Obit: Kosloski, John J. (1909 - 1932)
Contact:  Stan
Email: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: KOSLOSKI KOSLOWSKI KOWALEWSKI

----Sources: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 12/22/1932

Kosloski, John J. (14 NOV 1909 - 13 DEC 1932)

John J. Kosloski, son of Mr. and Mrs. George Koslowski, was killed in a train wreck near Caddoa, Colo., Tuesday. The body was brought to Thorp (Clark Co., Wis.) for burial, arriving on Saturday. Following is an account of the accident taken from the Bent County Democrat, Colorado newspaper:

"A freight wreck on the Santa Fe about three miles west of Caddoa Tuesday afternoon resulted in the death of two itinerant travelers and the injury of two others in the same party. Sixteen cars were derailed, 15 of which were loaded with coal.

The wrecked train was No. 32, which left Las Animas about 2:30 eastbound, and had made the run to a point abut 3 miles this side of Caddoa when, according to railroad officials, an arch bar on an old fashioned freight car loaded with coal fell down, causing the derailment of the car. Fifteen other cars, all but one loaded with coal, were also derailed. The locomotive and ten cars of lambs for the Culp Feeding Co. at Lamar were not derailed. The car which caused the trouble was said to have been the first car behind the sheep cars.

John J. Kosloski, 23, of Thorp, Wis., and Roy Laflen, 18, of Beloit, Kansas, were instantly killed, their heas being badly crushed. They were in a party of 5 itinerants who were riding on a low coal car just back of the derailed boxcar. The low car was loaded with nut coal and the men were lying on the coal, up next to the box car which protected them from the cold wind. Two others of the party were injured. George Strong of Muscatine, Iowa, sustained injuries to one hand and arm, not serious. Santos Quinaries, who has been working near Manzanola and was enroute to Lamar, received a broken leg below the knee. Donald White of Friendship, Wis., the fifth member of the party, escaped almost uninjured. Strong states that he had secured a blanket at La Junta, and that he was lying between the two men who sere killed, with the blanket pulled over their heads. He says it is only a miracle that he escaped death. The car left the track and turned over into the ditch at the side of the track. The clothing of the men was cut almost into shreds by the harp edges of the nut coal, while their hands and faces were also badly cut and scratched. The dead were brought to this city by Coroner Geo. W. Powell, who has the bodies in charge. The two inured men were taken to the Blackwill Hospital as county charges. White, the uninjured man also returned to this city.

Kosloski was a well built young man and had evidently seen better days. In his pocket was an identification card, giving name and address and receipt for a premium paid the New York Life Insurance Co. for $1,000 and other papers showing that he had held a good position recently. His parents were reached by wire at Thorp, Wis., who request the body be sent to that city."

John J. Kosloski was born on Nov. 14th, 1909, in the town of Withee (Clark Co.), arriving at the age of 23 years and 29 days at the time of his fatal accident. He left Thorp last July and had spent most of his time working in and around California until about two weeks ago when he sent his suit case ahead and started home for the Christmas holidays.

He moved to Thorp with his parents several years ago and for some time had been helper to plumbers and electricians in the village.

Deceased leaves to mourn his untimely death, his parents, one brother, Joseph (address unknown), four sisters, Jenny Kowalewski of Owen, Mary, Anna and Helen of Chicago.

The funeral was held at ten o’clock Monday Morning at St. Hedwig’s Church, Rev. F.A. Kulig officiating, interment following in the nearby cemetery.