OBIT: George HOSTLER, 1899, Altoona, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by JRB Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _________________________________________ A FATAL ACCIDENT. GEORGE HOSTLER INSTANTLY KILLED Was Caught and Rolled Between Two Cars in the Yard Near Seventh Street Last Evening. George Hostler, a young brakeman employed in the Altoona yard met a horrible death at 7.25 o'clock last evening while at work. He was caught, rolled between two cars and instantly killed. The unfortunate man was a member of Conductor William Godfrey's crew, engine 434, which does the shifting of cars at the freight station at night. The crew was engaged in shifting a number of cars onto the transfer tracks between Seventh and Ninth streets. Hostler was standing at the end of a car near the junction of two tracks or the switch, a short distance west of the Seventh street bridge and on what is known to railroad men as the beginning of the hill. The cars being shifted were pushed up the track and Hostler evidently attempted to pass between the cars. As he did so his jacket was caught by a portion of the iron work of the door on Philadelphia, Wilmington and Baltimore car No. 1,345 and he was rolled for several feet. His chest was crushed in and both arms broken. Brakeman Snyder, who was standing near, was of the opinion that he attempted to pass between the bumpers of two cars and in doing so was caught. When his fellow trainmen reached him he was dead. They picked him up and carried the body to Undertaker Lafferty's room. Deputy Coroner McCartney will make an investigation. Brakeman Hostler was aged 25 years, and resided at 116 East Sixth avenue. He was an attendant at the Lutheran church, a young man of excellent character and highly esteemed by all who knew him. He was married last April to Miss Grace Lathero, daughter of Jacob Lathero, of 118 Sixth avenue, who survives. He is also survived by his father, Reverdy Hostler, two brothers and three sisters. Morning Tribune, Wednesday, November 29, 1899 LOCAL BREVITIES. The funeral of George Hostler, the brakeman who was killed in the yard near Seventh street Tuesday evening, will take place at 2 o'clock to-morrow afternoon from his late residence, 116 Sixth avenue. The interment will be made in Oak Ridge cemetery. Morning Tribune, Thursday, November 30, 1899 FUNERAL ANNOUNCEMENT. Services over the remains of George Hostler will be held at 2 o'clock this afternoon in the Fifth avenue Methodist Episcopal church instead of at his late residence. Interment in Oak Ridge cemetery. Morning Tribune, Friday, December 1, 1899