Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-23
LIGHT ENGINE AND FREIGHT
TRAIN COME TOGETHER NEAR
OLDS SATURDAY NIGHT.
CAUSE PROBABLY WILL
NEVER BE ASCERTAlNED
George Spare. Engineer, and His Fire.
men, Leo Peterson. Only Ones Who
Gould Solve Mystery, Both Dead
Appears That Engineer Had Forgot
ten Completely Train He Met.
Special to es-Republican.

Special TO Times Republican.
oskaloosa, March 23.-Two are dead,
and wreck mystery remains I'M
solved, as the result OF head-on col
lision between extra No. 32a, east
bound. running light, and thru freight
No. 81. that occurred one and one
quarter miles east OF Olds on the Min
neapoAs & st. Louis railroad at s:o5
Saturday night. The dead are:
GEoRGE SPARE. aged so. oska-
loosa, engineer Of the light engine.
LEO PETERSON. aged %. Oska-
loosa, Spares fireman.
Spare was killed instantly. Peterson
had one leg fearfully crushed, sus-
tanned severe internal injuries and
died early Sunday morning at Way
The accident.
VIII Never Know Cause.
That the cause OF the wreck vii!
never De known, further than suppo-
sition, seems most likely. The only TWO
men who could tel. why the light en-
CINE went OUT on the main line with
out meeting orders for No. 81 are both
dead. The presumption is, however,
that Engineer Spare forgot completely
the existence Of No. 81. and that It was
due in Odds and had the right OF way.
Conductor Yelis Warning.
That Spare had a warning. Il he had
forgotten No. 81, is shown by state
nlenr OF Conductor Peacock, Of this
city, who was at DlGs waiting for No.
81. AS Spare pulled out OF Olds Pea
cock yelled at him: Where are you
going for o. 4 wave Of the hand
was Spares only reply.
At Odds Saturday night rreights Nos.
50 and "a had meeting orders with
passenger No. los and freight No. 81,
as did also extra easr-bourd No. 3es,
running light and bound for E.rick
Junction to act as q pusher for another
train.
Nos. So and 81 were standing on the
siding waiting for los, the west-bourd
passenger. and No. 32e, the light en-
CINE. backed in behind them. No. I05
pulled in, discharged and loaded It's
passengers, and left for the west. En-
gineer Spare backed out OF the siding
and pulled into the main line, heading
toward the east. It was then that Con-
duclor Peacock called 70 Spare, asking
him about 81. Spare kept on going,
and began to "let her out" as he ap-
preached the end OF the yard limits.
Have Warning: Ensinemen Jump.
Il was only a few minutes later that
the wreck occurred, as scarcely more
than mile INTERVIEWED before the two
trains came together. Fortunately tor
the engine crews on No. 81, they had q
warning in that they could see the ap-
proach Of the light engine speeding
down upon them al the rate OF aboU.
fifteen miles on hour. Both engineers
attempted to whistle down the ligat
engine, but no attention appeared to
be paid to the warning. The Two en-
gines pulling No. 81 were brought al
most TO a. standsrill before the engine
men jumped and escaped without in
juries.
The wreck occurred on a reverse
curve, which made 1t impossible Tor
Spare 10 see the other train until he
was about 100 yards from IL Fireman
Peterson could have seen the train
from his side however, for some dis
lance.
Ne Cars Derailed.
No cars were dtra!led, and the track
was damaged but very slightly, as
result Of the wreck, and Il was only a
snort time before the track was
cleared. Not one Of the three engines
Jeff the rails. and no cars were either
Seraile7 or damaged. Engine 32e was
not damaged much aside from the
tank. and 334, the head engine on the
freight train. mad It's tank damaged
The 422 the second engine on the
freight train, was not damaged at all
So trihing was the damage that Con-
ductor Peacock, coming out OF Olds
following the wreck, rad the track
: cleared before t!Ie @.&c..e- could reac
the scene.
Conductor J. ". Russell. Of this city
was in charge Of train No. 81, and pull
, ing him were William Law, on the
head engine, 334, and Elmer Alders or
+. the second engine, 1872. Fireman Pimn
was with Engineer Law, and Fireman
Connolly with Engineer Aders. These
two engine crews both live mere.
Bodies Sent to Relatives.
The bodies of the dead enginemer
were brought here on No. lo5 las
/. night, following the formal viewing o
the bodies by the Henry county cor
! oner. Spares body was sent today Il
Kansas City, Mo-, where relatives re-
, side. and Petersons body will be sen
!, tonight to Sexton, Kossuth county
where his father lives. Neither OF tn
. enginemen was married.
spare has been in the employ OF tn
company for about fifteen years. HI
has been running an engine since 1904
Peterson was employed as a hrema'
only few weeks ago.
No More Hazins at imes.
Special to es-Republican.
Ames. March 23-The custom estab