fuller Musser. He possesse
those traits and elements OF characte
that constitute true man. Kind, jus
and forgiving, he practiced what he b.
lieved, and from his great heart poure
forth soul full of tenderness and low
He firmly believed in kindness and alway