Dunkerton, la - John Fettkether, 71, Dunkerton farmer, was killed early Thursday when his car crashed into the side of a northbound Chicago Great Western freight train just southwest of Dunkerton, and as a result of the crash, nine cars of the train were derailed, three of them were burned at the Dunkerton passenger-freight depot which was burned to the ground. The crash occurred about 12:20 a.m. Thursday as Fettkether was returning alone from Dunkerton to his home a mile west. Although there were no witnesses to the crash, trainmen believed that Fettkether’s auto struck an oil car near the end of the 67-car train and the force of the impact sheared a wheel flange on the train car causing the wheels to leave the rails. By the time the cars had reached the depot area about 1,000 feet down the track it is thought the sparks from the derailed wheels set fire to the following tank car filled with gasoline.
Gasoline Car Explodes
The gasoline exploded setting fire to the depot and to three cars. Also, the force of the explosion apparently uncoupled the last eight cars of the train all of which were derailed. The train continued another 500 feet before it was stopped. The depot burned to the ground and at least three of the derailed cars were completely destroyed by the fire. No one was at the depot at the time. One of the tank cars was filled with fuel oil and two box cars were filled with fiber board material. A third boxcar not damaged by the fire was loaded with cement. An empty passenger coach and the train caboose were derailed but not heavily damaged. Approximately 400 feet of track was ripped up and several hundred more was damaged.
Loss may be $15,000
Total loss may run between $10,000 and $15, 000 it was believed. C. J. Foster, Des Moines superintendent of the Iowa Division of the Great Western said that the station represented a loss of approximately $2,500 but that no estimate of damage to the equipment nor the extent of loss to contents of cars derailed was available at his office as investigators from the division office were still checking. Foster said communication lines had been disrupted by the wreck.
George Hoffman, wrecking crew foreman, said he expected to have the track cleared and repaired by Thursday evening. Meanwhile, all Chicago Great Western trains between Sumner and Waterloo were being detoured through Waverly over Illinois Central tracks.
Fettkether’s body was discovered on the highway at the crossing by his son in law, Ernest Youngblut was was returning to his home northwest of Dunkerton just after the train had passed.
Funeral Probably Saturday
John Fettkether was born October 30th, 1872 in Dubuque county Iowa, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis (supposed to be Louis) Fettkether. He came with his parents to a farm near Readlyn, Iowa where he attended country schools and was later associated with his father in farming. He was married May 4th, 1898 at Fairbank, Iowa to the former Hannah Shade. The moved to the present farm home three years later. Mrs. Fettkether died November 2nd, 1937.
Seven Children Survive
Survivors include seven children; Oren, at home, Paul, San Diego, Cal,; Mrs. Leo Sadler, Jesup, Ia.; Hugh, Jesup, and Mrs. Leonard Youngblut and Mrs. Herbert Sondag all of Dunkerton. There are 22 grandchildren.
Also surviving are one brother, David, Hazleton, Iowa; and five sisters, Mrs. John Reith, Oran, Ia., Mrs. Charles Durnan, Mrs. John Kane, and Mrs. Earle Richards, all of Fairbank, Iowa, and Mrs. Ida West, Waterloo. A daughter and one sister and four brothers preceded him in death.
Transcribed by Eric E. Durnan. Taken from the October 19th, 1944 Waterloo Daily Courier, front page.
No comments:
Post a Comment