Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1912-02-13
VIM. MORRISON
RESIDED HERE.
VETERAN RAILROAD MAN WHO
DIED IN NEW YORK A RESIDENT
OF oTTUMWA YEARS AGO.
TO BE BROUGHT HERE.
Remains Will be Inferred in Ottun1Wa
Cemetery-Was One Time Super
intendent of Ottumwa-Creston
- Division-knoWn to All.

The death of William Morrison, a
resident of this city twenty-five years
ago and at one time superintendent of
the Ottumwa-Creston division, marks
the passing of one of the best known
and most estimable railroad men in
the state of Iowa. Mr.. Morrison's
death occurred yesterday morning in
New York City, where he had gone
with his son for treatment of cancer.
The remains will be brought to -Ottum-
wa and inferred in the OttumWa Gem
etery beside the resting places of two
of his sons. The time Of the arrival
Of the body has not been ascertained.
Mr.. Morrison resided in Des Moines
and for the past twenty-five years was
conductor on the Des MO1nes-Albia
branch. Twenty-Five years ago he
lived in Ottumwa at 221 North Wa
pello street. To the older railroad
men and citizens of Ottumwa, he was
we'll known and his death is learned
by them with deep sorrow. The
Register & Leader this morning has
the following story on his life:
William Morrison, one of the Oldest
conductors on the Iowa division Of the
Burlington, aged IS years, died yester-
he had gone, in company with his son.
Allan Morrison, in the hope of finding
some specialist who could effect a cure
for cancer, with which he had been
afflicted for more than year. For
nearly nine months he had been
treated locally; but, recently, when the
cancer. located In his left ear, display
his head. Mr. Morrison decided to go to
New York and see If he could not Sc
cure relief from the malady. However,
it had attained q growth that baffled
the best surgical talent. and yesterday
he laid down lifes burden.
He leaves widow. three daughters,
the Misses Gertrude, Grace and Jessie.
was with his father at the time he
died. The body will be brought to Des
Moiens Sunday, where, following serv-
ices at the residence, sos Seventeenth
street, under the auspices of the Ma
sonic fraternity. it will be taken to
Ottumwa. the former home of himself
and family, for burial r: ST..
Had decedent lived until next April
he would have rounded out forty years
in the service Of the Burlington COM
pany, For many years decedent was q
well known figure in what was known
twelty-flve years ago as "the Tom Pot
ter group" Others Of the noted veteran |
conductors were Dad Turner BLY,
John Anderson. Charles and Dick Horn.
Charley Post, John Macdonald, Charles
Dana and Jack Woods. OF these only
Woods, Arnold. Dana and Macdonald
survive. Mr.. Morrison came from Illi-
nois to the employ Of the Burlington
almost forty years ago.
About the middle Of the decade Of
M tro
ferred from the main line to a passen-
ger run on Des Moines-Albia branch.
Surprising the assignment would be
permanent he removed his family to
this city. where the several members
have resided since. Later he was as
signed to a run on the branch from
Charlton to st. Joe. Here he continued
for seven or eight years. making trips
to his home here every week or two,
waiting for a hoped for transfer back
to the Abba branch. which would per-
NIT him to be at home every night.
His expectations were long deferred,
but in 1889 or 1890, he returned to this
city. From that time until his death
Yesterday morning he continued on the
Abba es Moines line. 49,
Temporary Superintendent.
He was known by almost every rail-
road employe Of the Burlington from
Pacific Junction to Burlington. For a
time. in 1882. he Temporarily was SUI
perintendent' Of the Ottumwa- Creston
division, succeeding Allan Potter, also
q veteran conductor Of the company.
who soon afterward retired from active
service and died at Ottumwa fifteen
years ago. The writer was a member
OF his train crew on the old middle d.
vision thirty years ago and speaks for
the dead with the assurance bred Of
close association then and friendship
that survived to the day he drew into
life's great division. His was a. sturdy
He despised hypocrisy and
loved frankness and truth. His passing
will evoke q pause by each Of the
hundreds of veterans on the Burlington
to revive sunny recollections of the
man whose life was an Inspiration and
whose character was worthy Of EMU
lation. 49,. % #s.rsI
Charles A. Wellman was elected CON-
mitteeman in the fourth ward to sue
seed G. G. Thomas who has left the