Miscellaneous News Paper Articles From the Past

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The Keystone Courier (Connellsville, PA)
March 12 1880

     An explosion of fire damp in a coal mine near Scranton, Friday, killed one man outright, and eight men still in the mine are supposed to have been killed by the foul air.

The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, PA)
April 13 1880

     At Scranton, last Sunday morning, William Gorman was stabbed sixteen times and had his nose cut off by two desperadoes, Billy Burke and John Dougherty. He will probably die. Burke was arrested, but subsequently made his escape.

The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, PA)
April 20 1880

     The frequency of mountain fires along the lines of railroads centering at Scranton and the danger of the fires to many valuable breakers and shops owned by the large companies have induced them to untie in the building and equipping of an ingeniously devised fire department train which can be started out on a very few minutes notice and run to the scene of danger.

The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, PA)
May 18 1880

     The Scranton Republican gives this account of an act of heroism: On Monday afternoon as coal train No. 15, dawn by the engine "Isaac Bell," was nearing Oxford station on its way to Scranton, a little child was seen on the track about a hundred yards ahead. The train was traveling at its regular rate of speed, and it was out of question to stop it in time to save the child, who, regardless of its great danger, walked to meet and engine and appeared in high glee. Fortunately George Kennedy, the head brakeman, happened to be on the front of the locomotive. Nerving himself for a desperate leap, he jumped off and plucked the little one almost from under the wheels. He was a very proud man when he stood with the child safe and sound in his arms beside the track as the train thundered by. Such heroism deserved to be rewarded.

The Keystone Courier (Connellsville, PA)
July 2 1880

    Scranton by virtue of her 45,776 population, claims the third place in the State cities, and says that it overtops Allegheny and Pittsburg, considered as one city.
     Bush meetings are being daily held by the Christian congregation at Mill creek, Lackawanna county. There is a large attendance and many converts are being made.

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, PA)
September 14 1880

Sudden Resignation

Mr. Scranton Retires from the Management of the Lackawanna Coal Company

Scranton, Sept. 13. The resignation of Mr. W. W. Scranton as general manager of the Lackawanna coal and iron company, of this place was presented Saturday, and has created much surprise and is the sensation of the hour. He was connected with the vast enterprise of the company from boyhood, stepping into his father's place shortly after his death. This will be the first time since the inception of the company that a Scranton has not had an influential voice in its management. There is a history behind all this that is not at this writing fully disclosed. Mr. C. F. Mattes is appointed manager in Mr. Scranton's place.

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, PA)
September 29 1880

Killed in the Mine

Scranton, Sept. 28 Lewis Williams, a miner employed at the Diamond colliery of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western company, was instantly killed by a fall of stone yesterday morning, shortly after beginning his week's work. The fatal mass, which weighed about five hundred pounds, descended from the roof of the chamber and crushed Mr. Williams to the floor. Deceased was a prominent member of the Welsch Baptist Church as well as an active worker in the Sunday school of that congregation. He was about fifty years old.

The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
October 7 1880

A Terrible Fate
How a Blind Man and a Cripple Earned Their Living and Met their Death

