Letter: A story that should never be forgotten
Published 5:56 am Thursday, December 13, 2018
- Salisbury Post file photo Railroaders and some local residents gathered near the Stone Road crossing in eastern Rowan County July 13, 1950, after a locomotive derailed close to lunchtime. Three men, including Elbert W. Kluttz, one of the founders of Kluttz Piano Co., died as a result of the accident.
Editor’s note: The writer is commenting on a story in Sunday’s Post, “ ‘Not so good, Son, not so good’: For Kluttz family, 1950 train accident held ironic twists, fateful decisions.”
The story of Elbert Kluttz who died in a train wreck less than a half mile from his home is part of the folklore of eastern Rowan County. As a young boy of 6 at the time and living just a quarter mile from Elbert and Addie Kluttz, I can vividly recall the many family gatherings where “what ifs” were repeated into the night.
As I remember, Mr. Kluttz could have gotten off the train in Granite Quarry but chose to go to Rockwell which was a mile closer to his home. Had he done so, he would have avoided the wreck on Stone Road, but that remains as part of the irony of the story.
This is an incredible story and we have Banks Kluttz and Mark Wineka to thank. Banks shared with us his late awareness of the circumstances of the unusual death of his grandfather as well as the discovery of the many love letters that his parents wrote before their marriage. And talented Mark has written a compelling story about an event that strains belief but one that should never be forgotten.
—Dale Basinger
Rockwell