The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1912-02-22
WILLIAM MORRISON.
Story of Life of Conductor on the
E9 Burlington.

Story of Life of Conductor Oh the
Burlington.
The Ottumwa Courier has the fol-
lowing story on the life and death
Of William Morrison, a veteran con-
ductor of the Burlington, who for
4 many years ran train through Leon
on the Chariton-St. Joe run, and was
well known by many residents OF
this county:
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.. Nor
rison'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 Ottumwa and inferred in
the Ottumwa cemetery beside the
resting place of his two sons. The
ID time for the arrival Of the body has
not yet been ascertained.
q Mr.. Morrison resided in Des Moines
and for the past twenty-five years
was a conductor on the Des MOines-
. Abba branch twenty-five years
ago he lived in Ottumwa at 22l
North Wapello street. TO the older
railroad men and citizens of Ottum-
. wa. he was we'll known and his
death is learned by them with deep
sorrow. The Register and Leader
this morning has the following story
of his life:
y William Morrison, one of the old
est conductors on the Iowa division
of the Burlington aged 6S years,
died last week in New York City
.wher he had been 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
a year. For nearly nine months he
had been treated locally; but, re-
Gently. when the cancer, located in
his left ear, displayed tendency to
invade the inside of his head, Mr..
Morrison decided to go to New York
and see if he could not secure relief
from the malady. However it had
attained a growth that baffled the
best surgical talent, and yesterday
he laid down life's burden.
He leaves a widow, three daugh-
tiers, the Misses Gertrude, Grace and
Jessie, also an only son, Allan Nor
rison, who was with his father at
the time he died. The body will be
brought to Des Moines Sunday,
where, following services at the res
idence, 0S Seventeenth street, un-
der the auspices of the Masonic fra
ternity, it will be taken to OttumWa,
family, for burial.
Had decedent lived until next
April he would have rounded out
forty years in the service of the
Burlington company. For many
years he was we'll known figure in
what was known twenty-five years
ago as 1.-The Tom Potter group
Other of the noted veteran conduc-
tors were dad" Turner, Billy
Stokes, Lou Arnold, Edward Man.
ming, John Anderson, Charles and
Dick Horn, Charley Post, John Nc
Donald, Charles Dana and Jack
Woods OF these, only Woods, Ar
mold, Dana and Macdonald survive.
Mr.. Morrison came from Illinois to
the employ of the Burlington almost
forty years ago.
About the middle of the decade
of the eighties Mr.. Morrison was
transferred from the main line to a
passenger run on the Des Moines-
Abba branch. Surprising the as
signment would be permanent he re-
moved his family to this city, where
the several members have resided
since. Later he was assigned to
run on the branch from Charlton to
l,n
seven or eight years, making trips
to his home here every week or two
waiting for hoped for transfer back
to the Abba branch, which would
permit him to be 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 contin-
ued on the Albia-Des Moines line.
He was known by most every
railroad employe of the Burlington
from Pacific Junction to Burlington.
For time, in 1882, he temporarily
was superintendent of the Ottumwa-
Creston division, succeeding Allan
Potter, also a 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 division thir
ty years ago and speaks for the dead
with the assurance bred Of close as
ISOLATION then and friendship that
survived to the day he drew into
tife's great division. His was a
sturdy personality. He despised
hypocrisy and loved frankness and
truth. His passing will evoke a
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 emulation.
ASK MIR. BROWN.