NEWS: Items from the Cambria Freeman, November 27, 1903, Cambria County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Patty Millich Copyright August 2008. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/cambria/ _________________________________________ Cambria Freeman Ebensburg, Pa. Friday, November 27, 1903 Horrible Tragedy Occurs at Lilly A holocaust, terrible and horrifying in detail and almost rivaling the awful mine disaster at Johnstown on July 19, 1902, occurred at Lilly at an early hour last Saturday morning. Twenty Italian laborers were roasted alive and as many more were fatally or painfully burned in the burning of a shanty at the site of the Pennsylvania Railroad improvements, three-fourths of a mile west of the town. The men were employed by Contractors Mr. Menamin & Sims and were engaged in laying out a fourth track between Lilly and Portage. There were 500 men, all Italian, at work on the job and in the destroyed shanty 125 of them were quartered. The fire broke out at 1:50 o'clock and the rudely constructed building burned like tinder, hemming in the occupants like rats in a trap. Many were suffocated and burned in their bunks and others traded their lives for their horded treasures. How the fire originated is a mystery. Those men who escaped from the shanty alive are very reticent in regard to the matter, refusing to give any information as to the origin of the blaze which sent into eternity twenty-three men and injured as many more. According to the story of one man who escaped, the fire started from a stove. It is said that before retiring for the night the man who had charge of the stoves filled both of those in the shanty high with fuel. The stove became red hot, it is said, and the interior of the shanty, which was lined with inflammable tar paper, caught fire. The structure was 23 feet long and about 24 feet wide. On each side of an aisle which ran down the center of the structure was a row of bunks, three high. In these bunks were piles of straw. The occupants of the bunks used no mattresses of any kind, but simply a blanket to cover them. A week ago the shanty was occupied by 120 men. Thursday only 65 men were in the place. Of this number probably 40 to 45 escaped but the remainder were burned to death. Lined as it was with tar paper the shanty was not fireproof. The flames tore through it. Before the men had a chance to get their trunks and make their way to the outside the roof had fallen and they were either knocked to the ground by the falling timbers or overcome by the smoke. At the lower door of the structure were a large number of bodies piled on top of the other. From appearances it would seem as if the men were fighting to get out again but on account of the rush only one or two escaped. Those who strove for the door were evidently panic stricken. When one man got ahead of another the other pulled him back. They fought, bit and kicked and among those who escaped there are many who bear marks of the fierce strife which took place in this battle for life. A very few got out of the small windows, minus clothes and with their bodies cut from jagged glass. Many of those who did manage to get out had their savings of years in their trunks which they left behind them in the building. Bethinking themselves of this fact as soon as they got outside, they fought just as fiercely to get back, and a few of them succeeded, some even trampling upon the bodies of their suffocated comrades in their efforts to get back in to their trunks. They got back, but for the sake of their hoarded treasures, they gave up their lives. One eyewitness says he does not believe than that a single man of those who went back for his trunk succeeded in getting out again. In the ruins Saturday morning some of the corpses were close beside the hoop-iron bands of the trunks and melted gold and silver which had been kept in those receptacles indicated that the owners had fallen and died with their treasure in their arms. The bodies were all practically burned to pieces. An Italian, who looked at them, thought he knew every man in the shanty, was unable to identify a single one. On Monday afternoon Coroner Miller went to Lilly and began the inquest in the office of McMenamin [sic] & Sims, the railroad contractors, nearly a mile below Lilly and near the shanty burned down with the unfortunate foreigners inside. The Coroner Saturday impaneled the following jury: Peter Robine, Joseph Anderson, George Taylor, Patrick McAnally, Fletcher C. George and George Hallay. Mr. Anderson is the Justice of the Peace at Cassandra while Mr. Taylor lives at the same place. The others are residents of Lilly. The funerals of the victims who lost their lives in the burned building were held Monday morning at Lilly, the bodies being buried in one trench in the Roman Catholic Cemetery here. The Coroners jury on Monday evening rendered a verdict as follows: After hearing the evidence of the above witnesses, we, the jury, find the deceased came to their deaths by being trapped in a burning building belong to McMenamin & Sims, used as a commissary and lodging place. Cause of death was in a stampede of the men and in their excitement they could not get out. Cause of fire unknown. This happened between the hours of 1 and 2 o'clock a.m., November 21,1903, near Lilly. It would appear from the inquest that all would