     At the mine known as "Filer's Slope", near Scranton, Pa., a painful accident resulted in the instant death of a miner named Felix Slavin, and his assistant, John Dougherty, in the chamber where they were at work. They were engaged in taking down a "skip", or loose piece of coal, when a huge boulder, known in mining parlance as "a black sulphur clod" weighing about three tons, descended upon them from the roof, killing both instantly, and crushing them together into a shapeless mass. A miner named Finnerty, working in an adjoining chamber, had been in a few minutes before the accident and warned Slavin and Dougherty of their danger, but they replied that the loose end was only "a little shell," and would not hurt anybody. When Finnerty heard the crash he knew what happened, and ran to where the accident occurred. To his horror he saw the miner and his assistant crushed by the "clod", their feet sticking out from under it and still moving. He called to his comrades, and a gang of men speedily congregated at the chamber and engaged in the work or removing the boulder from the bodies. They found this a task occupying several hours. When it was finally accomplished an Slavin and Dougherty were exposed to view, they presented a horrible picture. Their heads were crushed together, and they were disfigured beyond recognition. Stron miners, accustomed to fearful accidents underground, were compelled to turn aside and shudder as they contemplated the ghastly sight.
     A peculiar feature brought to light by this grim occurrence, and one that seems almost incredible, is the fact that Slavin, the miner, had been totally blind from boyhood. Scarcely any other calling requires the exercise of such keen sight, yet this unhappy man groped his way for years amid danger, and, trusting to the skill of his hands and the eyes of his assistant, plied his perilous vocation uncomplainingly. His early days were spent in the mines of England, where he learned the business and lost his eyes. He was quite expert in the use of the drill, and when his assistant once placed it accurately on the spot where the hole was to be drilled for the blast, Slavin, without deviating a hair's breadth, made the hole at the proper angle, and then superintended how it should be fired. He had been a miner thirty years without the use of his eyes, and managed to get along in a way that was altogether wonderful to contemplate. He left a wife and three children wholly unprovided for. His companion Dougherty, who shared his fate, was also his companion in miserty, having been a cripple from childhood. He was physically weak and decrepit, and in reality was nothing more than the eyes for Slavin's skill and brawny arms. Some days before the accident George Filer, one of the owners of the mine, conscious of the danger these two men were daring, gave them notice that he could not employ them any longer; but they pleaded piteously to be retained, saying it was the only way they could saying it was the only way thcy could think of making a living, and so Mr. Filer permitted them to remain. The black sulphur clod by which these two men were killed is a good deal like lead in appearance and weight.

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Indiana Weekly Messenger (Indiana, PA)
October 13 1880

A young married woman named Teets was found dead on Saturday in a wretched garret in Cedar street, Scraton, where she had died of hunger and neglect. Her baby, 2 days old, was discovered besdie the starved mother. Mrs. Teets hid her poverty from the neighbors, and several days ago cut off her hair, and sold it to buy food, while her worthless husband was carousing in a saloon. She had also sold off all her clothing to sustain life, and the only article of apparel found in her apartment was an old nightdress that was wrapped around her child.

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, PA)
December 3 1880

Preparations are under way to light the Cliff iron works of Scranton with the electric light. The light will have an intensity of 30,000 candle power.

The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, PA)
December 7 1880

     Wesley Bradbury, who formerly resided in Tioga, is clerking in a dry goods store in Scranton, Pa.

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, PA)
December 20 1880

Accidentally Poisoned His Wife

At Scranton Saturday night Charles Sickles accidently poisoned his wife by giving her carbolic acid instead of chlorate. She died in a few hours. Sickles has gone crazy on account of his fatal mistake.

Daily Gazette and Bulletin (Williamsport, PA)
January 11, 1881

Colonel W. N. Monies, a prominent citizen, ex-mayor of Scranton, ex-county treasurer of Lackawanna county and colonel in the late war, died at his home in Scranton yesterday.

Indiana Progress (Indiana, PA)
February 3 1881

Daniel O'Brien, aged one hundred and sixteen years, died a few days since in the poor house at Scranton.

Chester Daily Times (Chester, Pennsylvania)
April 16 1881

The officers of the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western Railroad at Scranton are in a dilemma. A few evenings since, while the sweepers were cleaning out a parlor car attached to a train which had just arrived at Hopbottom, a basket was found containing a baby two days old. There was nothing to indicate its identity and an owner is greatly desired.

The Wellsboro Agitator (Wellsboro, PA)
July 26 1881

Sixty-five thousand quarts of strawberries were sold in Scranton this season.

