The daily sentinel., 1909-01-18

Wiped out of existence in mo-
ment's time, all earthly hopes and
plans blasted without seconds
/ warning-this was the fate, the ter
rible fate that befell the families of
/ w. c. Kettle and John Williams, en-
route to this valley to make their
1 homes Most heartrending and pa
! thetic are the-details. here made pub
jslfr fer. the first time, surrounding the
I blotting ont of existence of these
two families. Never was the uncer-
tainty of lifessor the irony of fate
more frightfully demonstrated than
I in the cases of these two families.
1t has developed that majority of
! the people who lost their lives in the
terrible railway disaster that oc-
CURED at Dotsero, 40 miles east OF
this city Friday night We're en- route
to this valley either to make their
homes permanently or to spend some
time here on visits.
Fate of the Kettle Family.
Some eight months ago. or in the
early part of last summer, w. c. Ket-
tie, one of the most prominent farm
ers of Ashton, Neb.. came to this val
ley, and, after spending some days
here with his relatives, Mr.. and Mrs.
Henry Jens. well known people re-
siding near Clifton. Mrs. Jens being
daughter of Mr. Kettle. Mr.. Kettle
purchased the fine fruit farm, known
as the Locust farm, owned by Charles
Trisler and located about miles east
of Grand Junction. Mr. Kettle paid
$4,000 for the property.
Mr.. Trisler and family gave up pos
session of the orchard and farm a
few weeks later and went to the
northwest
Mr.. Kettle decided not to bring his
family to the valley until this winter.
as ii would take him number OF
months to dispose of or arrange his
large property interests in Nebraska.
In the meantime the fine country
home on the Locust farm has been
unoccupied.
Mr.. Kettle returned to Nebraska
and a few days ago he and his fam
lily, consisting of his wife and three
children, started for Grand June
tion, pleasantly anticipating the
making of their new home in this
rich valley
Prepared to Meet Them.
Mr.. and Mrs. Henry Jens We're no.
titled that the family would reach
here last Saturday morning, the new
home was gotten into readiness for
the immediate occupancy of the fam
lily and the Jens family arranged to
meet their relatives at the train Sat
urday.
\ The family boarded Rio Grande
train No. in Denver Friday morn
ing and for the members of this fam
lily. as well as for many other rea-
sons. this train proved train of
Death. They never left II alive.
William Kettle and family were eth
er in the tourist sleeper or in the
chair car and when the death roll
was called ii was found that Mr.. and
Mrs. Kettle and two younger chill
dren. one of whom was a boy OF Il
. years, the other a little girl. were
dead \ daughter % years old was
in dying condition. She was placed
on the first relief train that started
for Glenwood Springs but died just
as the train reached Glenwood, thus
not member of that family, a party
of five. left Mrs. Jens. the married
daughter. of the Clifton neighbor-
hood, and her husband, did not have
positive knowledge of the fate of the
family until yesterday. Mr.. and
Mrs. Jens left this afternoon for
Glenwood Springs. \ married son
resides near Ashton. Neb., and many
other relatives are there.
He Was Very Wealthy.
On the person of Mr.. Kettle was
found list of sales aggregating
SI22,000. representing evidently the
sales of farms, stock and other prop
critics he had sold in Nebraska pre-
paratory to coming to this valley.
There was also considerable cur
rency and drafts on his body. On
the person of Mrs. Kettle were found
two drafts. one for $4,000, the other
for $500 and S4O.10 in currency.
Mr.. Kettle was wealthy man and
would doubtless have made very eX-
tensive investments in this valley.
The family was prominent one.
) Only One Child Left.
John Williams. wife and four
children were on the ill-fated train
en- route to Fruita. in this county,
from Clarks, Neb., where they pro-
posed to make their home and where
Mr.. Williams aged parents We're re-
siding. The family was in the chair
car. The father and mother and three
of the children ware killed outright.
One child little girl, aged about ;
wears. escaped 1t was she who was
found under the body of her mother,
covered with blood and who for a
time was believed to have been the
only person saved from the chair
car.
Parents Live At Fruita.
The news of the death of all but
one member of the family of the son
was an awful blow to the aged par
, epts of Mr.. Williams. They went To
, Glenwood yesterday and Identified
, the remains and the bodies VIII be
shipped to Fruita for burial.
, Williams carried several thousand
dollars insurance in the Modern
Woodmen of America as receipts on
/ his person showed. The wife was a
, member of the Women of Woodcraft
, Mr.. williams had considerable cur