Ligonier Valley Rail Road Newspaper Articles
We have compiled over 1,400 newspaper articles that mention the Ligonier Valley Railroad, or related subjects. The articles were originally published starting in 1873 and our collection runs through 1995. Enjoy!
Latrobe Advance
Wednesday, July 16, 1890
The Fourth At Idlewild
The Largest Pic Nic Ever Held There
Athletic Sports an Attraction
The Employes of the Latrobe Steel Works Add to the Enjoyment - The Crowd and the Enjoyment it Had
(Excerpts)
As predicted in these columns on several occasions, the picnic at Idlewild Parks on the Fourth, was a grand success in every particular. The weather was warm, clear and pleasant and was all that could be desired until about 4 o'clock, p.m., when the usual Fourth of July storm took place. A large number of special excursion trains were run over the Ligonier Valley Railroad, the first one for the grounds leaving Latrobe at 8:00 a.m. Each train as it departed was crowded to its utmost capacity, in fact (missing) trains were so overcrowded (missing) conductors were unable to get (missing) the tickets. All the (missing) passenger coaches as well as (missing).
The seats, aisles, platforms, tender of the engine, as well as the tops of the cars were crowded with people all on pleasure bent. An immense number of person from Greensburg, Youngstown, Latrobe, Ligonier and the surrounding towns and country drove to the parks, thus further swelling the vast throng in attendance. It is considered to have been the largest picnic ever held at Idlewild, the attendance being estimated at between five and six thousand.
An interesting feature of the day was the sports furnished by the employes of the Latrobe Steel Works. These took place on the level spot immediately opposite the depot, in the parks, and were participated in by a large number of persons. The space devoted to them was inclosed by a rope and everything done was in plain view of everybody.
Shortly before 4 o'clock in the afternoon a storm cloud was noticed forming in the west. It advanced rapidly, gather force as it came, and before a great while broke in all its fury, drenching the merry picnickers who happened to be exposed, to the skin. The ladies with their white dresses and the dudes with their fashionable clothes formed a sorry looking picture as they waded around through the woods.
Notwithstanding the dampness of the weather all appeared to be in a good humor, as they realized that everything goes on the Fourth of July, and further, that a Fourth without a rain storm is not one of the old fashioned kind. A great many escaped the rain by getting on the cars and going to Ligonier. In fact this is the manner in which a large number secured seats in the cars. They would get in the cards and ride to Ligonier where they would remain until the train would start on its return trip to Latrobe. Usually the time spent in Ligonier was but a few minutes.