Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1913-10-02
LATE MARK STRASSLER SPENT
HALF A CENTURY IN CAB OF
LOCOMOTIVE.
CAME HERE ON B. & NJ. r.
Worked For the Burlington Before It
Entered Ottunwa-On Wabash
Since 1889 Until Two Weeks
Before Death.

J
Friday at his home, 720 East Second
street, one of the oldest rail veterans
of these parts was removed. In SER
vice he was easily. dean Of the men
who run the locomotive for he had a
consecutive service in the cab Of half
a century. He ran an engine con.
tinuously from February 1862 until
September s, 1913, eighteen days prior
to his death which was caused by
heart trouble although he had been
ailing for some time.
The career of this late railroad pio-
neer was full of interesting incidents,
and all of his years spent as an engin-
eer were in or. through Ottumwa. His
start in the service dates back to the
entrance of the Burlington road in
Ottumwa, or building west from Bur
lington. . E. a.. .'.s
Beginning as machinist helper in
the company shops at Burlington
while boy in his teens, he showed a
disposition toward road work In the
engine department and at the age OF
twenty was stationed as an engine
watcher on the then new line Of the B.
& M. r., at a paint short distance
east of Fairfield. The following year,
1860 he began firing an engine and
his dreams for the future began to
be realized.
Victim Of a Hoodoo.
He graduated from the shovel to the
right side of the cab in February 1862
and from that time on continued as an
engineer After running a few years
he encountered the superstitions that
were prevalent then among the rail-
readers who in measure were like the
sailors. The management not unlike
the employees believed in hoodoos and
because he had figured in some mishaps
due to lap orders, derailments, etc,
young Mark was taken temporarily out
of service. Undaunted by the whims
of his superiors, the young runner
hiked off to the then Keokuk & Des
Moines road, now the Rock Island X.
& D. division, and for three years ran
an engine pulling freight on that road.
Engine In the River.
While working for the K. & D. he
encountered an experience that he Of
ten recalled with horror. It occurred
between Ottumwa and Keokuk while
the road bed suffered because of heavy
rains. The road was none too good
in those days, and skirting the river
as it did and still does, it was often
in low spots and travel
made difficult II at all possible. On
one of his trips the train was caught
in a freshet and unknown to him the
road bed except the rails and ties had
washed out. Running into this par
ticularly bad track, the engine was
submerged and his fireman drowned.
Returns to the 3. e. M. r.
About this time the hoodoo having |
worn of and his former superiors de- !
s!rous Of having his service, they sent.
for Mr.. Strassler and about 1870 he
reentered the service of the B. & M. |
R., with which road he continued dur
ing its change to the G.. B. & O., and |
until the big strike of 1888.
Goes to the Wabash.
With may others Of the old timers
Of whom but few are left here
abouts, Mark Strassler left the service
Of the Burlington in the strike and
never reentered it. About q years
absence from the cab followed the
strike when on July 6, 1889. he enter
ed the employ Of the Wabash which at |
that time used the Rock Islands lines
rom Ottumwa to Harvey enroute to
Des Moines When the road discon-
tinued going through Ottumwa and
Terminated it's north run here, Mr..
Strassler got transfer to the Moulton-
Ottumwa line and for many years ran
IN passenger trains l, 2, 8 and a. He
at all times after locating in Ottum-
va, made this city his home. He en-
cred the Brotherhood of Locomotive
To-, ~ III
in the organization.
Perhaps the most thrilling incident
n the life Of the late Mark Strassler
was his participation In the awful
wreck Of trains No. and 2 at Tyrone
n 1875. Mr.. Strassler was running
engine % on No. and A. L. Rugh was
n charge of engine % on No. 2. The
fatalities included Charles Pickell, fire
nan for Mr.. .Strassler and John Miller,
me OF the conductors Mr. Strassler
Ind Gordon Mcdowell, fireman for
Engineer Rugh we're buried beneath
he baggage car and had to be chopped
,ut by the wrecking crew.
When the first air brake train con-
aiming twenty-five newly equipped
:ars, came through Ottumwa, En-
,ineer Mark Strassler was at the
brOttle. Few OF the old timers were ,
e we'll known and none 50 long in
he service.
Born In Germany.
Mark Strassler was born in Germany !
4 years ago and came to this country !
When 13 years of age. September 8,
S65, he was united in marriage to :
Naomi Tiedrick and to this union !
here were born five children. two Of :
vhom. Annabelle and Jacob died in ,
infancy; George and Ralph reside In :,
and Mrs. Mary e.
1arbke in Arkansas City, Kan Fol .
owing an illness of few weeks, he :
lied at 1920 p. M, Friday, Sept. 26, :
nd was laid to rest in Ottumwa GEM =
terry Monday afternoon, following :
ervices held at the family home, con- :