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!
Indiana Gazette
Monday, May 14, 1923
Penn Highway In Bad Shape
No Detours Announced, Although There Are Several Bad Stretches Longbridge Will Be Replaced
Road Notes
No detours on either the William Penn or Lincoln highways are reported in the weekly bulletin issued by the highway department. Travelers on the William Penn, however, are advised by the highway department not to attempt that thoroughfare west of New Alexandria. Between Blairsville and Cambria county line, the bulletin says, there are 12 miles of old ping (sic) in only fair condition, between Ebensburg and Huntingdon the best route is reported as via Loretto, Cresson, Hollidaysburg, Williamsburg and Water Street. Travelers going to Altoona may turn north at Hollidaysburg.
The oiling schedule for today includes Indiana county between Indiana and Homer City, Blacklick and Blairsville, Indiana and Jacksonville.
Bridge to be Removed
Of interest to Indiana automobilists who travel west on the Lincoln highway is the announcement that the present single traffic and extremely dangerous bridge known as Longbridge, on the Lincoln highway west of Ligonier, will be eliminated and will be replaced with a modern structure at an approximate cost of $180,000. The construction of the steel and concrete span will be made at the little town of McCance this summer and will represent the largest and most costly single improvement project on the Lincoln highway between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia excepting perhaps proposed improvements on the Turtle Creek bridge and hill near Pittsburgh.
When Longbridge was constructed of wooden timbers and planking many years ago, little thought was given to the coming of the motor-propelled vehicle and the increased traffic over this national route. Scores of accidents at this point on the Lincoln highway have resulted in the last few years, this portion of the highway being especially dangerous to automobilists traversing the Lincoln highway for the first time. Indiana tourists have had their troubles at this place on a number of occasions and the announcement of the decision to eliminate the present narrow one-way dangerous bridge will be received with joy by Indiana auto owners.
While there have been no accidents as far as the Ligonier valley railroad is concerned, numerous automobilists have plunged over the side of the bridge to their death, while others have mistaken the route and traveled over the railroad tracks before they could bring their cars to a stop.