The Wadsworth dispatch. [volume] (Wadsworth, Nev.) 1892-1899, 1897-08-14
Engineer Geery Goes to His
Death Near MarysYille.
In Forty Wrecks He Earned the Sobriquet of
Rocky Bill"-He Pulled the Throttle Here
u Quarter of a Century, and was Be
loved for Character and Courage.
Civic Societies and Citizens
In Funeral Cortege.

The remains OF W. W. Geery arrived
here yesterday on No.. in one of the
handsomest caskets we have ever seen.
They were taken to the room Of the
Engineer and Mechanics Library As
ISOLATION, where his friends the entire
community took a last look at the man
who many of them had known so init
mately for a quarter Of a century.
1t was a pitiful sight to see the grief
OF the mother, son and daughter, when
the lid of the casket was to be clos ed
and that dear face was gone from their
sight forever. 1t was a sad task, ono
that wrung the tears from all, to take
those mourners from their beloved dead
but it needs must be and was done.
The pall-bearers were: L. W. Young,
B. F. Dolan, John Schwandt, J. F..
Crosby, E. D. Short, Ed Shepley, J. B.
Cunningham and T. H. Bastian, repre-
senting the Masohs, odd Fellows,
Workmen and Brotherhood of Loco
motive Engineers.
The funeral consisted OF Wadsworth
Lodge No. 25, F.& Am. Wadsworth Lodge
No. 80, 1. o. o. F., Upchurch Lodge No.
"a, A. o. U. W.. Division No. 48, B. of
L. E., Harry Wilson Lodge No. 3l3, B. of
r. T., Truckee Lodge No. 10, B. of L. F.,
citizens on foot and in carriages, and it
extended from Union church TO Frater-
nal cemetery.
Rev. I. l.. Bellam officiated at Union
Church., which was a mass of flowers.
The floral pieces were handsome and
filled a wagon.
The remain were inferred in the Ma
sonic plot, Fraternal Cemetery, tie
Masonic ceremonies being beautiful and
impressive.
Engineer Geery came to Wadswofth
in 70 from the Illinois Central. In his
capacity as a locomotive engineer Mr..
Geery was in forty odd wrecks, escaping
serious injury in all of them, but by
them well earning in railroad parlance
the sobriquet of ''Rocky Bill"
The editor of the DISPATCH, when
a boy, made Mr.. Geery's acquaintance,
and in our next issue we will speak OF
him as we knew him.
He was a Mason in good standing and
was a member of both the Blue lodge
and Chapter in Truckee. , +
For many years he was a member of
Truckee Division No. 48, B. of l.. E.,
and in accordance with their rules be-
came a member of Sacramento Division
No. 10 at Sacramento. He carried
no insurance in the B. Of L. E. i
He was a member in good standing of
Upchurch No. "a, A. 0. U. W. of Wads.
worth, and his family will receive $4,000
from this order.
He became a member of Wadsworth
Lodge No. SO I. o. o. f. on November
8, 1891, and at the time of his death was
in good standing.
According to the seniority list of
engineers he vas the oldest engineer,in
service on this division of the c. P, and
he entered the service as an engineer'on
November |, 1875.
Engineer j. V. Cronan went from
Reno to Oroville to take charge of the
body and make arrangements for the
burial.
Engineers J.. A. Goldie and ] B.
Cunningham went to Truckee to render
what assistance they could.
AS RAILROAD MEN VIEW IT.
As to just how Geery lost his life lie a
matter of speculation, but the railroad
men generally give as their opinion that
he climbed on the engine when he saw
the freight train bearing down upon his
train, told the fireman to jump, reversed
his engine and started it back, then
turned and his foot caught between the
engine and tender. He did not know
that his foot was caught and threw his
body forward as one would do in Jump
ing from an engine. The left foot was
caught and held and swung his body
down with such force that his head
struck the rail of the driving-wheel
breaking his skull. the only injuries
found on the body are the left foot and
the skull.
The accident happened between