Escanaba’s Great Loss
The first shock of which is over, but the full significance of which is yet to be felt, came upon us one week ago this day.
An accident yet unexplained, the derailment and overturning of the coach at the rear end of a passenger train on the Menominee River Branch of the C. & N. W. railway, at a point one hundred miles west, near a station called Elmwood, was the means by which the lives of two of our most prominent citizens and of a prominent citizen of Cleveland, Ohio were ended , with circumstances of horror which make the memory of the event itself a horror.
The Event
Upon train upon leaving here Saturday morning at 8:30 departed Lt. Gov. MacDonald and his associate in an enterprise lately undertaken here, the manufacture of the “Cochrane Roller Mills,” Mr. W. F. Cochrane for a business trip to Bessemer and Ashland. When the train had arrived near Elmwood was turning an easy curve the rear truck of the car in which they were riding- the hindmost one of the train- “ mounted the rail,” carried the rear of the coach down a slight embankment and as it did so, the coach was overturned upon its side and dragged some three hundred feet before the train was stopped. When the truck left the track Gov. MacDonald and Mr. H. A. Tuttle, of Cleveland, were occupying the same seat, facing forward and facing them were seated Mr. O.C. Davidson, superintendent of the commonwealth mine, and Mr. E. P. Foster, a well known iron mining man of Iron Mountain and in the seat immediately in the rear of the one occupied by the Governor, Mr. Cochrane was seated.
What occurred must be to some extent a matter of conjecture, but the condition of the wreck and the previous position of the parties suggests this: The forward end of the coach being still held by the coupling was lying upon the embankment itself and partially upheld by the coupling ; the rear was clear of the embankment and was torn by stumps; the first stump to strike and penetrate it did so just to the rear of Messrs. Davidson and Foster but carried those in the rear of them, with the wreckage of seats and side, under the end of the coach and left them crushed, and two of them dead, upon the snow; Governor MacDonald though torn beyond possibility of recovery, living for an hour afterwards. Mr. Davidson came out of the wreck practically uninjured. Mr. Foster suffered broken ribs and bruises but could be taken home and is not in danger; the conductor Henry Armstrong, had a leg broken, but was brought to Iron River to be cared for and will recover without the loss of the member; Mrs. McClure wife of the baggageman, and Mrs. Percy Beaser , of Ashland, were seriously , but not fatally injured, and their children escaped uninjured except for slight bruises and cuts. Every person in the coach went out of it through its broken, downward side and the wonder is not that so many were killed and injured, but that any escaped alive.
The Dead
James Hugh MacDonald, was born in Scotland in May of 1832, and would therefore have compled his 57th year of his age had he lived until May next. His parents emigrated to the British maritime provinces (which of them we do not know) and he, as soon as he had brawn to yield tools, made his way to "the states" and took employment upon the track of a railroad in Pennsylvania, being at the time about seventeen years of age. From that time until some five years since he followed the business in which he then embarked, the construction or maintenance of railway tracks, having engagements in Ohio, and elsewhere (one in Cuba), and earning promotion, until the '60s came to this peninsula. His first engagement thereon was with the Mineral Range road and was his next and only succeeding one, with the Chicago & Northwestern, having been at the time of his resignation and for many years previous thereto in charge of the tracks of the peninsula division. From the time of his advent here he began investing in mineral properties and was for a time only moderately successful, but when the lands of the Gogebic district began to attract attention he was among the first to explore and invest in them., his associate in the investment (or one of them) having been Capt. Nat. Moore. Of his investments there, one, the purchase of on which the Colby mine was opened, was largely remunerative and made him, at once, a wealthy man. With leisure and wealth came honors: The state convention or the Republican party in the summer of 1886 placed him in nomination for the second office in the state, Lieutenant Governor, and he was elected, and that of last summer renominated him and he was again elected. Although, without previous experience, his sterling good sense and honesty enabled him to serve acceptably in his high office and we subjoin the testimony of Governor Luce as to the estimation in which he was held at the state capitol and by the representative men of the state.
State of Michigan,
Executive Chamber,
Lansing, January, 21 1889.
