Milton Reimers, Obituary/Death NoticePorter County obituaries and death notices . . . .
Milton Reimers
A HORRIBLE ACCIDENT.
Two Men Mangled by a Fort Wayne Work-train Near Wheeler.
Valparaiso Star: Another fatal accident -- the second eithin eight days -- occurred near Wheeler, a small station west of this city on the Fort Wayne road, Saturday evening about 6:30 o'clock, by which two brothers lost their lives.
Henry and Milton Reimers were employed as section hands, the former on the Nickel Plate and the latter on the Fort Wayne roads. Saturday morning they proposed to go to Hobart on a velocipede upon the Fort Wayne track, took their positions upon it and were hardly under headway when they collided with the gravel train, which was backing up to this city. The train consisted of the locomotive and one coach containing the employes. "Markers" or lights had been placed upon the tender to warn all who might be upon the track of its approach. As the train came into the station another was passing on the Nickel Plate road, which must have attracted the attention of the men on their velocipede and caused the disaster.
When the train struck the velocipede it was running about thirty miles an hour, and the engineer did not know that he had run down a velocipede until his train was stopped. The wheels of the tender and locomotive left the track, but the engineer and fireman supposed they had jumped the switch frog. The velocipede was smashed into kindling wood, and the bodies of the two men were torn, dragged and scattered along the track, and when found, what remained of the bodies were laying together. Henry's head was cut off and his body was most horribly mangled. His head was found some distance from the body. Milton's breast was torn open, the entrails scattered along the track, and his head pounded into an unrecognizable mass of bones and flesh.
As soon as news of the accident was received here the wreck train was manned an, with Coroner Coates and Undertaker LePell, went to the scene of accident. The wreck was cleared and the train returned here at midnight bringing with it the remains of the unfortunate men, when they were properly dressed by LePell, placed in caskets and returned to Wheeler on the accommodation train this morning.
Henry Reimers was about 36 years old, leaves a wife and four children. Milton was aged 26 and unmarried. He had an accident and life policy in the Railroad Mutual Insurance Company. Mrs. Reimers is a sister of Mrs. John Marquardt, of Union township.
Newspaper: The Tribune
Date of Publication: January 16, 1890
Volume Number: 6
Issue Number: 40
Page: 1
Column(s): 2
Key to Newspaper Publication Locations:
Newspapers Published in Chesterton, Porter County, Indiana
Chesterton Tribune
The Tribune
Westchester Tribune
Newspapers Published in Valparaiso, Porter County, Indiana
Porter County Vidette
Practical Observer
Valparaiso Practical Observer
Vidette and Republic
Western Ranger
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Obituary/death notice transcribed by Steven R. Shook