have been able to get out had they not become panic-stricken in the jam at the entrance. Buried in Same Grave Unknown Man Was Responsible for Fatal Fire at Lilly Johnstown Pa., Nov. 24 - In one large trench in St. Bridget's cemetery, Lilly, were buried 21 Italians who were burned to death in the shanty at the construction camp of McMenamin & Sims, Saturday morning, together with the bodies of the two men who died at the Memorial hospital from the effects of burns. A short service was held at the grave. Three of the men in the hospital are in a very serious condition and their death is said to be only a matter of hours. Coroner Miller's inquest brought out the fact that the death of the men were due to the action of an unknown man who tried to save from the flames a large cot and mattress. When he reached the door there was a large number of men immediately behind him. The rush caused the cot to jam in the door and no one was able to pass. Witnesses testified that some of the foreigners tried to pull the cot away but failed. The origin of the fire will probably never be learned. Fire Destroys Sawmill Fire Saturday afternoon destroyed the steam saw and planning mill of Adam Shuman which stood near the pike in Jackson township. All the fixtures and a lot of lumber were destroyed. Mr. Shuman's loss is at least $2,000 with no insurance. Leaves for India The many friends of Christian Eicher in this county will be interested to learn that he and his family left Altoona Friday for New York. On December 1, he and his family sail for India with a party of missionaries under the auspices of the Christian and Missionary Alliance. Local and Personal George Koch of Carrolltown was a visitor in Altoona Tuesday. Mrs. Harry Ritchey of Lilly is visiting her parents, Mr. and Mrs. A. G. Wilt of Poplar Run. Miss Annie Tibbott spent Sunday in Johnstown. Miss Mary Plummer of Summerhill is visiting friends in Altoona. H. H. Myers Esq. of this place was a visitor to Johnstown on Monday. Rev. Samuel Craig is spending a two weeks vacation at his home in the west. Miss Margaret Tibbott is in Philadelphia where she will remain for some time. Harry Kelley, a Mountaindale newsboy, had his right arm cut off by a train last Saturday afternoon. Bishop Garvey was at Lilly on Sunday and blessed the stations of the cross at St. Brigit's Catholic church. George Joseph & Bro. of Portage have purchased a piece of ground in Windber where they expect to erect a store building. Attorney F. P. Martin of Johnstown has filed a petition with Prothonotary Troxell asking the Court to grant a charter to the Slavish Beneficial Association, having its main office in Johnstown. Abraham Heitchue, a well known carpenter of this place received a paralytic stroke at 9 o'clock Monday morning and is in a critical condition. His left side is affected. Owing to his age, about sixty years, his recovery is doubtful. In addition to the many other improvements to be made to Maple Park Springs Hotel, in this place, D. E. Park, the new owner has decided to have a steam heating system installed throughout the hotel. The contract for the work has been let to the Darragh-Andrews Company of Pittsburg which has a force of men at work already. Another novel feature of the remodeled hotel will be a large swimming pool adjoining. The plans for the pool include coils of pipe which will be attached to the elevator boiler and used to heat the water in the pool when it is too chilly. Wills and Letters Judge O'Connor on Tuesday transferred the Wholesale liquor license granted to Rhode & Co. in the Fourth Ward Johnstown to Scott L. Stiles of Johnstown and testaments have been filed here. Of Sarah E. Absalom, late of Johnstown, Charles E. Absalom, the widower is appointed executor of the will. Of Frank Koehler, late of Johnstown, was by the terms of the will Theresa Kochler is given all the real estate and personal property of the decedent and is made executrix of the will. Of Frederick Schonhardt, late of Johnstown, Joseph Schonhardt, son of the decedent and Joseph Beiter, a son-in-law, are named as executors. Besides the persons named in the above wills Recorder Strauss has granted letters of administration to the following: Estate of Susan Widmann, late of Johnstown, to Bernard F. Gallagher; the estate of Edward Fleegle, late of Richland township, to Charles Rose; in the estate of Albert McCombie, late of Barr township, the will was probated but no letters of administration issued. The marriage license records of Cambria county show that up to 6 o'clock Tuesday evening, 13,548 marriages licenses have been issued by the different registers and recorders since the marriage law went into effect. Attorney Harry Doerr of Johnstown, has left a copy of the charter granted to the City Reality Company of Johnstown, with Recorder Strauss for record. A Dear All Right Cyril Rhoddy of Ashville one of the clerks of the Mountain Supply Company stores at Amsbry, says the Cresson RECORD, purchased a fine Newfoundland dog last week. He attempted to take it to Ashville, a distance of two miles, and on the way, the animal got away and chased John St. John and his lady almost a mile, thinking he was on the scent of a deer, but it was not that kind of a deer. Sues Water Company Joseph M. Boland of Cresson township on Friday bought suit against the Allegheny Mountain Water company, whose