The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1897-09-15
Charles Leeper Killed in a Railroad
Wreck.

A terrible railroad collision. one of the
worst in many years occurred at 1925 on
Friday morning last, on the tracks of the
| Denver & Rio Graud and the Colorado
Midland railways, two miles west of
New Castle, Colorado, i'm which Charles
Leeper, of Clarion, Pa, and well known
| throughout this section of country, was
one of the unfortunate passengers to lose
| his life. Robert W. Schotts, of Tylers-
burg, Pa, was also on the train, but was
not killed, though receiving severe
bruises.
| 1t is reported that at least thirty lives
wore lost and nearly two hundred per-
sons more or less seriously injured,
many of whom will die. The wreck was
| caused by a head-end collision between a
| Denver & Rio Grand passenger train run
ming at the rate of 40 miles an hour and a
special Colorado Midland stock train,
running at a speed of probably 80 miles.
! So terrific was the concussion that both
/ engines, baggage and express cars,
smoker and day coaches and two stock
cars were totally demolished, aud the
track torn up for rods in both directions
| To add TO the horrors of the scene, the
wreck caught fire from an explosion of a
Pintsch gas tank on the passenger train
and burned so rapidly that many passen-
gers pinned beneath the debris were
burned to death before help could reach
them.
The most generally accepted theory as
to the cause of the wreck seems to be
that Conductor Burbank, of the Midland
special, anticipating the time of the pas
senger, undertook to steal a station. and
beat the passenger into New Castle.
Burbank escaped uninjured. and upon
orders from Coroner Clark has been
placed under arrest by the sheriff. Mid
land Engineer Ostrander is missing and
n thorough search all around his engine
fails to reveal any vestige of his remains.
1t is thought that when he saw his threat
ened danger he jumped from his engine
and, realizing his negligence, took to the
hills. Mr.. and Mrs. f. II. Strous, who
live quarter of mile from the scene oi
the accident report that when the two
| ~
literally hurl them out of bed.
Mr.. Leeper and Mr.. Robert Shoots, o
Iylersburg, interested with him i'm tn
lumber business in Washington, started
for that point from Clarion on Monday
of last week, and they were on their way
there when the fatality occur ed. Mr.
Shoots telegraphed the sad news to Clar
| loA tA 20
Leeper, who was attending the confer
ence at Oil City at the time.
Charles c. Leeper was born in Center
county, SO years ago, and from a pool
boy be rose from comparative poverty tC
affluence by mis- integrity and wonderful
energy, and at the time of his death hi
had oil interests in Pennsylvania anC
Ohio, coal interests in three states, anC
was extensively engaged in the lumber
business in the south and west. Wher
he was scarcely of age he came to Clarion
county and engaged in the lumber bust
ness, his first work being on boat scat
fold on Tionesta creek a short distanc,
below Nebraska. Afterwards he located
at Tylersburg, where he conducted
numbering business extending owe
,, many years, and where he laid the foun
dation for his fortune. About "a year
ago he removed to Clarion where he be
l came associated in business with some o
: the leading mon of that town, and tool
Q an active part in all that had tenden
cy to build up and enhance the interest
/ Of the place.
f Mr.. Leeper is survived by his wife,
r daughter of our townsman, Mr.. John
t r. Stroup, and two sons, Clarence {
Leeper of Toledo, o., and Harry of Sagi
nav, Mich, both engaged in looking aite
I their fathers interests in those cities.