Archive for the ‘Interurban’ Category

20
Aug

Workman Gets Neck Broken at Harcourt

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The Fort Dodge Messenger: Aug. 20, 1906

Workman Gets Neck Broken at Harcourt

Fatal Accident on the New Interurban Line Saturday Afternoon

A.J. Gore Was the Victim

Heavy Rail Struck His Crowbar He was Thrown Into Air and Fell on Head Instantly Killed Buried at Boone Today

A.J. Gore a laborer employed on the construction gang of the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern was instantly killed Saturday afternoon at about two o’clock while working near Harcourt. A car of rails was being unloaded. One of them was thrown to the grown in such a manner that it struck another under which was the crowbar of Gore. He held the other end of the steel bar in his hand and the shock threw him into the air about ten feet. He struck on his head and was instantly killed.

His fellow workmen called a physician from Harcourt and also notified Coroner McCreight of this city. As the manner of death seemed perfectly clear and there was no evidence of foul play or even a suspicion of the same no inquest was held. Gore’s neck was broken in two places.

The unfortunate victim of the accident resided at Boone where with his brother he lived with an aged grandmother. These are the only relatives that he had. The body was shipped at once to Boone and burial was made there today.

Gore was a young man 23 years of age. He was well known in Boone and very well liked among his fellow workmen. Not the slightest blame is attached to any one for his death, it being entirely the result of circumstances.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: April 4, 1914

Local News

Colonel Smith Here – Lieut. Colonel Smith of the Second Minnesota Regiment was in the city Friday, visiting with local officers of the national guard.

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To attend funeral – Paul E. Halfpap and Mrs. C.W. Leamon left Friday for Chicago where they wree called by the death of a relative.

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To Live in Duluth – Mr. and Mrs. C.D. Fitts expect to leave Fort Dodge soon for Duluth where they will live. Mr. Fitts who travels for the American Radiator Company has been transferred to Duluth.

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Uncle is Dead – Mrs. E.C. Bryant and Mrs. Arthur Anderson have received word of the death of their uncle at Rock Rapids. The deceased man is a brother of Attorney Ladd of Clarion, father of the two Fort Dodge women.

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Bethlehem Pastor Here – W.H. Linden of Rock Island, will be in the city during the Easter vacation and conduct the services at the Swedish Bethlehem church. Mr. Linden has accepted the call from this congregation and will be their pastor after his ordination next June.

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Family on Visit – Mrs. E.E. Hastings and son Robert and daughter Catherine, left today for Grundy Center. Mrs. Hastings and her daughter will go on to Cedar Rapids to visit at the home of the former’s mother and Robert will visit in Grundy Center for the week.

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Builds Beautiful Home – W.C. Tyrell, formerly of Fort Dodge and well known here as “Cap.” Tyrell, is building a beautiful country home a mile and a half south of Belmond. It is to be three stories in height, steam heated, electric lighted, with plumbing of the most modern kind and every other convenience now afforded.

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Her Brother Dies – Mrs. J.H. Torp today received word of the death of her brother at Los Angeles, California. Her mother, Mrs. Katharine Myers who has been spending the winter with Mrs. Torp, leaves for Rockland, Michigan, to attend the funeral. The body will be brought east.

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Reside Here for Time – Mr. and Mrs. Wilson Byerhoff have come here from South Dakota and have leased Mrs. Rose Wilbur’s house, 302 north Eighth street for their residence while Mr. Byerhoff is engaged in work for W.J. Zitterell, in construction of the Snell Building. Mr. Byerhoff assumes and office position for Mr. Zitterell.

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Passion Week Services – Subjects for Passion week at the Congregational Church are:

Monday evening – “The Story of Jesus’ Life.”
Tuesday Evening – A series of stereopticon pictures on Jesus’ Life and Ministry.
Wednesday Evening – “The Love Watch.” A story of the Bethany home will be interpreted by Mr. Minty.
Thursday evening a sermon “Gethsemane” and communion service Friday evening. A meeting for fellowship and prayer.

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Injured in Peculiar Accident – M.A. Hartwell, 1026 south Eighteenth street, is at his home incapacitated for some little time by injuries reported to have been received Thursday night about 7:00 when he was at work on a train of interurban cars switching near Gypsum. Mr. Hartwell was conductor on the train. Suddenly a car jumped the track and bounded along the ties. Mr. Hartwell jumped and in so doing struck a fence and is said to have several ribs broken and other injuries which have temporarily deprived him of the use of his legs. It is not though (sic – should be thought) he is fatally hurt. A peculiar circumstance in connection with the accident is that the car which left the track bounded along the ties for about fifty car lengths and then returned to the rails.

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Called to Hastings – H.S. Sanders was summoned to Hastings, Neb., to attend the funeral of a brother.

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Roads Drying Rapidly – A few days of drying weather will put the highways in pretty good shape again. The drags will be started in almost at once, in case it does not rain more.