" An unwelcome telegram announces the death of Lieutenant Governor James H. MacDonald at Elmwood, Mich; on Saturday 19th inst.
"A grand man is gone," are the simple words escaping the lips of all who knew him. By his life among men he wrote them for utterance now and hereafter.
"Modest, honest generous, kind and capable, he earned and wore with unassuming dignity high and unmasked honors of our people. And placed his crown they have placed and replaced upon him is lifted by death for another, though brighter, Michigan mourns the bereavement.
"In respect to the memory of a man who loved his state, who fed no ambition upon the virtues are worthy of emulation, and whose life is without the stain of dark blots, I deem it but a fitting tribute that proper observance should be made on the day of his funeral. Therefore it is hereby directed that flags on public buildings of the state be placed at half mast until after his burial, and that on the day of his funeral all ordinary business in the executive chamber and in the different departments of state government be suspended.
"C.G. Luce, Governor."
He leaves a family consisting of his wife, one son and one daughter, a list of friends which embraces the name of everyone who knew him, but not an enemy or a detractor.
William F. Cochrane was also by birth a Scotchman but of his life previous to two years ago our knowledge is too meager to be of value. We know that he resided in the U.S. and had been an inventor and connected with the manufacture of machinery for harvesting and milling, but the particulars nothing. He was the patentee of the "Cochrane Roller Mill" and equally interested with Mr. MacDonald in their manufactory lately erected here and soon to have been but into operation. He leaves a son and who reside at a place unknown to us in Virginia.
Horace A. Tuttle, of the firm Tuttle, Oglesby and Co., of Cleveland, Ohio, has long been known in this peninsula as an enterprising and successful operator of iron mines (owning the Commonwealth), and dealer in iron ores; but of him farther than that we have no knowledge.
Our Loss
Is that of one who was first in all plans for the up building of our city; of the one citizen who could command the means much beyond the necessity of his own business; of the one whose home was here and whose heart was in his home; of one whose ear was never deaf to the pliant of misfortune or the plea of enterprise for aid; of a friend to each and every one with whom he came in to contact, whose kindly good nature would not take any other mould. Our loss would have been a grievous one and sore had our friend been but a friend of ten years since; now, when his power to do good had just been placed in his willing hands and he had begun his beneficent use, it seems irreparable.
Our loss is the death of Mr. Cochrane is one to be felt and mourned. His confidence in the success of the enterprise which bears his name was contagious and his unwearied energies would have contributed largely to achieve that result. His knowledge, his past work, however is not lost; it is on paper and in patterns; it is in mills already in successful operation and in the brains of others whom he has instructed.
Sympathy Elsewhere
Upon assembling on Monday, the senate and house of representatives of the legislature adjourned until Thursday, first confirming and adopting the informal work of the members each in the appointment of a committee consistion of senators, Holbrook, Fox, Palmer, Green, Leavitt, and Dunstan and Secretary Miller and Representatives Cole, O'Keefe, Aleshire, Wiggins and Northrup and Sergeant at arms Dunn, to proceed to Escanaba and attend the funeral.
The chair of the Lieutenant Governor in the senate chamber and the dais on which it is placed were heavily draped with crape and the flags upon the Capitol set at half mast by order of Governor Luce.
The Governor's health is such that the trip hither was forbidden him, but Secretary of State Osmun arreived here on Monday and Senator Griffey on Wednesday. Senator Blackwell arrived on Sunday to spend the recess and received the intelligence after his arrival.
Governor Luce telegraphs as follows:
Lansing, Mich., January 19, 1889, 8:48 p.m.
Mrs. Lieut. Gov. MacDonald: I am at this moment in receipt of a telegram announcing the sad death of my dear friend, Lieut. Gov. MacDonald. In extending my sincere sympathy I beg to assure that Michigan will mourn with you in the bereavement.
C.G. Luce,
Governor.
And we subjoin with others:
Detroit, January 20, 2:30 p.m.
Mrs. Jas. H. MacDonald: Please receive my heartfelt sympathy in this dark hour so unexpected. I trust you may be given strength to pass through the terrible ordeal, the greatest trial that can come in this world.
R. A. Alger.
Lansing, Mich., January 19, 9:56 p.m.
