Montgomery County PA News Articles From the Past
The Centinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 5, 1805
Melancholy Occurrence
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in Sunnytown (Penn.) to the Editor of the Reading
Adier, dated May 4, 1805
"A few days ago we witnessed a very dreadful accident. The powder mills and drying houses of Mr. Daniel Schmidt (sp) distant about one mile from this, were blown up. One of the mills caught fire while working and instantaneously communicated with the other, which stood opposite at a very small distance, and the two mills, together with the two drying houses, containing about a 500 weight of powder, were blown into the air in less than five minutes. What adds to this dire calamity is that several persons lost their lives in the explosion, and several were wounded.
It fortunately happened that at the time of the blowing up of the mills no person was in them, but two young men were employed in the drying house; one of them about 15 or 16 years of age, in attempting to make his escape was struck on the head, behind the ear, by a piece of wood, which killed him instantly.
Among the number of persons who came to assist, there was a man named Barger, a carpenter who worked in the neighborhood; this humane, though unfortunate man, had the courage to attempt to save his fellow creatures. He endeavoured to engage the assembled people to join him in his noble enterprise, and approaching the drying house, which was already surrounded by fire, heedless of the warnings of the people. Alas! It was too late, the drying house blew up with a dreadful noise, and the unfortunate Barger lost his life, and several others were much wounded. His body was shortly after found - it was a shocking sight, all his wearing apparel was consumed, excepting his neckcloth and one stocking; his breast was torn to pieces, and his face was almost entirely burnt up."
"George Weidermeyer had his left arm broken in three places; his shoulder blade torn to pieces; he survived but 15 minutes. Jacob Wagner lost his right leg below the knee; he lingered till yesterday when kind death released him from his misery. There were many others who were severely wounded, and hopes are entertained of the recovery of some. Barger has left a wife and eight children, and Wagner a wife and four children."
Gettysburg Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
October 16, 1822 Page 2
Pottstown, Pa., Sept 4
A few days since a party of gentlemen from this village rode to the celebrated Klingleberg* or singing valley, about three miles from this place. Although our expectations were very highly raised by the reports which we had heard, still they were more than realized on our arrival there. A large and irregular mass of ill-shaped stones presented themselves to our view at first. They appear to have been thrown together by some terrible convulsion of nature. From the appearance of the stone, probably at some former period, some volcanic eruption must have taken place here. By striking on the stones the most various sounds imaginable are produced. The chime of the finest bells in the world could not exceed in variety the sound produced here - from the most sonorous bass, to the most delicate air, the gradations beautifully fine. Near the Klingleberg is a considerable cave, which extends some distance under the rocks, and is really worthy the attention of the curious. Many visitors heretofore have been at this place, but of late I understand it has been almost deserted. When the inhabitants of our country are so much troubled to kill time, I am of opinion that there is not a place in the country that would better compensate a traveler, than a visit to this celebrated singing valley.
*Klingleberg is a German name, and the proper definition is, a sounding hill or chiming rocks.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
January 29 1823
Married on Thursday the 9th instant, by the Rev. J. C. Clay, Thomas M. Jolly, Esq., to Miss Rachel Holstein, both of the borough of Norristown, Montgomery county, PA.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
February 11 1824 Page 2
Norristown, Pa., Jan. 21
Early on Friday morning last, the powder-mill of Mr. John Smith, within two miles of Sunneytown, in this county, containing, as we are informed, upwards of fifteen hundred pound of powder, exploded. Fortunately no lives were lost. The shock was sensibly felt at this place, although the distance is upwards of twenty miles. - Reg.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
September 15, 1824
The late heavy rains on the Schuylkill river, which proved so destructive to the property along its banks, have led to the discovery of a valuable coal mine in Montgomery county, about one mile from the Phoenix works, and about three hundred yards from the river. - Balt. Amer.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
December 7 1826
The business along the Schuylkill appears, recently, to have been very extensive. 132 boats passed through the lock opposite Norristown, from the 13th to the 25th of November.
Republican Banner (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
May 13 1834
The Norristown Register has been transferred to Adam Slemmer, Prothonotary of Montgomery county. Mr. Patterson, late proprietor of the Register, has purchased one half of the Harrisburg Reporter.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
June 7 1852
Swallowing a Penny - On Sunday last a little boy, son of Mr. John Earle, of Norristown, having been given a penny by his father, with directions to purchase cigars for him, as he passed out of the door, put the penny into his mouth to enable him with both hands to draw the door shut, which filled very closely. In the effort the penny got into his throat and was swallowed. Dr. Nugent was called in, and efforts made to get the coin from the boy's stomach, but in vain. The action of the gastric fluid upon the coin was soon manifest by a discharge of copper water from the mouth and a raging fever ensued. For a time his life was considered in much danger, but his physician now thinks he may recover.
