Draft:John Burton Watkins

Submission declined on 1 November 2024 by Dan arndt (talk).

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Declined by Dan arndt 53 days ago. Last edited by Dan arndt 53 days ago. Reviewer: Inform author.

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Comment: iagenweb.org, Findagrave and play.google are not reliable sources. Theroadislong (talk) 15:54, 1 November 2024 (UTC)

John B. Watkins (1831-1873) was the Superintendent of the Iowa Divisions of the Chicago & North Western Railway from 1870 until he was killed in a tragic railroad accident on 30 October 1873. Nearly the entire C&NW Rwy. management team was witness to the accident. "...Albert Keep, President of the road; James Howe, General Manager; Marvin Hughitt, General Superintendent; John B. Watkins, Superintendent of the Iowa Division; M. Johnson, Chief Engineer; W. Ferry, Director, and Horace Williams, President of the Chicago, Iowa, and Nebraska Railroad Company, who were on a tour of inspection over the road." ^[1]

The accident occurred a few miles west of Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The town of Watkins, Iowa was named for him.^[2] The town was platted in 1874 near where he died.^[3]

During the early morning hours on 30 October 1873 the managers of the company were eastbound on the road from Council Bluffs, the western terminus of the division, headed back to Chicago when the train became stalled. It was overtaken by a freight train that was unable to stop in time to avoid a collision. Supt. Watkins was crushed between the Director's car and the Pullman sleeping car, expiring after about 20 minutes.^[4]

Watkins was previously Master of Transportation for the Iowa Division under Division Supt. Isaac B. Howe. ^[5] Subsequently he replaced Howe as Supt. when Howe became Chief Engineer. ^[6] After Watkins death Howe covered the Supt. position in addition to his other duties. In the early morning hours Howe received the following telegraph from Supt. Hughitt:

"C. Rapids 30 ...    Isaac Howe  ...   Mr. Watkins is dead.  Will you break the news to his wife in your own way.  M.  Hughitt"

References

^ https://www.nytimes.com/1873/10/31/archives/shocking-railroad-accident-a-railroad-official-caught-between-two.html | quote= SHOCKING RAILROAD ACCIDENT A RAILROAD OFFICIAL CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO CARS, AND CRUSHED TO DEATH. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Oct. 30 Published: October 31, 1873; the New York Times
^ Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 136.
^ The History of Benton County, Iowa, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c. Western Historical. 1878. p. 328.
^ https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81650180/john_burton-watkins
^ https://iagenweb.org/clinton/records/directories/1869/clintonbusinesses.htm
^ https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=UY0pAAAAYAAJ&pg=GBS.PA154.w.157.0.0&hl=en

[1] ttps://www.nytimes.com/1873/10/31/archives/shocking-railroad-accident-a-railroad-official-caught-between-two.html | quote= SHOCKING RAILROAD ACCIDENT A RAILROAD OFFICIAL CAUGHT BETWEEN TWO CARS, AND CRUSHED TO DEATH. CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa, Oct. 30 Published: October 31, 1873; the New York Times

[2] Chicago and North Western Railway Company (1908). A History of the Origin of the Place Names Connected with the Chicago & North Western and Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis & Omaha Railways. p. 136.

[3] The History of Benton County, Iowa, Containing a History of the County, Its Cities, Towns, &c. Western Historical. 1878. p. 328.

[4] ttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/81650180/john_burton-watkins

[5] ttps://iagenweb.org/clinton/records/directories/1869/clintonbusinesses.htm

[6] ttps://play.google.com/books/reader?id=UY0pAAAAYAAJ&pg=GBS.PA154.w.157.0.0&hl=en

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