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From:
Subject: News from Pennsburg - April 9, 1904
Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2004 23:47:20 EDT
Ref: Town and Country Newspaper
Pennsburg, Montgomery County, PA
Saturday - April 9, 1904
WRECK AT POTTSTOWN
The Pottsville Passenger express on the Pennsylvania Schuylkill Valley
railroad crashed into a coal train Saturday afternoon at 4.20 o'clock on the western
outskirts of Pottstown, killing two persons and injuring twenty others more
or less seriously. The dead: Andrew FAGLEY, engineer, of Philadelphia; Sigmund
HIRSCH, traveling salesman, of Baltimore, Md. The known injured: James M.
CHAFEY, of Philadelphia, fireman of express, badly scalded; James N. MOHR,of
Philadelphia, compound fracture of right leg; Mr. and Mrs. William CAVANEUGH, of
Birdsboro, seriously cut and bruised; Henry MEIXELL, of Reading, foot badly
hurt; Henry C. KEAST, railroad employe, of Reading, internal injuries, compound
fracture of both legs, likely to die; John FARLEY, wife and four children, aged
10 months to 7 years, of New York, cut and bruised; woman internally injured;
James WHEAT, Gynwyd, conductor, slight injuries; Mrs. Frank SELLERS, three
children, of Norristown, lacerations; Wm. BITTING, of Philadelphia, baggage
master on express train, lacerations. The express train consisted of three
passenger coaches and a baggage car. Just in front of it was an east-bound
accommodation train for Spring City, due at Pottstown at 4.14 p.m. To allow the trains to
pass, John FLEISCHULTZ, engineer of a long coal train, was ordered into a
siding west of the big curve of the Schuylkill Valley Division west of Pottstown.
The local passenger train had passed, when the engineer of the coal train,
evidently thinking the tracks were clear, ran his train upon the main line.
Suddenly the express train dashed around the curve, carrying a hundred or more
passengers. Engineers of both trains applied brakes, but it was too late. The
high speed of the express train made it impossible to avert the collision.
Engineer FLEISCHUTZ and Fireman PICKEL, of the coal train, saved their lives by
jumping, but Engineer FAGLEY, of the express train, stuck to his post. The
locomotives and several cars were telescoped, and lay piled in a mass. The wrecked
locomotives were twisted into each other until they could hardly be
distinguished.
HORSE FELL OVER DEAD IN BLACKSMITH SHOP
Isaiah MUSSELMAN, of Lower Salford Township on Tuesday morning lost a horse
under peculiar circumstances. He went to the blacksmithshop of Mr. CRESSMAN, of
Harleysville, to have the horse shod, and while this was being done the
animal acted strangely, swayed from side to side, backed out of the shop into the
pike and fell over dead. A veterinary surgeon pronounced the horse's death due
to an apoplectic stroke. The animal was a valuable one and was not insured.
ROAD CLOSED TO TRAVELLING PUBLIC
Supervisor Jacob KURZ, of Upper Hanover township, on Monday will close the
road leading from Red Hill to Hoppenville, past Daniel REITER's mill to the
travelling public. He wants to tear away the bridge near the mill which was
recently damaged by the ice and high water to such an extent that it is not safe for
travel, and build a new one. Mr. KURZ expects to have the bridge finished in
three days. During this time no teams will be able to pass that section of the
creek.
MANY PARTOOK OF THE LORD'S SUPPER
Rev. Calvin M. DELONG (deLong), pastor of the New Goshenhoppen Reformed
church of near East Greenville, on Sunday administered the Lord's Supper to 643,
and during the past week he administered it to 30 more who could not be present.
Twenty new members were admitted. The collection amounted to $174.49. This
was the largest number to take communion in Spring and the largest collection
ever taken on a similar occasion at this church.
PURCHASED A HIGH PRICE PACER
At the horse sale of Seth FISHER, held at the Eagle Hotel, Quakertown, on
last Wednesday, "Tod Stein," the great pacer sold for $920, and was purchased by
H.N. STONEBACK, of Quakertown.
