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
Saturday, September 7, 1912
Coroner's Jury Places Blame For Ligonier Valley ??? Upon the Company, ???
Jury Apparently Agreed That Conductor Kuhn Did Not Hear Any Verbal Order To Hold His Train
(Part 2)
Relative to Noel's testimony as to the effort made to flag the train, Rathmell said he had seen the train dispatcher wave the pad, but that the motion had appeared to him as a salute, instead of as a signal to stop. He said he had heard Noel yell, but had only heard the word "freight." He declared that the train had been running about five or six miles an hour, and that it might have been jumped, without any great danger to the one attempting to get aboard.
Jones Got Out the Coach.
John Jones, a brakeman, said the Rathmell had suggested that one or the other of the two should go for the coach and that he had volunteered to get it out. He had asked Kuhn for the key, he continued, and had remarked something about the freight coming down after
being off the track. Kuhn, he claimed, had replied, "To hell with the freight; you get the car out."
Conductor Know Testifies.
Conductor Knox, the man in charge of the freight train, testified that at 8 minutes after three on the afternoon of July fifth, he had gone to the telephone in the office of the
Shenango Furnace Company, and asked for Noel.
"I said to Noel," continued Knox, "My engines were off track. They're back on the track again; the main track. Can I come in?"
"Wait," Noel said to me.
"And after a little while the word came, Come on in."
"Is Kuhn in?" I asked.
"Yes," said Noel.
"Is Naugle in?"
"Yes," Noel replied.
"Well, tell him to be ready so that Kuhn can get out immediately, I told him."
Continuing his story, Knox said he had given the order to go ahead, and that the train had been traveling about 35 miles an hour on the curve. He said the first intimation he
had received that a mix-up had occurred had been when the coach had loomed up just ahead, and Byers had exclaimed, "My God, there's the coach."
Conductor Knox said his intention had been to stop at the Old Colony works to pick up 21 cars awaiting him there.
Had Seen Coach Ahead Frequently.
Justice Nicely testified that he had seen the Wilpen train run with the coach ahead at least twelve times.
Conductor Kuhn's Story.
Conductor Charles Kuhn was then called. He said that he had been in the employ of the
company for 30 years, and that he had been a conductor for 23 years.
"I was making up my report," he testified, when the train arrived at Ligonier. I was in the baggage care. No order was given to me to get the Wilpen coach out.
"Most anybody gave orders on the L.V.R.R.," he added.
"I did not see Minich in the baggage car. As soon as I had finished my report I walked
out on the platform. I met Minich reading a letter. He looked up and said to me, "As soon as Naugle is out of the way, you can go." Minich did not stop. I then turned around to some people standing there and said, "People, get your tickets," and then I walked over to the Wilpen train. I had no other conversation with Minich. I heard no order given not to pull out.
"The Wilpen car was on the north end of the yard, where Jones had placed it. I did not tell Jones to get the car out and did not hear anybody say to get it. I did not say to Jones, "To hell with the freight train."
In answer to the various questions put to him, Conductor Kuhn said he and Minich had always been on good terms and had always gotten along all right together.
He declared that he had not replied "all right," to Minich, as the latter had testified.
He said that he had known of Naugle's whereabouts in the yard and had supposed him engaged in shifting or with a wreck. He had seen the main track clear and had given the signal to the fireman to pull out. He said that he had not known where Knox was.
He declared that he had never been censured by the company, and that he had never been given orders not to run the coach ahead of the engine.
Jury Renders Its Verdict.
It was 5:20 when the conductor was excused, and the jury at once retired, to make up its
verdict.
In each of the 23 fatalities, the same verdict was reached.
Conductor Kuhn Highly Pleased.
Conductor Kuhn gave evidence of being greatly pleased when informed of the verdict reach by the jury.
D
District Attorney Was Present.
District Attorney W. T. Dom was present at the inquest, and he seemed satisfied over the finding. It is deemed unlikely that the district attorney will take any action in the case.
To Return To Hospital.
Conductor Kuhn is to be taken back to the hospital to undergo further treatment for his injured limbs.
The Jury's Verdict.
"That the deceased came to their deaths from injuries received in the railroad wreck following a collision on the Wilpen Branch of the Ligonier Valley Railroad, near Denny's curve, on the afternoon of July 5.
"We further find that the said wreck occurred through the negligence of the Ligonier Valley Railroad Company in operating its road without using written orders, without the certainty and verification of verbal orders; without employing a signal code or having a system of signals along its lines; without using track signals; without proper instructions in rules and signals to their employees; and lastly, without any recognized up-to-date methods of operating the railroad."