--- In CBQ@yahoogroups.com, VERLIN WHITE <verlinwhite@...> wrote:
>
> They could be, because the line is the old Fulton County Narrow Gauge
Railway
I replied to Doug privately since he also wrote to me offline. As there
seems to be some general interest regarding this, here is what I wrote
to him.
>>>>>>>>>>
Dear Doug,
Yes, I know exactly which wreck it was because I have a letter of
commendation to him from the President of the M. & St. L. R.R. The
letter is dated May 31, 1922 from Oskaloosa, Iowa to Mr. Oscar
Falkenstein, c/o W.E. Fuller, C. B. & Q. Railroad, Galesburg, Illinois.
"Dear Sir:
You were in charge of the CB&Q derrick 204614 and assisted in
reconstructing of the bridge between Abingdon and Berwick of the M. &
St. L. Railroad which was burned on the 22nd." The rest of the letter
thanks Grandpa for his "good work and untiring efforts," his
"willingness to go along with the work," his handling of his engine
"without complaint."
Abingdon and Berwick are southeast [not southwest as I wrote to you,
Doug] of Monmouth, Illinois ... west of Galesburg. I know where both
are because my other grandfather had a farm at Gerlaw, Illinois and we
used to drive into Monmouth for church. I googled "London Mills" and
it's not far from Abingdon.
I have two photos which are labeled "Wrecker at Work after M. & St. L.
R.R. Wreck near Berwick, Ill, May 23, 1922." They are numbered "906"
and "908" and the information is hand printed very neatly on the face of
the photos in white ink. No. 906, taken from a lower angle, shows the
derrick up on a higher level, it's boom being used to pull some steel up
from below --- part of a frame??? There are men's heads at the bottom
wearing flat 20's style caps. No. 908 was taken from a different angle.
The derrick is pulling up a large boxy piece of wreckage --- part of a
boxcar??? There are men standing in the foreground watching the
wrecker and a pile of wheels/axles is in the left foreground.
Does any of that sound familiar?
I also have four additional photos from the 20s of Grandpa, his engine
and his crew. One is qauite interesting because it shows the front
section of the boom in the upraised "pile driver" position. Grandpa
used to refer to his engine as a "pile driver."
Regards,
Bob
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