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Newspaper
Muscatine Journal
Location
Muscatine, Iowa, United States of America
Date
Dec 31, 1909
Page
1
Reports indicate a catastrophic Rock Island train crash at Trenton with many passengers dead and dozens injured. Witnesses speak of a fire and missing persons, with early counts suggesting twenty to thirty fatalities and several coaches overwhelmed by flames.
Kansas City dispatch reports a Rock Island California special wrecked near Trenton Missouri. Five dead and nine injured with several fatalities feared. Engineer W I Millington and fireman Lininger among the dead. passengers from Davenport Letts Kansas City and Boston among the injured. Cause unknown. high speed derailment and fire followed by inability to reach stranded occupants.
Principal Owen Hammersly of Letts High School received word that his mother Mrs Nancy Hammersly, 78, was seriously injured in the Golden State Limited wreck at Trenton Missouri. She had been visiting in Letts and was traveling south. The telegram offered few details as news dispatches described the incident. In Davenport, J Zornig, a stone cutter for Schrick er Marble and Granite, was injured in the same wreck while en route to Platte Kansas for firm business.
Des Moines December 21. Chief Mills seeks legislative approval to establish a state chief of police with a squad of a dozen men who can assist local police anywhere. Attorney General Byers announces a federal rate issue in interurban case and Greek deportation to New York follows murder report. Great Lakes tonnage totals show a rise in November over prior year.
The police killed one robber and wounded another during a failed robbery at a bani t halted today. Two wounded men were captured as officers halted the crime in progress. The pursuit followed a surprise ambush by cy police during the attempted robbery.
Waterloo engineers fear spring floods as ice clears the Cedar river. Packs of drift ice threaten heavy damages in multiple cities. A conference of city engineers along the Cedar is to be called to devise preventive measures.
Ray Lamphere, accused slayer of Mrs Belle Gunness and her children, died in the Michigan City penitentiary where he served a term for arson. He succumbed to tuberculosis last night, attended by the prison chaplain, with no reported new statements on the Gunness case.
Pittsburg Pa December. Franklin B. Smith president of Crucible Steel Co dies suddenly from apoplexy at his home. Smith's sister is married to the secretary of state Inox.
Nicola Tesla, inventor, says a wireless electric light run by a current shipped from a producing plant over other waves will replace all present lighting methods within twenty years, according to the report.
Washington Bureau reports Senator Dolliver is confined by illness and may need an operation. Secretary Wilson says he will organize a force to investigate the rise in living costs and identify reasons for price increases.
In Battle Creek Michigan on December 31 Mrs Charles KE Spencer wife of a railroad engineer and mother of four was found burned to death after a shed at the rear of their home burned. The husband awakened by smoke said he found his wife's body before sounding the alarm. Indications pointed to self harm.
Des Moines will host the next state poultry show with officer elections led by J A Pease of Fort Dodge re-elected president Freq Townsend of Albia named vice president and H A Guthrie of Des Moines chosen secretary Des Moines Evening Press report dated December 34 notes the slate.
The Dubuque street railway company announces a strict ban starting January 1 on smoking and expectoration aboard cars. Employees are ordered to enforce the rule rigorously.
Des Moines Ind December 31 Rev J W Abel of Wesley M E Church has asked the state Attorney General for permission to organize a rabbit hunt involving club blows. Humane Society secretary Mrs Baird will witness the event and threaten intervention if the first blow fails to kill a rabbit.
Iowa City businessmen completed the guaranty raise of 100000 dollars to insure an interurban to Devonport with 500 dollars to spare. The committee raised 60000 midweek and the commercial club added 6000 in twenty minutes. Dan L Tubbs is a candidate for state game and fish warden, to be appointed by the governor. He has three years as deputy and many years as a police officer and detective.