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Agency Here – The Missouri Valley Oil Company of Omaha will install an agency in the city within a short time. E.M. Ouren, secretary and treasurer of the company, was in the city Friday making plans for the opening of an agency.

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Locate Here – The Gray Welding and cutting Company have located in the city at First avenue north and Twenty First street. The firm has as its officers, Elmer Gray, president and Charles Gray, manager. These young men have come here from welding factories in Chicago.

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Fort Dodge Holds Record – The naval recruiting station had more enlistments during the month of March than that of any other city in the Iowa district. Five men were sent in from here. There were fifteen applications of which six were accepted. One of those accepted has failed so far to enlist.

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Kirkpatrick Buys Residence – W.A. Kirkpatrick has purchased the Adalphine Langbehn property on First avenue north between Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets. Mr. Kirkpatrick will occupy the property as a residence. The consideration was $2,700 ($58,044 today).

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Humorous Contest – Sixteen students of the high school competed for first, second, third and fourth places in the humorous contest that was h eld at the school Friday afternoon. Elizabeth Bedell was the winner and the others who managed to stay in for the finals are Behring Belt, Dorothy Monk and Bertha Johnson.

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Special Services at Saint Marks – There will be special services at Saint Mark’s church tomorrow in honor of Palm Sunday. The church has been decorated and the musical program will be exceptionally good. Mrs. F.W. Fuerman and Carl Kullenbeck will sing solos.

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Toll of Labor, Great Film – The Toll of Labor, the big five reel film that will be put on at the Magic Theatre Sunday and Monday, is one of the biggest feature films of the season. It contains the story of Emile Zola’s story, The Germinal. The film has been widely advertised for months in the picture journals, although it was only released March 16.

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Sees Interesting Views – T.W. Reely entertained a goodly sized audience at the Baptist church Friday evening, by an illustrated account of his European trip. Mr. and Mrs. Reely spent many months abroad while Mr. Reely made an especial study of architecture. They collected many attractive views in every place they visited and these with little personal aneodotes (sic) of the customs of the people, the talk was made very interesting. “We were interested,” said Mr. Reely “in studying the types of people, and in the churches we attended, we noticed they were just about  as varied as you would see at any gathering in this country, and quite similar.” Mr. Reely showed first, the views of England, including, besides London, quaint old towns, beautiful English gardens, and cities, Stratford on Avon, Castle of Varnick Oxford where the great university is located. “Every shire in England has some great man of whom it is proud,” said Mr. Reely. After England, Holland was visited, then came a trip down the Rhine, and to Luzerne and Italy. Antwerp he considered a city of  unusually attractive buildings. The beauty and variety of the towers of Cologne were other interesting features.

1
Jul

Interurban Strikes Second Autmobile

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The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: July 1, 1913

Interurban Strikes Second Autmobile

Traveling Man is Injured When Interurban Hits Auto at Harcourt – Injuries Not Serious

(Special to the Chronicle)

Harcourt, Iowa, July 1 – As he was crossing the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern road at Harcourt Dan Reese, a traveling man for a Hardware company of Rockwell City was struck yesterday by the afternoon interurban which leaves Fort Dodge at three o’clock. Reese was approaching the crossing when he killed his engine. He was unable to stop the auto in time to avoid being struck.

The car hit the auto about in the center. It was carried for about forty yards, resting on the cow catcher. When the interurban was stopped the auto was one complete wreck. That Reese was uninjured except for a few bruises is considered miraculous. None of his injuries are expected to result seriously.

The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: June 28, 1913

M’Creight Tells of France Death

Was Riding on the Interurban Car When Accident Happened

Charles France Died Shortly After Accident

Operation at Mercy Hospital Fails to Save Man’s Life – Chest Was Crushed

That Charles M. France met his death thru no fault of the Interurban which struck him Saturday afternoon at the crossing of the Hawkeye highway at south 20th street, is the opinion of Dr. McCreight, who was on the car. “I was on the incoming three o’clock car when the acccident happened,” he stated to a representative of the Chronicle. “It stopped for the block of the Great Western road and had just started up again. It was going slowly and I remember hearing the bell ringing. Whether or not the whistle was blown I do not remember. As we approached the crossing road bed the car slowed down, but did not entirely stop; just then it was jarred and it seemed as if the car had gone off the track. Then came a regular shower of glass from the windshield. The interurban was stopped within its own length. I was in the smoking apartment at the time and it seemed as if the auto had hit the car near the baggage end.

When I first saw France it was from back platform. He was lying but a few feet away with his head towards the car and his body down the embankment. As I was going towards him he gave a few gasping breaths and was still breathing when I reached him. We carried him into the shade and the first passing automobile was requested to take him to the hospital. We did this as it was far quicker than waiting for the ambulance. He was taken immediately to the operating room where examination took place. It was found that he had severe injuries on his chest, just as if he had been crushed by the steering wheel, and a punctured wound over the right eye. Everything was done to revive him and before his death he rallied enough to tell us his name. He did not realize what had happened or where he was. He was put to bed and died within fifteen minutes at 4:15 o’clock. The car was the most complete wreck I ever saw. It was carried not quite the length of the interurban and was squeezed between a telephone pole and the car. It was twisted twice around just as a towel would be wrung. The car was evidently a new one as the speedometer registered just three hundred miles. The crossing is very clear there and how it happened I cannot say. To avoid the car he could have turned down 22nd street.