Republican Compiler (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
March 28 1853
The Norristown Watchman states that on Monday of last week, a person giving his name as Mr. Rhodes, and representing himself as coming from Oley, Berks county, entered into a contract with Mr. Abraham Hallman of Limerick township, Montgomery county, for a piece of land containing ten or twelve acres. The price and terms were mutally agreed upon between the parties without any difficulty. After the adroit scamp had shared the kindness and hospitalities of his friend until some time on Wednesday he suggested to Mr. H. that if he would lend him a horse he would ride home (the roads being very muddy), and return Thursday or Friday and have the land surveyed, and all other matters relative to the bargain finally consummated. Mr. H., too honest to suspect dishonesty in others, granted his request, and gave him his best horse, saddle and bridle, worth at least $150; since which time he has not been heard of. Rumor says that there was a horse answering the description of Mr. H's, sold somewhere in the neighborhood of Oley, Berks county, on Thursday or Friday. If so, Mr. H. may again recover his property, but somebody else will have to lose by the transaction.
The Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
March 27 1854
Shocking Railroad Accident - A most frightful accident took place on the Norristown Railroad last week. A woman, about 68 years of age, was run over by the cars near Pott's Landing, a place about a mile below Norristown. She was on the track and facing the train. It is said she was partially deaf and near-sighted, and whether the screaming of the whistle did not reach her until she was too much frightened to get away or whether through her defective vision she was unable to distinctly see the train before it came upon her is difficult to say. The engine first struck her, and she was thrown some fifty feet ahead of the train on the track. The cares came up and she was caught by the wheels and from her dress becoming entangled in them, she was literally cut into bits, the largest portion of her body found was one of her feet. The pieces were collected together and placed in a barrel. All along the road , for some distance, portions of her body were found. Her name was Mary Baker and she was going to Conshobecken, to get into the cars there, to go to Philadelphia.
Mrs. Sarah Bigler, mother of Gov. Wm. Bigler of Pennsylvania and Gov. John Bigler of California, died at her residence in Mercer county, on Friday week, aged seventy years.
The Adams Sentinel (Gettysburg, Pennsylvania)
October 2 1861
The Norristown Defender, speaking of two companies that left for the war, says in Schall's company was a rare sight, which a man sees but once in a lifetime. It was six brothers carrying a large flag, all going for the war. The first section of the company was made up of four brothers of another family. The six brothers name are Sutch and the others are the Smedley's. To take ten men from two families is one good day's work, and if all should volunteer in that style it would not take long to depopulate the town. Norristown has now sent over seven hundred to the war, including three month men.
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
October 10 1872
Explosion at Norristown
About one o'clock, Tuesday afternoon, a cylinder boiler, thirty feet long, in the rolling-mill of S. S. Fulton &co., Norristown, exploded. The mill and machinery were much damaged. About twelve fet of the boiler was thrown upon the roof of a house one hundred feet distant. The other portion of the boiler was driven about the same distance, and fell in the cellar of a house occupied by Mr. M'Kinnsey Finley. The following is a list of the wounded: Albert Ringly, scalded, but not very badly; John Kelly, hurt, not seriously; W. McDade, hurt in the arm; Joseph Mills, struck on the hand at Albertson's works; George Anderson, overcome by exertion in running for assistance; Hugh Carey, knocked from a ladder in Albertson's works; Patrick Kelley, arm torn, badly scalded, and will probably not recover; he has a wife and three children in Phoenixville; Wm. Finley, engineer, scalded and other injured, but not dangerously; Patrick Murray, slightly hurt. Others were slightly injured by the falling bricks.
The Indiana Democrat (Indiana, Pennsylvania)
August 15 1878
The Norristown Herald says: "A party of young men from Norristown are enjoying themselves by camping out near Delaware Water Gap. The fact that Mr. S. M. H. Brown, connected with the party as caterer, had killed a large rattlesnake has already been noted. A day or two afterward Mr. Cloud Smith, another of the party campers, killed a copperhead, which is even more dangerous than the rattlesnake.
But their most startling adventure was on last Saturday night. A letter written from the camp to a gentleman in this borough states that on Saturday they left the Water Gap and started for Courtland lake, about eighteen miles distant. They arrived at nightfall, and being afraid to sleep out of doors in that poart of the country, took refuge in a barn. During the day several snakes had been seen and before the warning note had been heard, and the party found that the barn itself was tenanted by a rattlersnake. After passing a most uncomfortable night in such company they decamped early in the morning, and resolving to evacuate a country which had such dangerous inhabitants, took up their line of march for the Water Gap.
The snakes are reported to be uncommonly numerous this summer, and it is supposed that the weather last winter was so mild that a few of them were frozen to death. They are especially dangerous to camping parties, as the smell of food when cooking draws them around the camp fires.
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