Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1899-08-10
:. a OBr,en,

IL 10 dtfticult 70 suitably WELD the
pen in allusi0nr to the young man
whose career was summarily closed on
that fast flying train hurled to splint-
cred fragments III the twtnkiipg OF an
eye. 1t is hard to suitably describe
the feelings that are deeply moved by
the death of this most manly fellow.
1t is difficult to realize that he is no
more. He needs no eulogy from any
pen among those who knew him. His
character was upright, his manhood an
open book of honest attributes, and
his disposition the very essence of sun
shine. 1t has been said of Jim o.
Rrien that he was q "snre cure for the
blues" genial, sociable and courteous
to all, q dutiful son to his widowed
mother, and q loving brother to his
brothers and sisters, his mntlmely death
strikes deeply and keenly inthe family
circle. He had countless friends, both
here and everywhere his duty as an OK.
press messenger called him during his
servlce with the company He made
friends and held them, such Was his.
d;spusitlnn. A
James j. O'Brien Was 33 wears old,
and was the second son of Mrs. Mary
|O'Brien of East Cascade He was
horn near Garryowen and spent tn.
Q .rly years of his life on his fathers
farm, now owned by Fred Kurt. and
attended school at st Martln's and in
East Cascade. His father died when
he was 16 years old. After his death
his mother disposed of the farm and
with her family removed to Cascade.
lanes. through his uncle, John FLYNN
VI Dubuque, who was route agent for
the American Express company, sc.
cured employment with the company
in 1885 and began driving one Of the
cOmpany's wagons in Dubuque. He
was rapidly advanced. having the
qualities deserving of recognition and
promotion. In q year or so he began
running as express messenger on the
Milwaukee between Lacrosse and
savannah. 1t was while on this run
in 1889 that Jim had his first exp RI
ence in railroad wrecks. He YVES on
the south-bound train that colidpd with
the north.bound at Eagle Point north
IT Dubuque. Six train men were
killed outright, and Mr. O'Brien was
so badly bruised that his condition
was alarming for several days there.
after, but q vigorous constitution and
COAt0AO OkOAHuU ullA VuU 0kIU u6U0
him as good as new.
lie never had another accident until
the dreadful affair of Tuesday morn.
ing. During his service as q messen-
ger he has also run express between
Waterloo and Lyle, MINI; between
Chicago and Sioux City, on the main
line of the Illinois Central; on the
Elkhorn be tween Missouri Valley,
Iowa, and Deadwood City, and on the
Northwestern between Chicago and
Omaha. He began the latter run last
fall and continued until the first of
the year, when he took q temporary
run between Dubuque and Sioux CITY
on the Central, The latter run he
held until the first of June, this year.
when he resumed duty on the North.
Westerns fast mail, carrying express
/ and mail carr and no passengers. 1t
was undoubtedly the fastest train In
the world, averaging q speed ofseventy
miles an hour between Chicago and
Omaha, q distance of over 500 miles.
Before Mr.. O'Brien assumed the tenn
airy run between Dubuque and
lSSp,x City he had applied for the
Northwestern position, but after
running into Dubuque and renewing
former a%caVaintsnees there, and being
near his ole home in Cascade, he was
not particular about the run on the
Northwestern, hut later when the
place was offered him on his applica.
ton previously filed he felt bound to
accept and did so.s
AS an employee Of the American Elk.
press company Jim had the entire
confidence Of his 'superiors and was @
trusted member Of. the messenger
force. He did his work intelliQenily
and faithfully and no task was 80
heavy that he did not accomplish it
His long runs and Important positions
rlainly tell the faith rernsed in his
ability and efficiency.
While absent from Cascade during
the thirteen years of his service in the
express business, Jim seldom let 9
! year 60 by without g visit to the old
H.. ~.other and family, and
home with ms 49,. - the
always kept up q lively interest," Au....
old town that he truly loved. His
visits were always looked forward to
by his friends and no man received 8
heartter welcome than jim O'Brien.
The Jun was always shining where he
loitered. That Is why there are 80
many saddened hearts In Cascade to-
day when the cold and smileless re-
mains of our genial friend were e.
corted to the old home, and thence to
the quiet church-yard at Garryowen,
there to rest until resurrected on the
day Of final judgment. He loved life,
and the vitality in him was an en-
couragement to the forlorn and down.
cast. He was high spirited, q price.
less companion, q sincere and stead
fast friend.
MI. O'Brien's surviving relatives are
his widowed mother, his sisters Mrs,
Joseph Gavin and Mrs. John Morrison,
of Temple Hill, his brothers Thomas
|O'Brien of Dubuque, engineer on the
Great Western, and Will O'Brien of
Cascade. His address since taking the
Northwestern run has been at 81 Best
avenue, Chicago, where he r0omed
with Mr.. Tad Miller, also in the ex-
press business. The latter attended
the funeral.
The funeral services were conducted
by Rev. F. L. Roche at st. Mary's and
the remains were escorted to Garry
owen by a great concourse of people,
Cascade Pioneer.
McClure's Magazine For
August.
MCCLURE'S MAGAZINE for August,
-.;xL ;A..~n.SnV no~o. doei~~ad I'm Will