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 Bulletin
Monday, July 8, 1912
Sad Scene Witnessed As Bodies of Wreck Victims Are Borne To the Grave.
Many Funerals Held In Ligonier and In Latrobe Yesterday and Today
Mid the tolling of bells, the singing of sweet hymns, the saying of fitting words, the out-pouring of grief from the hearts of stricken relatives and the expressing of deepest sympathy by the entire communities, the last sad rites were held over ten of the twenty-two dead victims of the Wilpen branch disaster, yesterday afternoon, funeral services having been held for four, in Ligonier, for three in Latrobe, and for three in Blairsville Intersection.
To the Rev. N. S. Sanner, a former pastor of the Ligonier Methodist Episcopal church, now located in Swissvale, it fell to conduct services for four of the dead, yesterday afternoon, he having been called to take the place of the present pastor of the Ligonier congregation the Rev. E. G. Morris, who is ill.
Funeral of George Byers
The first funeral held was that for George Byers, the fireman whose body had been cut in twain. From the Byers home, located just a step from the Lowry morgue, and in which, less than a year ago he and his young wife had started housekeeping under conditions most happy, the body was carried to the Methodist Episcopal church, escorted
by more than 100 Odd Fellows, and followed by sorrowing friends and relatives whose number was so great that the church was filled to overflowing, many standing in the street.
The Rev. Christian E. Ludwig, pastor of the Ligonier Presbyterian church, and the Rev. Bradley East, who is substituting from the Rev. Morris, assisted the Rev. Sanner in conducting the services.
"I am not here to place the blame for the wreck, which has cast gloom in many Ligonier households," said the Rev. Sanner. "All we know is that some one blundered; some one made a mistake; some one forgot."
Aside from that brief reference to the wreck, the minister's remarks were confined to a eulogy of the life of the young fireman, a brief description of the sadness surrounding his death, and the assurance of the better life, together with words of comfort for the bereft.
The services ended, the members of the Odd Fellows led the way to the cemetery, and there the body of the young man was lowered into the grave, while a large assemblage of friends looked on, many of them weeping.
Funeral of Dead Engineer
From the cemetery, the minister and the great throng of Ligonier residents found their way to the home of the late Frank McConnaughey, on Chestnut street, where, at three o'clock, services were held, the Masonic Order being in charge. The Rev. Sanner was the minister, while a special choir sang sweet hymns. Here, also, the outpouring of people was large, the street in front of the house being almost choked with those who sought to catch the refrain of a hymn or a word of the prayer. The Rev. Sanner, in speaking of the engineer, referred to the fact that he had stuck to his post, and had done all that he could to bring the train to a stop, though he might have saved his own life, had he jumped. The Masonic rites for the dead were carried out, both at the home and at the cemetery.
Double Funeral Service
Hurrying back from the cemetery for the second time, the Rev. Sanner and the great throng of people proceeded to the home of Mrs. Edward Burd on Market street, where in one casket lay Mrs. Burd's daughter, Mrs. Harry Dillon, and the latter's little fourteen months old girl, the form of the little one being nestled upon the right arm of the young mother.
Here was the most pathetic scene in the day's heart-rending events, and many in the throng broke down as they viewed the lifeless forms which lay in the single casket. So great was the desire to view the remains that the casket was carried into the street and there re-opened, hundreds who had not been able to get into the house, passing before it.
The Rev. Sanner paid a glowing tribute to the life of the young mother, and after the choir had sung again, the third journey of the day to the beautiful little valley cemetery, nestling in the hills, was begun, and for the third time, hundreds trudged through the
dusty road, to the side of the open grave. The Odd Fellows attended this service in a body.
Three Funerals in Latrobe
Three of the six bodies brought to the Stader morgue on Saturday evening were consigned to their final resting places, yesterday afternoon. Services over the remains of the late Michael Hudock whose home had been at Wilpen, were held in the Greek Catholic church, at Snydertown, and interment followed in the Greek Catholic cemetery.
The church was filled to its doors. A band played the funeral dirges as the cortege wound its way along the road, to the cemetery.
The body of Mrs. Philip Halow, also known as Mrs. M. Esse was consigned to a grave in St. Vincent's cemetery, a large number of friends following the white hearse which
bore the remains to the grave. Mrs. Halow's brother, of Cresson, was among the
mourners. He said her maiden name had been Alfreda Heider. The young woman's
husband lay in the hospital, while the funeral was being held, still battling for life.
The burial of the remains of Geo. Yrcisco took place at five o'clock, in the afternoon, in the cemetery at Bradenville. This man's death widowed a wife and orphaned four little children, all in the Old Country, and all still ignorant that the husband and father is no more. A sister was the only relative who was present as the body was lowered into the grave.
Three of One Family Buried
At the home of the late Mrs. Overton's parents, near Blairsville Intersection, triple funeral services were held, yesterday afternoon, the remains of Mrs. Overton and he two little sons, Franklin and John Jr., having laid in the blind-darkened parlor, while friends and relatives assembled in the house. The husband and father, deprived of all his family
by the havoc wrought by the wreck, was bowed down with grief, while the parents who but a few brief hours before had said goodbye to the daughter and two grandsons, were almost equally affected.
Rhoddy Children Buried Today
With the dawn of today, Ligonier made ready for another season of mourning, the funeral of the two little daughters of Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Rhoddy being set for ten o'clock, and the services over the remains of John Ankney, the young fireman, having been arranged for two o'clock.
The Rhoddy home was one in which the sadness of the wreck seemed to find its culmination, the two little white caskets, resting in the front room, presenting a scene that touched the stoutest heart. The Rev. C. A. Nauman, pastor of the Ligonier Lutheran church, was in charge of the services, with the Rev. Ludwig assisting him. The minister spoke no word concerning the wreck, but endeavored to bring a ray of comfort to the hearts of the father and the mother, and the little crippled brother who mourned for his two sisters. Mrs. Rhoddy withstood the ordeal of having the little forms carried away from the home with bravery.
Double Funeral at Snydertown
Another double funeral was held at Snydertown, this morning, when services were held at the home of Mrs. Elizabeth Whetmore, for her daughter, Mrs. Nettie Gray, and the
latter's adopted son, Roy Boring Gray, both of whom met death in the wreck, their bodies, clasped arm in arm, having been found late of Friday night. The Rev. George C. Fisher conducted the services, and interment followed in the Mechesneytown cemetery. Bernard Gray, the husband, lay in the Latrobe Hospital, at the time, battling for life. Cont....