KILLED BY FALLING TREE
Levi BOYER, Jr., a farmer residing with his father, Levi BOYER, near Kumry,
Bucks county, was killed on Tuesday afternoon, while felling trees in the
woodland of merchant ERDMAN, of Milford Square. Mr. BOYER was trying to run out of
the way of a falling tree when he was struck by a large limb and crushed to
the earth. His companions ran to his aid but they found that he was instantly
killed. He was removed to his fathers home nearby. He is about forty-five years
of age and was never married. The funeral will be held to-day at the Ridge
Valley Church near Argus.
VALUABLE FARM SOLD
Rev. J.D. DIETRICH has sold his famous fifteen-acre farm at Flourtown at
figures which are not yet made public, and there seems to be no way of getting at
the amount just now. Report is that the price given was $75,000, or at the
rate of $5,000 per acre. The sale includes the buildings, stock, farm untensils,
etc, on the place. Just exactly who the purchaser is is another secret, but it
is surmised to be some person connected with the agricultural department at
Washington. The farm is widely known by reason of its wonderful productiveness,
and has been the talk in agricultural circles for some months, expecially
since its amazing fertility has been made the subject of magazine and newspaper
articles by men eminent regarding such matters.
DROVE INTO TEAM AND DAMAGED IT
George GARR, of Pennsburg, on Monday afternoon accidentally drove into the
team of William BUTTERWECK, of Red Hill, while trying to drive ahead of Mr.
BUTTERWECK's team. His wheel caught the rear wheel of Mr. BUTTERWECK's wagon and
broke it so badly that he could not continue on his journey until he returned
to his home at Red Hill and got another wagon. The accident happened on the
turnpike in the lower end of Pennsburg.
FELL ASLEEP NEAR TROLLEY TRACK
Eulis ROSE, a young Polander, of Norristown, fell asleep, alongside of the
Norristown-Chestnut Hill trolley tracks, with his right arm over the rail. The
conductor of an approaching car did not notice the prostrate form of a man
until the wheels had passed over his arm. He was taken to the Charity Hospital,
Norristown, where his arm was amputated just below the shoulder.
WILL BUILD HOUSES NEAR EAST GREENVILLE
Frank HALLMAN, of near Hillegass, has purchased a lot near the borough of
East Greenville, and will erect a double dwelling house theron. Work will be
started at once. Contractor Edward LIVEZY received the contract to excavate the
cellar and he started work on Thursday. Mr. HALLMAN intends to move into one
portion of the house himself.
LIT MATCH TO FIND GASOLINE
D.B. HEILMAN, of near Lebanon, who slept in the stable of Dr. D.K. LIGHT,
upset a gosoline torch on Monday night and lit a match to investigate. He was
instantly surrounded by flames, and only escaped being burned to death by leaping
out of a window and rolling in the street. The stable and all its contents,
including a horse, were consumed.
CAUGHT LARGE SUCKERS
Thomas SMITH, of Red Hill, on Saturday caught nine large suckers at Hancock's
Dam at Green Lane. They measured in size from fifteen to nineteen inches. He
caught them with hook and line.
AGED WOMEN PERISHES IN BUSH FIRE
Mrs. John PEARSON, aged 60 years, was found dead in a field near her home,
near Easton, on Tuesday. She had been burned to death, and a smouldering bush
fire near by told the story.
FELL ON PAVEMENT AND BROKE ARM
Mrs. William OVERHOLTZER, of Morwood slipped and fell on an icy pavement on
Saturday morning and broke her arm at the wrist. Dr. V.Z. KEELER, of
Harleysville, was summoned and reduced the fracture.
BERKS' OLDEST EASTER EGG
Thomas M. YUNDT, of Womelsdorf, has probably the oldest Easter egg in Berks
county. It was dyed 70 years ago, and bears the following inscription in wax:
"Thomas YUNDT, March 31, 1834."
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