Indiana County PA Disasters - Accidents
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
May 25 1871
Alfred Johnston Shot and Killed
On Wednesday, the 10th inst., Alfred Johnston, a young man about 19 years of age, accidently shot himself under very distressing circumstances. His parents and the rest of the family were absent at the funeral of Mr. Pifer, a neighbor, when Alfred took down his gun with the intention of going out a hunting. He put his foot on the hammer while blowing into the muzzle to see if it was loaded, when the gun went off, passing upward through the roof and lodging in the back of the head, killed him almost instantly.
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
May 25 1871
Frame Collapses At Barn Raising - Many Injured
At the raising of a new barn, on the farm of William Wallace, Esquire, on Plum Creek, in Washington township, on Wednesday of last week, a terrible catastrophe happened. The raising was attended by about fifty or sixty of Mr. Wallace’s neighbors, and they had succeeded in getting the frame up without accident until they attempted to put the purlines upon the frame. One of the large pieces of timber had been raised to its position, and several men were either standing or sitting upon it, when the entire frame work fell with a terrible crash, crushing those upon the building and carrying down with it all upon the frame. Those who were uninjured speedily went to the relief of the others and conveyed them to their respective homes. The following gentlemen – among some of the best citizens of that township – were seriously injured, whilst quite a number of others were slightly wounded, to wit: Capt. J. M. Marlin, hand crushed and otherwise bruised and cut; Sidney Marlin, Esq., Adam Kettering, cap of knee broken and seriously hurt, will be a cripple for life if he survives his injuries; James McCauslin, Ranklin McCauslin, Alonzo Yeoman and Samuel Fleming, were all dangerously wounded. A number of others are more slightly hurt. The cause of this terrible disaster is said to have been the bungling manner in which the barn was framed. The contractor and framer of the building was Mr. McCauslin, who is among those dangerously injured.
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
November 16 1871
Serious Runaway Accident
Mr. John Lamp and his mother were seriously injured on the 14th inst., by being thrown from a carriage on the Marion road. Mr. L. was either going to or returning from the funeral of Mrs. Stormer, near Kellysburg, when his hourse took fright and ran off, upsetting the carriage and throwing them out. Mrs. Lamp had her collar-bone broken, and Mr. Lamp sustained some severe bruises. Under the car of Dr. Row they are doing well.
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania) March 23 1876
Accident
A young man named Phillip King, residing at Homer City, was seriously injured on Friday last by the fall of coal in Griffith's coal mine. His leg was so badly crushed that at one time it was thought that the doctors would be compelled to amputate it. The fracture was reduced by Dr. Wm. Anderson, with some hopes of saving the limb. Mr. King is an industrious young man, and this accident is much regretted by his numerous friends.
Indiana Gazette (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
October 30, 1890
George Meitel, a porter at the Central Hotel, at Bethlehem, was severly burned by a gas explosion in one of the basement rooms of the hotel. The room and its contents were wrecked.
James Oatfield, of Plymouth, while attempting to jump on a train on the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western railroad, was thrown under the cars. Both legs were cut off and he was removed to a hospital in a dying condition.
Passenger train No. 14, on the Philadelphia and Reading railroad, while running at a rate of 45 miles an hour, collide with a coal car about a mile north of Pottstown, killing one man and severly injuring several others. The coroner's verdict blamed the Conductor Missiman, of the shirting crew for the accident and ordered his arrest.