Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-12-03
DEATH AT HISPOST
Engineer James w. Dyer Killed
in a Wreck.
TWO FREIGHT TRAINS COLLIDE.

AWV t661d6I TkAlNS CULLlU6.
Come Together with . RfiGhtful Craah
Near Brooklyn, Resulting In Heavy Dam
ego and the Taking Of the Lie OF One Of
the Rock Island's Valued EmpIoyss.
Two freight trains collided a mile
west of Brooklyn, Iowa, on the Chi
cago. Rock Island & Pacific railroad
about 2 o'clock this morning, result
ing in the death of Engineer James
W. Dyer and heavy damage to the
rolling stock.
1t was a head end collision, the
first to occur in several years, so
railroad men say, on the East Iowa
division of the road. Dyer was at the
throttle of the 662 which was coming
east with q meat train. The other
train was q mixed freight 1t was
pulled by locomotive 552 with Engi-
neer William Gilmore in charge. b.
F. Negus was Engineer Dyer's fire.
man. the train crew being CON-
| posed of Conductor Black and Bake
men Lawrence aud Alexander. Guy
Settle was conductor of the west
bound freight, with Brakemen Porter
and Hubbard, and Fireman Thomas
Stapleton.
| The scene of the wreck is about q
mile ives: Of Brooklyn on q curve
The meat train was travelling at a
rate of about thirty-five miles an
hour. The average speed of an Or
binary freight is twenty-five miles.
and it is said the west-bound train
was making this time when the
crash occurred.
Engine Thrown Over.
The train, came toge Their with
terrible force. The locomotive
which Engineer Dyer was guiding
was thrown off the track. falling on
its side and crushing his life out.
The remainder of the crew escaped
unhurt, as did the men on the west
bound train, with the exception of
Fireman Stapleton, whose face was
bruised in jumping from the engine.
Both engines were badly used up,
while four Of the cars of the east
bound train laden with meat were
piled up n one another and red ced
to smithereens.
Who is responsible for the wreck
is more than local officials are pre-
pared to say. The west-bound train
runs regularly between this city and
Brooklyn. carrying passengers be-
tween these points. But from Brook
lyn to Valley Junction it runs as An
extra. Meat trains, as is well known
among railway men, have the right OF
way over everything except Passen-
ger trains. The west-bound train
left Brooklyn shortly before 2 o'clock
this morning as an extra. 1t had
beer. running but a short time when
it met face to face with the swift
speeding meat train.
| Mr.. Dyer, the victim of the wreck,
lived at S25 Thirty-fifth street, Rock
Island, where the news of his shock
ing fate was received by his wife
early this morning. Two children
are also left to mourn his un.imsly
death, Mrs. John w. Tremanp, $685.
Tenth avenue, and William j. DYER,
S35 Thirty ii fth street.
| The wreck blocked traffic so that
passenger trains and % were unable
to reach Rock Island until late this
afternoon. Travel out of Davenport
and Rock Island did not suffer how
ever. the company having made up
the trains here and sent them east
on schedule time.
While nothing official has as yet
been given out as to the cause of the
accident, it is pretty we'll understood
that neither OF the train crews was
to blame for the catastrophe.
| Remains Arrive.
The remains of Engineer Dyer AT.
rived from Brooklyn at 2<45 this
afternoon and we're taken to Knox's
undertaking rooms and prepared for
burial. M. Dyer was q native OF
Massachusetts. aud was 60 yesrs of
age. He was one of the veteran en- gi.
neers Of the Rock island road, hav.
ing sat at the throttle for IS years,
during which time he was a resi-.
dent of Davenport or Rock Island.
He was a number of the Brother.
hood, and was one of the best known
and we'll liked employees on the noad
William +. Gilmore, engineer on
the west bound train, also arrived,
and was taken to his home on Tween
ty-second street. where DE-. s. C.
Plummer was called to attend him.
Engineer Gilmore jumped when he
saw the approaching train, and sus.
tanned severe bruises about the body,
as did the firemen and brakemen OF
both trains. who likewise jumped.
Engineer Dyer was warned to
Jump, but did not. The cause is at
tributed to Engineer Dyer failing to
receive orders to sidetrack at NAL
com. These should have been given
HIM at Grinnell.
Both engines were dashed to
smithereens. Twenty-one cars were
demolished.
Ledge Election.
| Tosk ovou;uD Rarreft Ohio ntor @