Bellevue Iowa December 1 William TH Huey prominent Iowa capitalist boat owner and aquatic events promoter wed a New York society belle this week and will return with his bride soon Red Oak Indiana December 31 postmaster C Platter is dead at age TI once a member of the legislature and Civil War captain on General Logan staff
Columbus Junction Iowa December 31 Special Alanson P Rosen an old soldier died at his South Hill home this morning at 8 20 due to a paralytic stroke He had been ill but the cause and exact time were not known until early today The community mourns the loss of a veteran resident in this quiet town
Paris December 31 Roben Bacon former state secretary now succeeds Henry Whete as United States ambassador to France presented his credentials to President Fallieres this afternoon in Paris Bacon is envoy amid postwar Franco American ties and diplomacy reshaping the embassy leadership.
Joseph Brandenberger was sentenced to life imprisonment at Fort Madison for the murder of Henry Schranz last September. A new trial request was denied after the jury set the penalty. The two bachelors shared a home. a quarrel led Brandenberger to fire both barrels of a shotgun into Schranz.
New York dispatch reports General William Booth, founder of the Salvation Army, granted a new trial in his bid to oust the American Salvation Army. The 1907 suit sought a permanent injunction to bar use of the Salvation Army manual and ritual and to compel members of the American Army to surrender uniforms.
Prominent New York banker Spencer Trask died in a rear end collision on the New York Central near Croton as the Montreal express struck a following freight. Only Trask was killed. a passenger and a negro porter were injured. Trask led a major banking house bearing his name, born 1844 in Brooklyn and long a NYSE member and financier.
Governors of the Stock Exchange received the committee report on Rock Island transactions. The report will be acted upon January 12. Although kept strictly confidential, it is generally believed the Rock Island incident will lead to disciplinary measures.
A large fire destroyed the American Express office and store rooms near Grand Central Station in New York causing three million dollars in losses. Christmas parcels and other valuable express packages were burned in the blaze reported on December 31.
Iowa City businessman Frank R. Hatch closed his Clinton street store and a Oxford venture after creditors seized his stock. Receipts were collected by an official during the holiday trade, and Hatch’s liabilities reportedly exceed his assets by a wide margin.
Professors of forestry from Yale, Harvard, Michigan, Columbia, Lehigh, Maine, Minnesota, Nebraska, Washington, Iowa, Pennsylvania, Toronto and New Brunswick met Chief Forester Pinchot and Secretary Wilson to plan expanded forestry education. Discussion covered college programs and national cooperation to advance the field.
Waterlo o Iowa Dec 31 Scores of bankers from across the state are expected to assemble here Sunday to attend the funeral of John OC Easton who died suddenly last night of a stomach hemorrhage He was president of the State Bankers association The duties of the office devolve upon L E Stevens of Ottumwa vice president of the association
Washington officials and labor leaders met to resolve the switchmen strike in the northwest. H B Perham of the AFL Railway Department and Knapp and Neill of the government mediation board attended. No definite developments emerged as railroads refused reinstatement of 2500 strikers, citing vacancies.
Rev Seth M Wilcox rector of Grace church resigns after ten years to take St George s church in Des Moines announced by Iowa Evening Press Toone Iowa Dec 31
Washington D C yesterday afternoon Attorney General Wickersham presented to the Supreme Court the government’s case in the tobacco trust suits. The New York federal court dismissed petitions as to foreign firms and some American companies and found others parties to an unlawful conspiracy. Wickersham asks the court to extend these findings, include foreign companies and individuals, and grant additional relief. Assets cited total 100 million for the tobacco coalition and 400 million for the broader combination. The brief accuses defendants of duress, unfair methods, and aims to destroy competition to gain a monopoly. It argues public policy permits limiting property rights. A receiver should be appointed, and some defendants deemed criminal for actions tied to unlawful aims.
Haston of Waterloo dies after brief illness at home. He was secretary of the Iowa Bankers Association and reported ill only a few days. In Paris, President Fallieres hunting. reports of official declaration false.
In Bluefields on December 31 Estrada declares he will not recognize Madriz as president and regards the congress election as illegal. He rejects peace offers, vows no Zelayan influence remain, and plans an eastward march toward the capital amid clashes at Recreo. General Mena arrives in Chile after taking soldiers.
President Taft reached Washington this morning at eight after attending the wedding of his niece Miss Louise W Taft in New York. Also aboard the train were Vice President and Mrs Sherman returning from the trip.
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