Old Resident of Iowa

Charles M. France had lived in Iowa for a number of years, having settled on a farm near Webster City some years ago. He was born in Wisconsin in 1858 and since last March has been a resident of Woolstock, having moved there from a farm near Webster City. He is survived by his wife and one child, Mrs. E.A. Turner of Webster City. The funeral services will be held tomorrow from the house at 3 o’clock.

A photo of C.M. France as a young man

Photo of C.M. France as a young man is provided courtesy of Jane Curtis, the great-granddaughter of C.M. France.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 30, 1913

C.M. France Was Motor Accident Victim Saturday

Woolstock Man Succumbed Shortly After Hurt

Body Sent to Woolstock

C.M. France of Woolstock died at Mercy hospital Saturday afternoon a few minutes after he was hit by the 3:00 p.m. interurban car of the Fort Dodge, Des Moines and Southern. France was driving his automobile across in front of the interurban car at the east end of the city limits where the Hawkeye highway crosses the interurban tracks. He was rushed at once to the hospital and every effort was made to save his life but he injuries were of too serious a nature. The body was sent to Woolstock yesterday morning for burial.
The interurban car was just entering the city whent he accident occurred. France according to the motorman on the car, when he saw the approaching interurban speeded up his automobile until he was on the tracks when either the engine of the machine was “killed or he attempted to put on the brakes to back off. The car came to a dead halt on the tracks and was hit full force by the interurban.
France was a man of about fifty years of age. He leaves a wife and son in Woolstock. From the time he was hit by the interurban until he died, he was conscious only long enough to give his name.

28
Jun

EXTRA! Man Hit by Interurban

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The Fort Dodge Daily Chronicle: June 28, 1913

EXTRA! Man Hit by Interurban

Man Hit by Interurban While he Was Crossing Track in Automobile – Taken to Hospital

While crossing the Interurban tracks at Fourth avenue south and 22nd street in an auto this afternoon C.M. France was hit by the three o’clock interurban. He was taken to the hospital and surgeons are operating upon him in order to save his life.
It was stated this afternoon by an eye witness that the man was either trying to beat the car to the crossing, or was unable to stop. At any rate the car went halfway onto the track and was badly damaged.
This afternoon it was stated by physicians that he man’s right chest was caved in, and that it was doubtful if he lived thruout the night. Death is inevitable.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 28, 1913

EXTRA

Interurban Hits Woolstock Man in Automobile

The 3:00 interurban southbound hit an automobile driving by C.M. France of Woolstock at the crossing of the Great Western Railroad. Mr. France was badly hurt and was rushed at once to the hospital. The extent of his injuries are not known but he is believed to be in a critical condition.

The Fort Dodge Messenger: June 22, 1903

First Official Trip is Made

Car No. 20, of Fort Dodge and Interurban Line, Makes Run Over New Extension.

Was Enjoyable Excursion

Thirty-Two Fort Dodge People Were Guests of the Street Car Management – Run Was Made to Race Track, Terminal Line.

The first official trip over the Fort Dodge and Interurban street car line was made Saturday evening at 7:30. The excursion was made in one of the new cars, No. 20. Manager Healy had invited about thirty friends, including the stockholders of the company to ride as guests of honor upon the occasion of the first tour over the new line.

No. 20 is a large, easy running car, and as the road bed is in good condition the trip was a very enjoyable one. The party left at the city park and rode directly to the new park where the guests alighted and were shown about the grounds. After viewing the park, the car was run out to the driving park which is the terminal of the line, after which the party was conveyed back to the city.

The trip was made without a hitch and the management received many congratulations upon the successful and early completion of the line. Manager Healy had charge of the trip; Arthur Comstock, superintendent of the Light & Power company was the motor man, and Thomas Wilson acted s conductor on the first run.

There are now four miles of track laid which makes the ride a pleasure trip as well as convenient for those living on the line. For the present two cars will be kept running on the line. The cars will pass at the Great Western depot. The management are now arranging a schedule.

Those who went out on the first trip were:

Ed Haire
J.J. Ryan
E.G. Larson
B.J. Price
H.A. Cook
J.E. Downing
Andrew Hower
W.I. Selvy
Frank Collins
Marshall Young
Will Laufersweiler
Louis Fessler
Harry Harps
M.J. Haire
M.J. Rodney
Jack Ruge
Robert Healy
Maurice Welch
G.F. Rankin
Will Healy
John Wolfinger
John Vaughn
Ed Welch
Tom Joyce
C.B. Hepler
John Campbell
O.M. Oleson
C.A. Roberts
George Flannigan
P.J. Tierney
B.W. Slack
Earl Robinson