Obituary Record

Robert Jackson
Died on 6/8/1933
Buried in Herman Cemetery

#1-Published in the Pilot-Tribune June 08,1933

ACCIDENT OCCURED AT McKINNEY BRIDGE

BILL KENNY DIRECTS RESCUE WORK DESPITE CRUSHED CHEST;

IVAN HELMS SUSTAINS TWO FRACTURES ON LEG

Robert Jackson, 32, was killed and two other men were injured Monday when a bank containing about 12 tons of dirt gave way and fell on them as they were working on the construction of a bridge on the new route of Highway No. 73 just north of the A.A. Jensen farm north of Blair. The two injured men are Ivan Helms, who suffered a double fracture of the leg and William Kenny, whose chest was caved. Gene Jackson, a brother of the man who was killed, was also covered by the cave in but after a medical examination was made, he was reported to be uninjured.

All of the four men live at Herman and had been employed by the Peter Kiewit Sons Construction company on the bridge work on the new route of Highway 73. The men were working at placing a pier of the new bridge, when the cave in took place. The top of the steel casing is about fifteen feet from the top of the bank and the men were working inside the huge casing when the dirt came down on them.

Kenny, an assistant foreman, was only partially covered and he from this position directed the work as rescuers in digging out the other three workers. Gene Jackson had been completely covered by the falling dirt but was probably protected from a beam when extended across the inside of the casing. He was fully conscious when he was taken out of the casing but lapsed into unconsciousness shortly after he was brought to the top of the ground. Robert Jackson's body showed no sign of life when he was taken from under the heavy pile of dirt.

The three injured men were brought straight to the Blair hospital and later Helms was removed to an Omaha hospital for treatment. Helms was released from the hospital after treatment and Gene Jackson was also later allowed to.........(missing)

#2-8 June, 1933 - The Enterprise

HERMAN MAN KILLED IN LANDSIDE AT BRIDGE WORK

Bank Of New York Creek Channel Caves Off Into Casing Where 4 Were At Work, Burying Them Under 5 ft. Of Mud And Water.

ROBERT JACKSON IS KILLED

Wm. Kinney, Ivan Helms And Gene Jackson, Brother of “Bob” Also Hurt In Pit At Time.

One man was killed, and three hurt, two seriously, at the cave-in of the creek bank on a bridge construction job near the Ed A. Jensen farm north of Blair last Monday morning.

The men had been on the job but a short time when the accident occurred, the breaking loose of the dirt coming without warning.

The accident occurred in the new creek channel which has only recently been put through for the purpose of straightening the creek at that point. Casings for the building of the new bridge had been sunk on the north side directly below the bank, and the four men were at work digging the mud from inside the casing. At the time of the accident they were nearly 15 feet below the bed of the creek and approximately forty feet below the top of the bank.

Strangely enough the men in the pit were all from Herman. Robert Jackson, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Jackson, was fatally injured when struck down in the mud by the falling dirt, and apparently suffocated before aid could reach him. Wm. Kinney, aged 28, son of Ed W. Kinney, of Tekamah suffered two broken ribs besides numerous cuts and bruises. Ivan Helm of Herman suffered a broken leg and severe cuts and bruises. Eugene Jackson, brother of Robert, apparently was the most fortunate, receiving no broken bones, but numerous cuts and bruises and severe shock. As the dirt broke loose, a warning shout came up from the workmen on the bank above, most of whom were preparing to descend into the hole to assist with the work. The many tons of hard, water-soaked earth clung in a solid mass as it fell, breaking the heavy beams which strengthened the sides of the casing, and carrying them down with it. Jackson, it is thought, was struck by one of these beams and was therefore unconscious and unable to fight off the dirt as it rolled in upon him. When found he was buried under more than five feet of dirt and mud, and a crew of men worked feverishly for thirty minutes to extricate the body from the debris.

Kinney apparently sensed the coming of the accident as he dodged much of the dirt and chunks of earth as they rained down into the pit. Gene Jackson and Helms, however, were buried and held fast until assistance reached them.

A physician was summoned immediately and desperate efforts were made to revive Jackson, but to no avail. The other injured men were taken at once to the Blair hospital.

The bridge work is under contract to the Krewitt Construction co., officials of which concern came to Blair Monday afternoon to visit the scene of the accident and determine its cause. Pressure upon newly dug bank caused by tons of dirt which had already been removed from casing and the action of a pile driver are said to be likely causes of the cave in, and the company’s officials are devising means of preventing its recurrence.

Complete obituary of Jackson is given elsewhere in this issue.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

FindaGrave #99100020

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