In researching my Grandfathers family I found an newspaper article verifying the family story that his brother Morgan Joseph Collins had died as a locomotive engineer in a train accident October 31, 1908 near Creston, BC and I wanted to share it here. It was very interesting how they wrote about it back then. I also obtained his B.C. Registration of Death. Somehow the newspaper had his name as Mark instead of Morgan but the Registration of his Death matches all the facts. This folowing article has been transcribed exactly as it was found in the original newspaper.
ENGINEER MEETS DEATH
The body of Mark Collins, late engineer for the Yale-Columbia Lumber company on their – logging road six miles south of Creston, is lying in the undertaking parlors of the Standard Furniture Co. of Neslon.
Mr. Collins met his death while in charge of the lumber company’s Shea engine on Saturday last at 10 a.m. The company have a spur which connects with the Bedlington and Nelson railway at Rykert’s and which leads to their timber limits, and Collins, together with a fireman and brakesman, was in charge of the engine and a train of three cars at the time of the accident. In some way he lost control of the locomotive, which ran down grade for a mile until it reached a heavy curve, where it left the rails and went over into the ditch. The fireman and brakesman escaped with nothing worse than a bad shaking up; but when Collins was picked up it was found that his neck had been broken and that life was already extinct.
F. A. Esley, local manager of the company, speaks in the highest terms of the deceased as a steady, sober and reliable man. He was on the spot at the time and was witness of Collins’ heroic efforts to regain control of the engine.
Mr. Collins, who came from Peterboro, Ont., and was 35 years of age was a member of the I.O.O.F. and C.O.F.
Coroner Mallandaine, of Creston, held an investigation, but considered an inquest unnecessary. Mr. Esley therefore brought the body into Nelson on Sunday night.
Telegrams have been sent to Peterboro, to the deceased’s relative; but no reply has yet been received.
Note: This article has been transcribed exactly as it was found in the original newspaper.
SOURCE: photocopy of page 2 of an original copy of the Cranbrook Herald weekly Newspaper, dated November 05, 1908. Found at The Canadian Museum of Rail Travel, Cranbrook, British Columbia, Canada Box 400, Cranbrook, BC V1C 4H9