Ionia County MI Archives Obituaries.....Cain, Richard 1911
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Sandy Heintzelman sheintz@iserv.net June 5, 2010, 1:06 pm

Ionia Daily Sentinel, 24 Jul 1911

Crushed to Death in Coal Chute

Richard Cain, Veteran P. M. Employe, Had Climbed Into Opening of Funnel.

Coal Suddenly let loose – Body Found One Hour Afterward Pinned Down by Immense 
Weight.

Grand Rapids, July 24. – Tons of falling coal crushed and smothered Richard 
Cain, an old Pere Marquette employe, to death early Sunday morning in the coal 
chute at Wyoming yards.  Cain worked as an engine hostler at the round house 
and it was his duty to take engines from the round house to the coal chute and 
fill the tenders for the next trip.  About 1 o’clock in the morning the chute 
became clogged and Cain climbed up to the opening of the funnel at the top of 
the electric elevator.  Something let go, it is not known just what, and Cain 
was buried into the chute underneath the mass of coal.

He was not missed for about an hour and when search was made his lifeless body 
was found protruding half way out of the opening at the bottom of the chute.  
He was already dead.  It was with great difficulty that the body was extricated 
from its position because of the immense weight that wedged it into the small 
opening at the bottom of the chute.

Richard Cain was 40 years old and had been with the Pere Marquette for 20 
years.  At one time he was a passenger engineer, but misfortune overtook him 
and he was forced to retire.  The company gave him the position of hostler at 
the Wyoming yards.  He is survived by a widow and three small children, who 
live at 845 Brown avenue.  His aged mother and four brothers live at 238 Fourth 
avenue.

His father was killed by a Pere Marquette train about eight years ago while 
flagging at a crossing.  Most of the family have been railroaders and Mr. Cain 
was widely know in railroad circles.

Coroner Hilliker was called and he had the body removed to the Lyzen 
undertaking establishment on Jefferson avenue.  No inquest will be held, as his 
death was purely accidental.

The funeral will be held from the residence tomorrow afternoon at 2 o’clock.


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