100 years ago: Train pulling coal-loaded cars derails at Taylor mine switch

100 years ago, June 25, 1925

An accident which may have resulted more seriously, occurred at the Taylor mine switch Monday afternoon when a B. & O. locomotive pulling a string of loaded coal cars was derailed, dragging five cars with it.

Henry Friend, of Lebanon, engineer on the locomotive and his fireman, aside from a severe shaking up, escaped injury. The train crew was drawing a string of 14 loaded cars from the Taylor mine onto the main line. The derailment happened on a sharp curve at the Carbon mine, a short distance from the main line, caused by a spreading rail, which threw the locomotive sideways, all the wheels leaving the rails with the exception of the rear trucks. The impact caused five of the cars to jump the tracks.

A wrecking crew worked until Tuesday morning to clear the switch. The Taylor mine was idle Tuesday as no “empties” could be delivered to the shaft by the morning coal train. Work was resumed at the mine this morning.

(The Taylor coal mine switch was located just west of the present-day Venita Drive bridge in west O’Fallon.)

75 years ago, June 22, 1950

Mrs. Sadie C. Padan and Theresa Herpin, of East St. Louis took occupancy of the late Charles E. Tiedemann homestead at 308 West State Street, Monday.

The new tenants are registered nurses and plan to maintain a nursing home for aged and convalescents of both sexes. Both are nurses of more than 20 years experience.

Mrs. Padan served overseas in World War I as an army nurse. Earl J. Thompson was the salesman.

The purchase price was not revealed. This property is one of the landmarks of O’Fallon having been occupied by the Tiedemann Milling Company family since 1860. The Tiedemann sisters and their brother, George W. Tiedemann have taken up residence in the former Emil Hess home at 108 East Monroe Street.

(Loretto Haven nursing home, as it was known, opened the following month. It closed in 1964. The building was used as a rental house for a while after that before being torn down around 1970.)

50 years ago, June 26, 1975

Perry Wilson, owner of the Scott-Banzai Mobile Homes Co., 1615 West Highway 50, has notified O’Fallon Mayor Gary Mackey that he has sent Chief of Police Darwin Lehmann a money order in the amount of $19.20.

“I believe the cheap publicity that has been rampant for much too long over a lousy $19.20 should come to a screeching halt,” Wilson says in a letter addressed to the mayor.

Last week the City Council refused to reimburse Lehmann for a $19.20 expense claim for a trip to Springfield to recover a badge the chief said he lost. “... can’t the politicians of O’Fallon realize how difficult they make it for a parent to teach a child this respect with this constant bickering that the local scandal sheets love to print to sell their product,” Wilson said in the letter.

Wilson said in the letter that he has gotten good service from the police department including help he received from the police following a burglary at his business. Wilson said the payment was on behalf of himself and the employees of the business who are deeply thankful for the fine service rendered by Mr. Lehmann and his officers.