OBIT: Alice & Flora ERMINE, 1882, Tipton, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Sharon Miller Copyright 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ THE TIPTON HORROR, The shocking railroad accident which occurred at Tipton, Thursday evening last, about half past eight o'clock, in which four young and amiable individuals lost their lives, was the most heart-rending and appalling sight ever witnessed in that vicinity. The passing away of near and dear ones by the gradual process of nature is a sad bereavement; but when, as in this case, the bodies are violently mangled, when one moment they were in the enjoyment of perfect health and symmetry, and the next their spirits fled, as if in dismay from their bleeding, mutilated forms, the loss and grief becomes doubly great and inconsolable. The victims of this terrible tragedy were Misses Alice and Flora Ermine, daughters of Sylvester Ermine, living a short distance, from Tipton, and aged respectively 31 and 17 years; Daniel B. Parks, aged 29 years, a school teacher, who was pursuing his vocation in the Tipton school, and whose home was a short distance east of Tipton station, and Ellsworth Cameron, aged 17, who was a night student in the telegraphic office at Tipton. They were all consistent members of the M. E. Church, and were returning from prayer meeting when they met their sad fate. The facts as ascertained from Daniel B. Parks, one of the victims, are about as follows: They were walking on the south track, below the warehouse, when they indistinctly saw engine No. 385 approaching them which had been detached from the passing freight train it had been assisting up the grade and was returning backwards. It had orders to go to Huntingdon and was running on north track, but they supposing it to be on the south track, they stepped on the north track, only to be run over by the engine. They were all struck by the tank, the two ladies and Ellsworth Cameron being rolled under the engine and instantly killed. The engineer not being able to see them thought there was something being dragged under the engine, and stopped as soon as he could. Their bodies were mangled and mutilated in a most distressing manner, the bodies of Flora Ermine and Ellsworth Cameron being dragged under the engine nearly two hundred yards where they were found wedged when the engine was stopped. The lifeless form of Alice was found on the track some fifty yards further up, and Daniel B. Parks was found at the spot where the engine had left him, still living, after knocking him down, cutting gashes in his bead and leg, and crushing his shoulder and hip. He lived and retained his consciousness and power of conversation until one o'clock Friday morning. Mr. Parks believed he could have saved himself, but in attempting to rescue Alice, received the fatal blow. He leaves a wife and three small children to mourn his sudden death. The remains of Alice Ermine, Flora Ermine and Ellsworth Cameron were interred at Bellwood, in Presbyterian cemetery, in the presence of a large concourse of friends and relatives, there being over 700 persons present, and 97 vehicles in the funeral train. The funeral services were conducted by Reverends Dunmire and Heckman. The remains of Daniel B. Parks were interred at Franklinville, Huntingdon county, Monday forenoon, the funeral services being conducted by Reverend George Guyer. The ladies were the idols of their parents, highly esteemed by the entire community, and admired and respected wherever known. The gentlemen possessed the noble traits of character that embellish true manhood, and were the ornaments of the society in which they moved. The entire community has been grief-stricken and sadly bereft by this shocking accident. Less mindful of himself than of others, it by was his last noble act that Mr. Parks lost his own life. No one ever died more heroically, or more hopefully of the future, than he. Tyrone Herald, Tyrone, Pa., December 21, 1882