Description: Sad Accident: Bruce Whitson Loses Both Limbs and His Life
While switching at the Tie Yards he is jerked From a Car and Falls Under the Wheels -- R.R.

Date: September 29 1894

Newspaper published in: Clinton

Source: unknown

Page/Column: page 3, column 3

One of the popular and bright young men of the city was Bruce Whitson, but he is no more, for his young life ended Friday in a sad manner. For some time he had been in the employ of the Northwestern as switchman and was a trusted and valuable employee, apparently destined to follow in the footsteps of his father, Conductor Whitson, and become a thorough railroader. Friday he went with the regular crew, in charge of Monte Shoemaker, to do the Lyons work and the switch crew was busy at the tie yards above Lyons. Some one noticed Bruce on the track and the crew hurried to him and found that one foot was cut off and the other limb was cut in two at the knee, the accident occurring at 3:30. He was picked up and hurried to Clinton with the engine as rapidly as possible, where the patrol met him and took him to the family home on Tenth Avenue. Dr. Sugg, doing all he could, to make his last hours comfortable, for it was seen he had no chance to recover. Before he lost consciousness he told the crew that he was on one of the cars, which started up suddenly, jerking him from it to the track with the results as stated. He was a bright, young man, about twenty, genial, strong and manly and the pride of his father and mother and other members of the family who are unconsolable over their great bereavement. Death released him at 8 last evening.