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
Services for Thomas Muir
Services for the late Thomas Muir who was killed in the wreck were held at two o'clock, this afternoon, at the Muir home on the South Side. The services were attended by many residents who had known Mr. Muir in life, and who had found him a likable man, all having had none but the most favorable words to speak of the one who had been killed. The Rev. F. A. Weicksel, pastor of the St. James Lutheran church, of Youngstown, conducted the services. The interment followed in the Youngstown cemetery.
Many At Ankney Funeral
A large number of local friends and relatives went to Ligonier to attend the funeral of the late John Ankney, held in the Evangelical church at two o'clock. The church was filled. The Rev. Boyer, the pastor, conducted the services, assisted by the Rev. W. A. Sites, of Latrobe. Mr. Ankney was a popular young man, and there were many who mourned with the young widow, and the aged parents, over his loss.
Services at Laurel Hill
Services were held at laurel Hill, this morning, for the late Mat Nieport who died as he was being carried into the Latrobe Hospital, last Friday evening.
Not Enough Cabs Available
Not sufficient cabs were available for the hauling of the friends who assembled for the large funeral of John Blush, held at St. Vincent's, this morning, and some of those attending the services were compelled to walk. The interment was made in St. Vincent's
cemetery. The deceased's father and cousin were here from Barberton, Ohio, to attend the funeral.
Death List Remains At Twenty-Two
All Injured Have Chance
Of the eighteen wreck victims at the Latrobe Hospital, two will leave for their homes, this afternoon, while for the other sixteen hopes are entertained that they too, in time, may be able to leave recovered of their hurts.
Smith Beatty, the engineer, is the patient whose condition is most serious, but even he is thought to have a good chance, his condition today being quite improved, and the doctors believing that if nothing unforeseen develops, he will recover.
Little Mary Helen Peters is also improved, today, and the outlook for her recovery is most encouraging.
Bernard Gray and the other patients whose conditions Saturday gave cause for
apprehension are much better, and hospital surgeons are extremely hopeful that no further names will be added to the list of dead, from among the patients in the local institution.
The two patients discharged this afternoon, were John Desandres and Isaac Henry
Lloyd, both of Wilpen. Both suffered from bruises and cuts, the report that the latter had sustained a broken leg having been incorrect.
At Ligonier, Dr. Johnston is said to be slightly improved, today, while Dr. Hamill is reported on the way to recovery. Little Billy Brownfield is doing nicely, also.
In the Pittsburgh hospital the wreck victims are getting along nicely.
Reports from the Allegheny General Hospital last night, where three victims are undergoing treatment for their injuries, stated that all were doing well, even to Miss Esther Matthews, the Pittsburgh nurse, who sustained a fracture of the right thigh, left arm and internal injuries. The other two patients are Conductor C. H. Kuhn, aged 61, of Ligonier, and H. H. Knox, aged 40, also of Ligonier. Knox sustained lacerations about the head and body and Kuhn had both legs and his left arm broken.
At the West Penn Hospital, where four victims are being nursed back to life, the reports are encouraging, though physicians at the institution say they cannot tell the outcome of
injuries sustained by William Campbell, aged 24, of Ligonier, and 8 year old Bernedatta Andrews, who was internally injured and has a fractured hip. Bernardo Caffino, aged 22, of Fort Palmer, had his left leg broken and was cut about the body. Raymond Ankney, aged 15, of Ligonier, the fourth victim at the West Penn Hospital, had his left leg broken and contusions about the face and body.
The death list continues to be 22, the additional names printed by some of the Pittsburgh papers being names of foreign-born residents who were known by two different names.
All places of business were closed in Ligonier at 10:00 o'clock, this morning, to remain closed until 4:00 o'clock, this afternoon. The nickelodeon has been closed since Friday.
Ligonier Experienced A Sunday of Unparalleled Sadness
Horror and sorrow still held sway over the little mountain town of Ligonier yesterday, and while some relaxation had come to nerves strained taut, and some color had returned to faces that had been whitened, the town continued a town prostrated by shock and
overwhelmed by disaster.
Men continued to speak in tones that were subdued, while even the automobiles in which were carried hundreds of those who flocked into the town, seemed to be influenced by the pall which hung over the heat-oppressed town, no mufflers having been opened, and horns having been sounded only in gentle fashion.
The town was not astir as early as on Saturday, the Sunday school bells having rung before many appeared upon the streets, and the morning passed without any unusual incidents. The church services of the morning were not out of the ordinary, and except in the prayers no references were made to the tragedy which filled the minds of all.
In the afternoon, the entire town, and hundreds from the country roundabout, assembled for the funeral services, while in the evening, nearly all assembled in the diamond for the union memorial service. At this service, prayers were offered for the dead, for the injured
and for those who had suffered the loss of relative or friend. The Rev. Frank Boyer, pastor of the Evangelical church, preached the sermon. In a brief introductory statement he voiced an expression of sympathy for all who had suffered by reason of the wreck. It has been a sad mistake which had blighted many a home, he said. His sermon contained no reference to the wreck.
Hundreds Viewed Scene of Wreck
Hundreds of people visited the scene of the wreck, during the day, and many busied themselves in getting pieces of the demolished car, as souvenirs. The solemnity which predominated in the town was not so markedly in evidence at the scene of the wreck, there having been many there out of curiosity, and the blood-stained ground, the heap of twisted iron and the splinters of wood having failed to awe them as did the tolling of the church bells, and the signs posted in front of the home of Dr. Johnston, "Please do no walk on the pavement," when they visited the town itself.
Two More Names Are Added To The Injured
Two names were added to the list of injured, yesterday, when Mike Niclitzh, aged 25 years, of Wilpen, and John Fulgensie, a young Italian, also of Wilpen, were brought to Ligonier to receive surgical attention. Both men had run away, following the wreck, having been badly frightened, but their injuries grew so painful, Saturday, that they were
forced to seek the aid of physicians. The former was suffering from bruises and contusions and was vomiting blood. His hurts had been dressed temporarily, following the wreck, but when he had heard some one remark that he would have to go to the hospital, he had jumped to his feet and run away. His condition is not serious.