Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1906-02-21
Body Of Engineer of Wrecked
Central Train Exhumed From
Under Tons of Debris
BURNED BEYOND RECOGNITION.
charred and Burned Body Recovered
by Searchers This Morning-WiIl Be
Taken to Mason City Where Wife
and Family Live Costly, Vet Un-
usually Lucky Wreck.
Special To times Republican.

| Special To Times Republican.
0ldora. Feb. 21---The body of Eugene
Willard, the engineer Of Central freight
No. So who paid with his life the cost
of his mistake in the wreck two miles
north of here Tuesday morning. was
recovered from the debris at o'clock
this morning by the searchers. Burn
ed and charred. with the skin and
flesh roasted so that it fell from he
bones, the body was not recognizable.
1t was found under the pile Of coal to
the right of where Wizards engine
stopped, and was near the spot
where it was thought he must have
fallen If he was thrown from his en-
CINE when the crash came.
The body was brought to this city,
and prepared for shipment to Mason
live. Two Northwestern engineers, Of
Inc Northern Iowa DIVISION on winch
Willard was formerly an engine uri-
yer, came here 10 accompany the body.
a brother of KnoXvlIle arrived here
this morning, and sister OF OSkaloosa
came last night.
owing to the heat of the burning
coal, and the lack of means with
which to fight the fire and the ina'bil-
ity to reach it with the supply from
an engines tank on account of the
aft
cover the body after the wrecking be-
gan. 1t was realized that he was be-
yond human aid, and the companys
officials conferred their efforts in open
ing the track for traffic.
Track Cleared Search Begins.
After the track was cleared at 10
o'clock last night gang was detailed
to do what they could with the means
at hand to put out the burning mass.
Up to that time snow had been show
eled on the coal, which was burning
to white heat, but this helped but
little. After the heat of the fire be-
came intense the snow banks In the
cuts began to melt, the water so made
was slooped up in pals and thrown
on the fire. Late in the night an en-
CINE was drawn up alongside the
smouldering mass and the contents OF
it's tank was emptied on it. This serv-
ed to cool off the big mass of live
Goals so that shovelers could work
among them.
Wizards body lay under a pile of
coal about four feet in depth, and
about ten feet from the track. His
watch was melted by the heat, but the
lo+ 0f l,n oin11 q
its number was found on the body.
Costly, Vet Lucky Wreck.
While the loss of life, the total de-
struction Of two cars of merchandise,
one of glass. one of coal, one OF cotton
sheeting, and one of ice, including the
cars themselves and the damage to the
engines, will total thousands Of dol
lars the wreck was a most lucky one.
The wonder is, not that Willard was
killed and Frank j. Sheahan. the head
brakeman of No. SO was badly injured,
but that any of the six men on the two
engines escaped with their lives. Not
one Of them had time to jump and OF
the six five were thrown from their
engines. and the other, Henry Birks,
fireman of Second No. 90, was flung
headlong into the coal Of the engines
tender. Yet of the five thrown into
the right of-way three escaped with
out serious injury.
Had the wreck occurred 100 yards
farther north where another curve OF
the track turns in the opposite direc-
ton and borders gully thru which
runs a creek thirty feet below, the
cars which left the track would doubt
Il nil 1fYS, mo-
and rolling down the bank and into
the water the two engines and their
crews.
.Henifin Gives Alarm.
The crash of the mighty impact
which sent the huge locomotives into
each other ratified the windows and
shook the house Of w. e. Henifin, who
lives about forty rods northeast of the
scene on the Perkins road. 1t awaken
ed both Mr.. Henef1n and his wife, who
guessed rightly at once that awreck had
occurred. BY telephone MIR. Henefin
notified the operator at the Eldora
station. The doctors soon after arrived
in buggies and the injured were taken
into town and to the Emergency hospi-
tai.
sheahan May Lose Foot.
Today, Frank ]. Sheahan, head
brakeman of the No. SO, who was
dragged from in under the burning
tank by Engineer Rogers and others.
is reported resting as easily as could
be expected. The attending physician
believes he can save the injured mans
life, but he may have to amputate the
foot which was badly crushed. Rogers,
the fireman of the same train, is re-