Augusta Gazette, Augusta, Kansas, Friday, December 28, 1894, front page

Contributed by Peggy Thompson

A PENNSYLVANIA FARM HAND KILLS HIMSELF BECAUSE OF THE KANSAS WOMAN

Scranton, PA., Dec. 26 – About a year ago, Mrs. Kate Cross of Emporia, Kan., who was one of the Kansas musical directors at the World’s fair and one of the most attractive women of that state, came here and bought a lonely cottage near the Factoryville tunnel on the Lackawanna road. She brought with her an elegant outfit of furniture and was in receipt of a monthly allowance from her husband, Charles Cross, the Emporia banker, of $100, which was more than sufficient for her purposes in that lonely place. The women of the neighborhood soon found that she was an educated and companionable woman and a talented artist. She did not seek their society and never returned their calls.

Shortly after her arrival here Mrs. Cross secured more as a body guard than as a servant a young farmer of the vicinity named Benjamin C. Rosencranz and as might have been expected he fell quickly in love with her. Just what passed between them will never be known but his friends learned that while the refined lady had really contracted a warm regard for the uncouth young man she speedily informed him that there were obstacles to a marriage between them which could not be overcome.

In vain the young man pledged his love and devotion to her but she was obdurate and he conceived the idea of suicide. Though Mrs. Cross had purchased for him a silver mounted revolver in taking his own life he made use of an old rusty 44 caliber weapon given him by his father. The shooting was committed late last Saturday evening and Rosencranz evidently intended to send a ball through his heart, but missed the vital organ, the ball tearing a fearful hole in his chest. He lived for two hours and died without disclosing to anyone the exact reason for his crime. His last words being expressions of the love and devotion he felt for the woman whose refusal to become his wife had driven him to the dead.

Mrs. Cross was formerly Miss Kate Smead whose father was a Union Pacific official.

Altoona Mirror (Altoona, Pennsylvania)
April 16, 1904

Train Runs Away
Attains Speed of 100 Miles an Hour and Kills Three Men.

     Scranton, Pa., April 16 – Three lives were lost in a wreck on the Wyoming valley division of the Erie railroad at Rock Junction, four miles east of here. A section of a coal train consisting of 15 loaded cars broke loose on the steep grade at Wimmers and ran back 11 miles, colliding with two locomotives which were drawing another coal train up the steep grade at Rock Junction.
     Four of the cars jumped over both locomotives and landed on the coal cars behind. Frank Hanneford, the fireman of the first engine, was crushed to death. Thomas Kelley, the engineer, remained on the engine and was uninjured. The engineer and fireman of the second engine jumped from the cab before the crash came and escaped with slight injuries.

Accidental Death of Thomas Doughery

The Guthrie Daily Leader; Guthrie, OK; November 14, 1906

Transcribed by Dale Donlan

Scranton, Pennsylvania

Died While Hugging His Sweetheart

Scranton, Pa., Nov. 13 – Tonight after a day spent in investigating the death of Thoms Doughery of Dunmore, who was killed by being pierced in the heart by a long needle, the local police and county detective, Phillips, decided to withdraw the warrant that had been issued for the arrest of Katie Burke, the girl who was suspected of having caused Doughery’s death.

The authorities are of the opinion that the girl is innocent of murderous intent. She says that she had been mending her brother’s clothing with a long needle, used hereabouts in mending miners’ heavy outer clothing, and that on going down town in the evening she stuck the pin in the bosom of her dress. Dougherty, who had been her sweetheart, hailed her and asked her to take a walk with him. He attempted to embrace her and the point of the needle that was in her dress caught in his vest, while the “eye” or blunt end rested against her corset. In the embrace the needle was forced into his body, through the fifth rib, and into the cavity between the pericardium and the heart. Hemorrhages resulted that caused death.

The Daily Messenger. Canandaigua NY. Friday, Jan 13 1922

Contributed by Melissa Rodgriguez

THREE CITY BLOCKS IN SCRANTON ARE RUINED IN CAVE-IN

Scranton, Pa. Jan. 13 – Sixteen men were entombed in a mine cave-in here today. Up to 2:30 this afternoon it was not known whether any of the miners were alive. Work of rescue was gotten under way at once.

Three city blocks are involved in the cave-in but it is impossible to estimate the property damage. Great fissures appear in the streets and many building are total or partial wrecks.

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