Robert A. Christenson, a 19-year-old boy, was run down and instantly killed by a Great Northern freight train in Laclede on Saturday night at about 7:30 o'clock.
The young man, together with his brother, had arranged to visit a boy companion, and taking the family auto started for the home of their friend.
Arriving at the crossing near the Great Northern Railroad depot, they found it blocked by the local freight, whereupon it was agreed that Victor, the younger, should take the car home while Robert would continue the distance on foot.
As he gained the end of the cars, a manifest freight was on the main line, and thinking it would soon pass started, started walking down the track. About this time the local, which had b been standing, was put in motion to give clearance for the through freight, but before a warning could reach him, he was knocked down and the wheel had passed over his body, just above the hips.
The occurrence happened so quickly that his brother, who was left with the auto, had not the time to back the machine away, and seeing his brother on the track, with the cars slowly backing down upon him, leaped from the driver's seat and shouting at the tip of his voice, warned him, but with the noise of the two engines, could not make himself heard.
Spontaneous with the mishap and excitement of the situation, the lad exercised his presence of mind and ran to the crew, informing them that they had killed a man. The train came to a sudden stop and the party found the mangled remains on the track. A heart-rending scene happened at this time when one of the members of the crew asked if anyone knew the man, and the boy said, "He was my brother."
The remains were brought to Sandpoint shortly after the sad event and were received by the Bower Undertaking Parlors, who prepared the body, which was buried in Laclede yesterday morning.
The deceased was born in the little town of Laclede and with the exception of a year spent at Sandpoint High school, had lived his life amid familiar surroundings.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Christianson, pioneers of this section of Idaho, and his father now holds the office of treasurer for the county of Bonner.
Besides his parents, several brothers and sisters are left to mourn his loss, together with a large circle of boyhood friends, of whom he was a popular favorite.
Sandpoint Northern Idaho News (Sandpoint, Idaho) Tue – May 8, 1917 – Page 1. Added by: Betty Glazier Whipple on 16 Sep 2019
The young man, together with his brother, had arranged to visit a boy companion, and taking the family auto started for the home of their friend.
Arriving at the crossing near the Great Northern Railroad depot, they found it blocked by the local freight, whereupon it was agreed that Victor, the younger, should take the car home while Robert would continue the distance on foot.
As he gained the end of the cars, a manifest freight was on the main line, and thinking it would soon pass started, started walking down the track. About this time the local, which had b been standing, was put in motion to give clearance for the through freight, but before a warning could reach him, he was knocked down and the wheel had passed over his body, just above the hips.
The occurrence happened so quickly that his brother, who was left with the auto, had not the time to back the machine away, and seeing his brother on the track, with the cars slowly backing down upon him, leaped from the driver's seat and shouting at the tip of his voice, warned him, but with the noise of the two engines, could not make himself heard.
Spontaneous with the mishap and excitement of the situation, the lad exercised his presence of mind and ran to the crew, informing them that they had killed a man. The train came to a sudden stop and the party found the mangled remains on the track. A heart-rending scene happened at this time when one of the members of the crew asked if anyone knew the man, and the boy said, "He was my brother."
The remains were brought to Sandpoint shortly after the sad event and were received by the Bower Undertaking Parlors, who prepared the body, which was buried in Laclede yesterday morning.
The deceased was born in the little town of Laclede and with the exception of a year spent at Sandpoint High school, had lived his life amid familiar surroundings.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Christianson, pioneers of this section of Idaho, and his father now holds the office of treasurer for the county of Bonner.
Besides his parents, several brothers and sisters are left to mourn his loss, together with a large circle of boyhood friends, of whom he was a popular favorite.
Sandpoint Northern Idaho News (Sandpoint, Idaho) Tue – May 8, 1917 – Page 1. Added by: Betty Glazier Whipple on 16 Sep 2019
Robert A. Christenson, a 19-year-old boy, was run down and instantly killed by a Great Northern freight train in Laclede on Saturday night at about 7:30 o'clock.
The young man, together with his brother, had arranged to visit a boy companion, and taking the family auto started for the home of their friend.
Arriving at the crossing near the Great Northern Railroad depot, they found it blocked by the local freight, whereupon it was agreed that Victor, the younger, should take the car home while Robert would continue the distance on foot.
As he gained the end of the cars, a manifest freight was on the main line, and thinking it would soon pass started, started walking down the track. About this time the local, which had b been standing, was put in motion to give clearance for the through freight, but before a warning could reach him, he was knocked down and the wheel had passed over his body, just above the hips.
The occurrence happened so quickly that his brother, who was left with the auto, had not the time to back the machine away, and seeing his brother on the track, with the cars slowly backing down upon him, leaped from the driver's seat and shouting at the tip of his voice, warned him, but with the noise of the two engines, could not make himself heard.
Spontaneous with the mishap and excitement of the situation, the lad exercised his presence of mind and ran to the crew, informing them that they had killed a man. The train came to a sudden stop and the party found the mangled remains on the track. A heart-rending scene happened at this time when one of the members of the crew asked if anyone knew the man, and the boy said, "He was my brother."
The remains were brought to Sandpoint shortly after the sad event and were received by the Bower Undertaking Parlors, who prepared the body, which was buried in Laclede yesterday morning.
The deceased was born in the little town of Laclede and with the exception of a year spent at Sandpoint High school, had lived his life amid familiar surroundings.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Christianson, pioneers of this section of Idaho, and his father now holds the office of treasurer for the county of Bonner.
Besides his parents, several brothers and sisters are left to mourn his loss, together with a large circle of boyhood friends, of whom he was a popular favorite.
Sandpoint Northern Idaho News (Sandpoint, Idaho) Tue – May 8, 1917 – Page 1. Added by: Betty Glazier Whipple on 16 Sep 2019
The young man, together with his brother, had arranged to visit a boy companion, and taking the family auto started for the home of their friend.
Arriving at the crossing near the Great Northern Railroad depot, they found it blocked by the local freight, whereupon it was agreed that Victor, the younger, should take the car home while Robert would continue the distance on foot.
As he gained the end of the cars, a manifest freight was on the main line, and thinking it would soon pass started, started walking down the track. About this time the local, which had b been standing, was put in motion to give clearance for the through freight, but before a warning could reach him, he was knocked down and the wheel had passed over his body, just above the hips.
The occurrence happened so quickly that his brother, who was left with the auto, had not the time to back the machine away, and seeing his brother on the track, with the cars slowly backing down upon him, leaped from the driver's seat and shouting at the tip of his voice, warned him, but with the noise of the two engines, could not make himself heard.
Spontaneous with the mishap and excitement of the situation, the lad exercised his presence of mind and ran to the crew, informing them that they had killed a man. The train came to a sudden stop and the party found the mangled remains on the track. A heart-rending scene happened at this time when one of the members of the crew asked if anyone knew the man, and the boy said, "He was my brother."
The remains were brought to Sandpoint shortly after the sad event and were received by the Bower Undertaking Parlors, who prepared the body, which was buried in Laclede yesterday morning.
The deceased was born in the little town of Laclede and with the exception of a year spent at Sandpoint High school, had lived his life amid familiar surroundings.
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Christianson, pioneers of this section of Idaho, and his father now holds the office of treasurer for the county of Bonner.
Besides his parents, several brothers and sisters are left to mourn his loss, together with a large circle of boyhood friends, of whom he was a popular favorite.
Sandpoint Northern Idaho News (Sandpoint, Idaho) Tue – May 8, 1917 – Page 1. Added by: Betty Glazier Whipple on 16 Sep 2019
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Records on Ancestry
Advertisement