offices are in Altoona but whose plant and eighty-five acres of land lies in Gallitzin and Cresson township. In July, 1900, Mr. Boland permitted the water company to lay an eight-inch pipe line through his farm, providing they would pay him the sum of $345 and to do the work in the proper way. Later in April, 1903 the same company took up the eight-inch line against Mr. Boland's protest and replaced it with a twelve-inch line of pipe. In his statement Mr. Boland complains that at each time these pipes were laid the defendant company needlessly left old pieces of pipe and fittings lying over the ground; left the ditch uncovered in places; dug up stones and refused to remove them and, in other ways, prevented him from using this land for agricultural purposes. He also avers that a leak in the pipe line caused pools of water to stand over the fields through which the pipe line ran, causing him loss. For these inconveniences Mr. Boland sues for damages in the sum of $400. Thomas J. Itell, Esq., of Johnstown, appears for Mr. Boland. All Around the County There are several cases of diphtheria in Frugality. A night school has been opened in Portage by H. E. Nycom. The term will continue twelve weeks, three nights a week. Supt. Claghorn, who has charge of the operations of the Lackawanna Coal & Coke Company at Wehrum and Vintondale, is employing men for those operations to take the place of miners discharged a month ago. He is trying to get a different class of men among foreigners, preferring Slavs and Lithuanians to Italians. It is expected all the mines will be running full time by February 1st. Jos. H. Hubbard has the contract for the erection of a band hall for the Patton Silver Cornet Band, says the Patton COURIER. The site selected is a lot on the flat between the old Firemen's Hall and the railroad. The building will be one-story about 25x25 and is expected to cost about $500. It will be presented to the band boys by Hon. W. C. Lingle, who will defray all the expenses of building, material, etc. A four-year-old son of Matthew Miller, of Cambria township, is confined to the home of his parents with smallpox. The boy owns a fine Shepherd dog. The Miller family formerly resided near that of Foreman Long, whose daughter died a short time ago. The dog put in a good deal of his time with the Longs and is believed to have carried the disease home and given it to the tot who played with him. The troubles of Constable Crouse of Gallitzin continue. While in Altoona recently for the purpose of arresting a man for whom he had a warrant he was in some manner interfered with by Lawrence Glasser of that place. Despite the interference Crouse landed his man in the police station and swore out a warrant for Glasser's arrest. In default of $500 bail, Glasser was committed to the Blair county jail at Hollidaysburg to answer the charge at court. F. G., J. B. H. and W. C. Hanlan, of Harrisburg, trading as Hanlan Brothers, wholesale liquor dealers, have instituted a suit against W. A. Mellon of Patton, to recover the balance due them on a bill for "whiskies, wines and brandies," to the value of $3,358.25, which they allege Mr. Mellon bought. In their statement the plaintiffs give Mr. Mellon credit on this bill with $2,690 but say the defendant refuses to pay the balance or any part of it. Attorney Ruel Somerville represents Hanlan Brothers. George Ehrenfeld, supervisor of the Pittsburg division of the Pennsylvania railroad with headquarters at Gallitzin, has devised a signal light for sand pipes. The pipes are equipped with an automatic locking arrangement which holds the moveable arm parallel with the tracks when not in use and which, when released, allows the arm to swing across the tracks over the engine tender. It often happens that the device fails to lock and the wind blows the arm across the track. As this arm will not allow a train to clear, serious accidents sometimes occur. To warn the engineers Ehrenfeld proposed placing white and red signal lights on the pipe. Rembrandt Peale of Clearfield, one of the biggest soft coal operators in central Pennsylvania, has purchased from D. E. Notley of Hastings, twelve tracts containing over 1,000 acres of coal land, lying in Susquehanna township. In some cases the transaction is for the mineral rights, while in others it calls for the coal rights only. By the deal Mr. Peale becomes the owner of the largest tract of coal land owned by one man in the north of Cambria county. According to reports the new owner of the property will in the spring commence several new openings. Mr. Peale already operates several coal mines in the vicinity of Carrolltown. News Notes of Interest to Miners Patrick McCarthy of Barnesboro, secretary of sub-division No. 1 of the Miners' union at Norfolk, Indiana county, on Thursday night and then on Monday night, organized a branch of the same union in Mahaffey. Joseph Ginter of Spangler, an organizer of the local Miners' union, fell through a boardwalk in that town one day last week and his right leg was so badly injured that an operation was necessary. Dr. Helfrich amputated the injured limb below the knee. President McTagarett of sub-district No. 1, of the United Mine Workers has a force of men taking care of the interests of the union at Vintondale and other localities where the local organization is not strong enough to take care of itself.