Killed By Box Car Door

The second accident to happen on the Northwestern road near this place within the past two weeks occurred last Friday evening about 4:30 when Jesse Moeller, a section hand on the above named road, was struck by a loose freight car door and so severely injured that he died soon after eight o’clock the same evening.

Section Foreman, Nelson and his gang of men were raising the track and putting in new ties about two mils southwest of Blair, when an extra freight came along. The men stepped to one side to let it pass, but it seems that Moeller didn’t get far enough away and just as he turned his head to avoid the blinding dust caused by the swift motion of the train he was struck just back of his left ear by a car door that was swinging loose. The blow came with such force that the back of his head was caved in and his eye bulged out, knocking him down off the grade where he laid and to all appearances was dead.

Believing that the poor fellow had been instantly killed Section Foreman Nelson and one or two of the other men hurried to town on the hand car to report the accident and get permission from the coroner to remove the body. But before they could return they were compelled to await the arrival of the passenger train from the west which was due about that time. After the passenger train pulled into Blair they hastened to the scene of the accident and were surprised to find the unfortunate man alive but unconscious. They hurriedly loaded him on the handcar and brought him to town, when he was taken to his home and given all the medical aid possible. Dr. Murdock, the company’s local surgeon, and Dr. Stewart were summoned and removed several pieces of the skull that had been forced onto the brain, but the unfortunate man only lived for about an hour after his wounds had been dressed.

Moeller was a married man and had only been in America about a year, coming from Denmark to Minnesota, where he stopped with relatives until last fall, when he and his wife came to Blair, where they had other relatives. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Moeller liked it in America and were anxious to get back to the old country. Mrs. Moeller assisted with the janitor work at the post office and Mr. Moeller secured a job on the section, commencing work just fifteen days before he met with the accident.

The funeral was held Monday afternoon and interment made in the Blair cemetery, a brother of the bereaved wife coming from North Dakota Monday morning.

As soon as matters can be adjusted Mrs. Moeller will go back to Denmark to make her future home with old friends and relatives, but her thoughts of free American will always be sad because it was here that her husband was taken from her.

Blair Cemetery Records – born 8 Jan 1883; died 16 April 1909; buried Blk 8 Lot 34 Sp 12; name Listedas Jens Moeller (Jesse)

Pilot 21 April 1909

A very sad accident occurred on the Northwestern road about a mile and a half out of town last Friday afternoon. Lars Nelson’s section gang was working on the track when a special freight train hove in sight going east. The men stepped to one side and naturally faced in the direction the train was going to keep the dirt out of their eyes as the train passed. Mr. Nelson noticed a loose door on one of the ears and dodged it as it flapped outward. Jesse Miller, one of the workmen, was some distance down the track and did not see the door. As the car passed him the door swung out and hit him in the back of the head, knocking him to the ground. The other workmen went to him and finding him senseless believed he had been killed instantly. They sent for Coroner Pierce, thinking an inquest would be necessary, but the facts were so clearly established that Mr. Pierce did not think it necessary to hold an inquest. Besides, Mr. Miller then showed some signs of life, he was breathing and moaning so they placed his body on a hand car and brought him home to the grief stricken wife. Drs. Stewart and Murdoch took several pieces of skull from the wound but saw there was no chance for the poor fellow to live. He died at about 9 o’clock, some four hours after the terrible accident. The funeral was held at the Danish church at 2 o’clock Monday and interment made in the Blair cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Miller came to this country about two years ago having just been married a short time before. They were both hard workers and Mrs. Miller had been helping with the janitor work at the post office to raise money for a visit to the old home in Denmark. They seemed happy here but were yet homesick for a sight of the old home. Now that Mr. Miller has been taken from her so suddenly she will undoubtedly return to wear her widows weeds among the friends and the fields of her childhood days.