Men Killed In Wreck
Chester A. McLaughlin, aged 24, and Harvey Folkestad, an I.W.W., aged about 43, were killed in a freight train wreck early Monday morning when an extra east freight train was derailed at Perry.
While passing Perry at 1:45 a.m. the brake team came down on the fourth car from the engine, and as a result the six following cars left the track. Three were loaded, two with canned goods and one with lumber. The other three were empty, two of which turned turtle. Five of the cars are a total loss. One of the empty cars which turned turtle was thrown about 20 feet in front of the Perry store, while two of the others were in the county road.
In the sixth car from the engine, in an empty flat coal car, six men were riding while beating their way. Folkestad who jumped when the cars began to leave the track was pinned beneath one of the cars and instantly killed the body being badly crushed.
McLaughlin, who was caught beneath the coal car, suffered the amputation of one leg and one arm, but lived for about 15 minutes after the accident.
Both bodies were brought to La Grande by Coroner Hal Bohnenkamp, who was immediately called. The other four men escaped with their lives, although two were badly bruised. Passenger traffic was held up for three hours by the wreck. – La Grande Observer.
North Powder News
Saturday, November 15, 1919
