Waterloo, IA Train Wreck, May 1899 - Caused by Cloudburst

KILLED IN A WRECK

NINE MEN LOSE THEIR LIVES IN RAILROAD ACCIDENT

CAUSED BY A CLOUDBURST

GRADE WASHED AWAY FROM TIES AND RAILS

Tinage From the Grade to the Ditch Caused Fearful Loss to Life and Property-Enginemen Escape.

WATERLOO, Ia., May 28.- The through train from Chicago to Minneapolis over the Rock Island and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern railways, was wrecked at 1:15 Sunday morning at the crossing of Sink Creek, about four miles southeast of this place. The train consisted of six coaches, including mail and baggage car, smoking car, two coaches and sleeper. Nine persons were killed and twenty-three injured. The list of dead is as follows:

E. L. ARNOLD, lumberman, Minneapolis, Minn.
W. A. MCLAUGHLIN, Muskegon, Mich.
R. H. SCHWETTE, Alton. Ill.
DAVID HALLO, Minneapolis.
F. S. CARPENTER, St. Louis.
(illegible) HAWKINS, pullman conductor.
GEORGE WAINWRIGHT, train conductor.
ONE UNKNOWN PERSON.
WILLIAM SCHOLLIAMS, Waterloo.

Among the injured were:

S. E. Dentley, Ruben Exell, Herman Klein Denet, S. H. Dashor, all of Waterloo, IA.
Miss Anna H. Njoss, from Norway, emigrant, right leg badly bruised; Miss Ostrunda Noredin, Norwegian, hand and face badly bruised; Ornon Norudl, Norwegian, serious injury to chest; John E. Johnson, Norwegian, serious injury to head and face. The above were all going to North Dakota.

Jeremiah Murphy of Castleton, Boro. Ireland, going to Butte City, Mont., head injured, not serious; C. W. Mathews, Cedar Rapids, brakeman, bruised, not serious; Ed Skang, Van Buren, Ark., leg injured, not serious; J. J. Neel, Minneapolis, knee fractured; R. L. Colvin, St. Louis, Pullman porter, slightly injured.

B. W. Currington, Chicago; W. T. Burke, Cedar Falls, Ia.; Corrina Neel, Minneapolis; D. W. Fleming. Albert Lea, Minn.; Miss Morgansteen, St. Paul; Anna Baba, Tower, Minn.; George Petreochis, Tower Minn.; Arund Asiakson, Norway, Ia.

E. Bishop, engineer, Minneapolis; Mrs. Brandberry, Montpelier, O.; F. Fuller, fireman, Minneapolis; C. Greyinger, conductor, Minneapolis; -- Miller, baggageman, Minneapolis; -- Neese, express messenger, St. Paul.

The Grade Washed Away.

A cloudburst had washed away the sand and gravel roadbed, leaving the track unsupported for a stretch of twenty feet. The rails and ties held together and there was nothing to indicate the insecurity of the road. The engine struck the washout and was derailed in the ditch beside the track and behind it the cars were piled up in a confused heap. The mail car tipped over and was telescoped by the baggage car behind, while the rear end of the baggage car in turn telescoped the smoker. The roof of the sleeper plowed it's way through the day coach, while the lower half of the latter crushed through the sleeper.

The engineer and fireman jumped from the train and escaped with slight injuries.
Mr. SCHWETTE of Alton, Ill., was brought to the city alive, but died at 8 o'clock. He was badly cut about the head and it was evident from the beginning that his injuries were fatal. He was on the way to Minneapolis, where he was to be married today. He asked his physician to telegraph his father and his sweetheart.

"Tell her," he gasped, "that I have been detained by a wreck and cannot keep the appointment on time. Don't say any more."

The news was brought to this city by mail messenger, the fire whistle was blown, a switch engine and coach hastly prepared and a relief train was sent out very speedily. The injured passengers were extricated from the debris and brought here. Another relief train soon arrived from Cedar Rapids and took a number of the seriously injured to be treated in the hospital in that city. F. J. Day, of Allison, Ia., a passenger, said:

The train was running as usual, when at a point three or four miles from Waterloo it left the track. The engine and baggage car were thrown about ten feet. The engineer evidently had his engine under excellent control as I never saw such a sudden stop. The smoker, where I sat, telescoped the baggage car, and I found myself with the brakeman on the roof of the day coach".

A striking example of cool nerve and fortitude was shown by WILLIAM SCHOLLIAM, a drummer for a St. Louis tobacco house, who made his headquarters at Waterloo. He was found in the second passenger coach, his arm crushed between the front end of the sleeper and the side of the coach. He did not lose consciousness, but begged that his arm be sawed off so as to release him.

It was found that there was no possible way of releasing the unfortunate man any other way, so this was done. SCHOLLIAM gritted his teeth and looked on while his arm was amputated with a common hand saw, not a moan coming from the poor fellow as the crude instrument tore its way through bone and sinew. After he was released, SCHOLLIAM walked almost unassisted to a nearby farmhouse. He was terribly weakened by the loss of blood, however, and died this afternoon.

S. H. Basher, who received internal injuries, but whose recovery is expected, is one of the best known democratic politicians in Iowa. He is a resident of Cedar Rapids, and before his entrance into politics was a pastor of a church of the United Brethren denomination. As a populist he once ran for congress against Colon Henderson, being indorsed by the democrats. was overwhelmingly defeated. Later he was an unsuccessful aspirant for the democratic gubernatorial nomination when the free silver men obtained control of the party machinery.

The Nebraska State Journal, Lincoln, NE 29 May 1899