Mrs. James H. MacDonald:
In common with all citizens of this state I tender you my earnest Sympathy at this time.
Francis B. Egan,
Deputy Secretary of State.
Lansing, Mich., January 21, 9:45 a.m.
Mrs. Jas. H. MacDonald:
Senate sends its sympathy in your affliction. Wire us date of funeral.
Lewis M. Miller, Secretary Senate
Milwaukee, Wis., January 21, 11:20 a.m.
W.B. Linsley:
It is with deep regret I hear of the untimely death of Lieut. Gov. MacDonald.
Please convey to Mrs. MacDonald my heartfelt sympathies in this hour of her great affliction.
S.S. Curry
Chicago January 20, 12:26 p.m.
Hugh E. MacDonald:
This morning's paper brings me the very sad news of your father's death and I hasten to
Tender my sincere sympathy.
D. M. Philbin
Milwaukee, Wis., January 20 3:59 p.m.
Mrs. J. H. MacDonald:
Accept my condolence in behalf of you and family, collectively, in consequence of your dear husband's misfortune.
Jos. W. Coria
Chicago, January 20, 3:59 p.m.
Mrs. J. H. MacDonald:
May God be with you in this dark hour. Accept my profound condolence in your terrible bereavement words seem too empty to express my sorrow at the loss of your good husband. Shall be at Escanaba to-marrow morning
Marcus Pollasky
The legislature held memorial services on Thursday.
The Funeral took place on Wednesday last from the MacDonald residence, Mr. Cochrane's remains having been brought thither from his rooms at the works and one service sufficing for both. It was in one sense that only a great funeral, but in that one it was. Though not a tithe - not one percent of their number- could enter the house the entire population of our city congregated in the vicinity to show by its presence its respect and affection for him who was lying dead, and its loyal sympathy for those whose were nearest and dearest to him. The services were brief and conducted by the Rev. H. W. Thompson. At their close Delta Lodge, F. & A. M. of which Governor MacDonald had been a member in life, took charge and the procession was formed and moved out on Wells avenue to Lakeview Cemetery where the bodies were laid to rest with the impressive funeral ceremonies of the Masonic Craft.. The order of the procession was this:
Delta Lodge, F. & A. M. and visiting brethren from the Iron Mountain and
And Negaunee, with E. F. C. Band
Committee of the legislature, state officers and members of the legislature.
Hearse, carrying the remians of Lt. Governor MacDonald.
Family and relatives.
President and members of the Cochrane Roller Mills Company.
Hearse with remains of Mr. Cochrane.
Institute Jacques Cartier with City Band.
Society of the North Star.
Citizens.
It is unnecessary to say that the procession was very long. As had already been said, we were all there, and its head was at the cemetery gate befor the rear was fairly started on its way.
The Outward show.
Of sorrow on the part of the citizens of Escanaba. Begun on Sunday morning last, as soon as the doleful news was disseminated, and soon every flag in town was floating at half staff and every business place and many residences were draped in black. Of the drapings those of Royce's Bank and the rooms of the Delta Lodge, in the Erickson-Godley block, were especially fine. The flags were flying until after the funeral and much of the black drapery is still in place.
Among the others whom we noted, present, were Capt. Sam Mitchell and wife, E. C. Dougherty, of Negaunee; Hon. John Buell of Quinnesec; R. P. Tuten and Mssrs. Seager Wicks and Cameron, Of Iron Mountain; Azel Lathrop of Lathrop, and John McKay of Ashland.
Governor Luce's physical condition forbade him the trip and he was represented by his private secretary, Mr. Cambell.
And now that our dead have received at our hands the last service that we can render, and we "remember" instead of greet them, let us build to them a monument. Not a pile of granite or marble, useless except to remind the stranger and the wayfarer that they once lived, but a monument of industry and enterprise- our city. First the half finished work which has fallen from their hands, and then every good work which tends to build up and enrich the home city of which they were proud and for which they entertained such high hopes, "No storied urn or monumental bust," can so fitly preserve the fame of James H. MacDonald as the prosperity and growth of the city of Escanaba. Let us see to it that in that way his memory is kept alive.