grave import

Obituary

About 9 o'clock Saturday night a C.B.& Q. engine and and caboose pulling westward between Agency avenue and Mt. Pleasant street ran over Mary Yonker, 10 year old daughter of Fred Yonker, of Dehner street and crushed both of her legs. She died yesterday morning about 9 o'clock. The manner of the accident was similar to several that have occurred in this locality through pedestrians mistaking the track upon which a train was approaching. Mr. Yonker and his wife and little Mary were taking the short cut along the railway track from the city to Germania, and heard the cars approaching from the rear, and Mr. Yonker thought the train was approaching upon the track himself and family were walking on. He accordingly stepped over to the other track, telling his wife and daughter to follow. Mrs. Yonker was walking between the two track and little Mark was following her father upon the other track when the train struck them. Mary was thrown down across the rail and the engine passed over both her legs. Mr. Yonker was struck a sidelong blow and thrown away from the track, and Mrs. Yonker was untouched. The engine and caboose, with engineer Hicks in the cab, passed on to West Burlington and those on board knew nothing of the tragedy until they found on the pilot little Mary's hat, when they telegraphed the fact of the finding to the city office and were informed of the casualty. As soon as Yonker recovered his equilibrium he was able to make his way to the fire station, where he made known what had happened, and fireman Matt Burke telephoned to Coroner Unterkircher. A carriage was immediately sent out, with Dr. Steinie, who had the little sufferer removed to her home and called Drs Fleming and Jones to his assistance. Little Mary's condition precluded a surgical operation with any hope of saving her life unless she first recovered somewhat from the shock, and amputation of the mangled limbs was postponed. The patient regained consciousness toward midnight, but did not recover strength and sank steadily until yesterday morning, when she expired. Yonker is not seriously injured, though he was quite badly bruised, and it was at first thought that a couple of his ribs were broken. He is an employe of the Burlington Lumber company and two years ago a wagon he was driving was struck and wrecked by a train.