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
Friday, October 25, 1912
Wm H. Dodds Dies After Losing Both Legs Beneath Wheels of Freight Train
As the result of frightful injuries received at 2:16 o'clock, yesterday afternoon, when both his legs were ground off midway between the ankles and knees by a Ligonier Valley Railroad freight train, William H. Dodds, a well known bricklayer, died in the Latrobe Hospital at 11:00 o'clock last night.
The accident occurred at the east end of Spruce street. The train with R. D. McConnaughey as engineer, and William McClintock as fireman, was on the way to the local yards, when the unfortunate man who had been seen making his way out Ligonier street, just a few minutes before, attempted to board one of the cars.
Neither the engineer nor the fireman saw him, but William Holman, who was riding at the rear of the train, happened to be looking ahead, just as the man made the attempt to leap on, only to be thrown to the ground. Holman at once signaled the train to stop, and it was brought to a halt as quickly as possible.
Running back, the trainmen found the unfortunate man laying on the ground, with his limbs stretched across the rail, and with only a few shreds of flesh holding the lower parts to the upper, the wheels of twenty cars having cut their way through the flesh and bone, midway between the ankles and knees.
The engine was uncoupled from the train and a quick run was made to the station for a stretcher, upon which the injured man was carried to the hospital.
He did not lose consciousness at any time, nor did he realize the extent of his injuries, thinking that but one of his limbs would have to come off. The surgeons had planned to make the amputations, this morning, but death intervened.
The man's story, told to his father, was that after getting out near Spruce street, he had
bethought himself of a ticket which he had to Greensburg, and thinking that he'd not have time to walk back to the station, he had planned to jump the freight, so as to catch his train. The fact that the man's coat was badly torn and that he was bruised about the head and body would seem to bear out his story that he was thrown while trying to jump the freight.
William H. Dodds was the son of Col. And Mrs. John B. Dodds, of Youngstown. He was born the 6th of July 1872. He is survived by a widow, by three sons, Bernard, Frank
and Grant; by his parents; by a brother, John W. Dodds; and five sisters, Mrs. F. Albaugh, of Derry; Mrs. Charles Ferguson and Mrs. Thurston Gilligan, of Latrobe; Mrs. W. D. Ogden, of Newark, N. J.; and Mrs. Walter Kelly, of Kingston.
Funeral services will be held at the home of the parent, in Youngstown, at 2:30 o'clock, Sunday afternoon. Interment will follow in Youngstown cemetery.