History of Des Moines, Iowa, USA

Des Moines - FRANK MERRIAM, aged 25, and E. R. CAMPBELL, aged 22, were asphyxiated by illuminating gas in their room at 1435 West Locust Street. The double tragedy, from all appearances, was accidental. The gas jet, which worked very loosely, had been left partly open, apparently in the act of turning it off carelessly.

The room occupied by CAMPBELL and MERRIAM was fifteen by twelve feet in dimensions. It was a front room with windows on two sides, but all the windows were closed. The young men were discovered dead in bed at 8 o'clock a.m. by the landlady, Mrs. C. Reynolds, who immediately notified the police. The door of the room had been left unlocked but was tightly closed. The odor of gas was not noticed in the house until morning.

The young men had roomed together for only a month. CAMPBELL came from Paton, Iowa, a year ago and was employed with the Carr-Adams Company. MERRIAM is the son of G. D. Merriam of Shannon City, Iowa. He was employed here with the Brown-Herley...

Des Moines, Ia., Feb. 4. - Seven miners were killed to-night, and a dozen were injured in the wreck of a coal train on the Chicago and Northwestern Railway near Des Moines. The dead:
PETER PILSTRUM.
PETER EXNER.
OLAF ANDERSON.
ALBERT OLSON.
CARL ANDERSON.
SAMUEL DREW.
ANDREW LUNDQUIST.
A car in the middle of the train left the track and ditched the cars behind it. The train carried about thirty miners, scattered in groups on different coal cars. Several passengers were in the caboose. The victims were all buried under wreckage and coal, which later caught fire, making the rescue work difficult.

The injured will recover. Among the hurt are BLANCHE ROSER and JEAN HORSBURG, school teachers.

Des Moines, a city and port of delivery, the capital of Iowa and of Polk oo., is situated on both sides of the Des Moines River (at the mouth of the Raccoon River), which affords abundant water-power and is crossed by numerous bridges. Lat. 41° 37' N. ; Lon. 93° 37' W. Des Moines occupies an elevated site, and is on the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific, the Chicago and Great- Western and other railroads, 340 miles W. of Chicago. The city, which has large shipping and manufacturing interests, has numerous attractive public parks and buildings, among the latter being the state capitol, erected at a cost of nearly $3,000,000, city-hall, United States government building, opera-houses, and state library (with 80,000 volumes). It is the seat of Drake University, Highland Park College (industrial), Des Moines College, and other oollegiate institutions. The city's industries comprise iron-foundries, planing- and flouring-mills, and manufactures of machinery, steam- and gas-engines, boilers,...

Des Moines, Iowa, April 6. - (AP) - At least five persons are dead and scores are suffering from injuries, burns and cuts received in a fire which broke out at the Kirkwood Hotel, shortly after 3 o'clock this morning.

Fire Chief Burnett after inspecting the wreckage expressed the belief that several additional might be found. He said a group of men and women had been reported holding a party in one of the rooms, and had not been found since. Firemen were almost unanimous in believing that more victims were buried in the debris.

The known dead:
W. F. RAIDLER.
MRS. RED WATSON.
"RED" JARRUP.
Two unidentified men.

Twelve persons were taken to hospitals and many others injured and burned were given first aid treatment. Between 125 and 150 persons were in the building when the fire broke out.

Two policemen, attracted by the screaming of woman, and a negro porter noticed the fire about the same time and turned in alarms. All fire companies in the city responded to the call,...

Des Moines, Ia., July 19. - (AP) - ROSS ARNOLD, pilot of the endurance monopane, "Greater Des Moines," was killed late yesterday when the plane crashed nine miles southeast of here. The crash followed an attempt at a test refueling preparatory to starting an endurance flight today. CHARLIE GATSCHET, co-pilot, was thrown from the plane but landed safely with a parachute. The plane was flying directly below its refueling ship, "The Miss Sioux City," piloted by ARNOLD'S brother, AMON, and JIMMY BARWICK. It suddenly went into a dive, completely out of control. GATSCHET and ARNOLD were both in the rear cockpit, which is equipped with dual controls. GATSCHET said he attempted in vain to pull the nose of the ship up. Then he was tossed from his seat into the air. He said he did not know what became of ARNOLD.

One report said that ARNOLD, too, was thrown from the ship but other witnesses declared he attempted to right it. The position of the body, a few feet from the wrecked craft, bore...

Pappajohn Sculpture Park: Take a stroll through this impressive open-air museum featuring over 30 sculptures by various artists. It's a beautiful blend of art and nature.

Downtown Farmers' Market: If you're there on a Saturday morning (May through October), the Downtown Farmers' Market is a must-visit. You'll find fresh produce, handmade crafts, and a variety of local treats.

Gray's Lake Park: A perfect spot for outdoor enthusiasts. You can walk, run, or bike around the lake, rent a paddleboat, or just relax and enjoy the scenery.

Principal Park: Catch a minor league baseball game at this classic ballpark. The Iowa Cubs, the Triple-A affiliate of the Chicago Cubs, play here.

Science Center of Iowa: Great for families or anyone interested in interactive science exhibits. It's educational and fun, with hands-on displays and live demonstrations.

Iowa State Capitol: Even if you're not a political buff, the state capitol is worth a visit. Take a guided tour to learn about...