Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1910-04-05
RAILWAY ACCIDENTS
New Mark Set by Catastrophe at
Green Mountain.
OTHER NOTED ONES RECALLED
Accidents on Iowa Roads Have Cost
Many Lives, but Mondays
Wreck Most Disastrous In
Iowa's Railroad History.

Des Moines, Mar. 26-While Mon
days wreck of the Rock Island train
on the Great Western was the worst
known to the railroad history of the
state in the number of lives sacri-
feed, it is an interesting fact that 1t
is the first time that a passenger was
ever killed on q train on the Great
Western in Iowa since the road first
entered the state twenty-four years
ago. The next most disastrous wreck
in point of lives sacrificed was that
Of twelve years ago, when an excurs-
ion train on the Northwestern, en-
route from Logan to Omaha, coilided
head-on with q regular passenger train
running in the opposite direction. The
number killed was thirty-eight-two
less than the death roll at Green
Mountain.
Another famous wreck was that on
the Burlington, April %, 1874. in
which James H. Miller, now superin-
tendent of mails in Des Moines, re-
ceived scars that marked him for
life. Conductor Miller of the east
bound train, on which Mr.. Miller was
riding, was killed, as also was Charles
Pickel, brother Of Capt. Hugh Pickel
of this city. Charles Pickel was fire.
man on the west bound train. He was
thrown through the cab window and
~ hnv
drivers.
Another collision we'll remembered
by old timers was that of thirty-two
years ago, when a special train on the
Rock Island, bringing Sells circus to
town, plunged through bridge over
Four Mile creek east of Des Moines,
and killed six members of the circus
company and the engine crew.
Another of more recent date was
that in which No. z, the fast mail
westbound on the Burlington, run
ming seventy miles an hour, collided
with detached engine at Thayer,
killing Engineer Brown of the mail,
demolishing three cars and killing
four passengers. This occurred at
Thayer ten years ago, and incidental
ly cost a veteran superintendent his
position. probably because his broth
or was in charge of the train, whose
engine had gone out upon the main
tine to shift car from an elevator.
Still another was disastrous wreck
sn the Rock Island near Cedar Falls.
six or seven years ago, when six peo-
pie were killed and the train almost
destroyed. Several bad wrecks have
occurred on the Illinois Central in
the vicinity of Waterloo. in which
two or three lives were lost. Only .
few months ago Milwaukee fast
train was shattered into kindling
wood in the vicinity of Cambridge,
but only few of the passengers were
injured, and none killed.
Great Music Festival.
The Greater Des Moines Music
Festival" and which is to be the
formal opening and dedication Of the
new Coliseum, is attracting wide at
tention. The dates are Monday and
Tuesday, April II and IL. The Coll
scum is being prepared to comfortably
seat 5000, and everybody predicts
that every seat will be occupied.
There will be three concerts-the
first to be a recital by the worlds
greatest singer, Ernestine Schumann-
Heink; and the following afternoon
and evening by the Minneapolis Sym
phony Orchestra of sixty artists, un
der the direction of Americas great
est educator, Emil Oberhoffer, and the
following noted soloists: Lucille
Tewksbury of Chicago; Marietta
Bagby Of New York; David Duggan OF
New York; Arthur Middleton, Of
Chicago; Sidney SLIDER, solo pianist
Richard Czerwonky, solo violinist
and Carlo Fischer, solo violincellist.
with DR.. M. L. Bartlett, business man
ager. Prices range from so cents to
$500. Orders for seats are coming
in from all parts Of the state. Each
of the programs are wonderfully at.
tractive. This will be the greatest
musical event in the history Of the
state, and Des Moines is preparing to
entertain a great crowd.
Harnessmakers on Strike.
No settlement has yet been reach"
ed between the men employed at the
saddlery companies and their employ.
of the trouble which caused the men
to go on strike. The officers Of
both the companies declare that they
cannot grant the eight hour day de.
manded by the men and the Is per
cent increase, while the employees arc
equally as emphatic that they will
not return to work until they are Civ
en- their demands. The strike has
already affected many cities.
Ministers Guests Of Curator Harlan.
The ministers of Des Moines wel.
the guests of Curator f. r. Harlan
of the state historical building. Fol
lowing a general review of the work
Curator Harlan led his guests through
the building explaining the different
departments.