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JOHNSTOWN, PA 1902
24 Jan 1902 John Ream was before Alderman Lamberd last evening for sentence on a charge of assault and battery, to which he pleaded guilty, as told in the Tribune yesterday. In view of the fact that Ream has been working steadily for some time, he was let down with $10 fine and the costs, further sentence being suspended during good behavior, the Alderman deciding to give him a chance. William Bratzon, a strange colored man, was found trying a back door in the Ninth Ward at 11:30 last night and he couldn't give a good account of himself to Officer Lego, so was taken to the Central Police Station as a suspicious person. This morning he pleaded not guilty and will be given a chance tomorrow to demonstrate the innocence of his intentions.
The Stoyestown correspondent of the Somerset Standard writes: "Previous to engaging in the hotel business, George Ansman resided at Jennerstown and followed the huckstering business for seventeen years, and is believed to have furnished the Johnstown market with more produce than any local dealer than supplied that market. He made a speciality of Thanksgiving and Christmas turkeys and has furnished as many as 1,4000 roasts of this kind to the people of Johnstown in one season, besides a large amount of other poultry."
The pupils and teacher of the Cover school, in Conemaugh Township, took a sled ride yesterday afternoon to Tanneryville, in West Taylor Township, where they visited the schools taught by Mr. Elmer D. Blue and Miss Jennie McFeaters. Recitations and music afforded a very pleasant time to all present.
2 Apr 1902
Phillip MITCHELL and Five of His Children Cremated Consumed in Burning Home Mother and Three Others of Family Saved The Father lost His Life in Trying To Save His Little Ones Flames Started When All Were In Bed, Probably by a Live Coal from the Heating Stove All efforts To Save Were Futile Nothing Remained This Morning of Six Human Beings Except Little Heaps of Bones, Which Were Interred Today The Mother Painfully Burned, but Expected to Recover. The home of Phillips P. MITCHELL in Prosser Hollow, West Taylor Township, was burned to the ground last night and MITCHELL and five of his children were burned to death, Mrs. MITCHELL being badly burned in saving three other children from the same fate. The dead are:
Phillip P. MITCHELL, aged fifty-three years Mrs. MITCHELL lies badly burned at the home of Mr. and Mrs. James SEELEY, a short distance from where her home formerly was. She made a desperate effort to get out the children and did succeed in getting three daughters to places of safety before the flames cut off the others. The fire broke out shortly before 9 o'clock in the four-room two-story frame house which MITCHELL owned. Mrs. MITCHELL, who is a large woman and a hard worker, had not been very well during the day and the family retired about 8 o'clock, except William, the eldest boy at home, who was paying a visit to his cousin - William BROWN - who lives a couple of hundred yards from where the MITCHELLs did. The alarm was given by Sophia Elizabeth, a girl of sixteen. She smelled smoke and aroused the others. The two rooms upstairs were the sleeping apartments and these were full of smoke when the girl aroused her parents. Mr. MITCHELL hurried downstairs and secured water to extinguish the flames, not realizing at that time the full extent of the conflagration. The stairs lead from the kitchen and when MITCHELL got water he opened the door of the sitting room and was driven back by the fierce heat from the flames, which were thus given drafty the open door and the stairway and forced him back. Realizing his helplessness, he rushed upstairs to get out the children, but never returned. Mrs. MITCHELL also played a heroic part in the affair. She gave her first thought to her children, after her husband had gone down to try and extinguish the flames. There were eight of her offspring in the two rooms upstairs and she tried to get them out. She caught up Baby Ida Irene, aged nine months, and Rachel Elda, aged three years, and, along with Lizzie, started down the stairs. She tripped and fell on the stairway. She tossed the baby to the large girl and succeeded in getting the other one to the ground floor, where both were taken outside by neighbors who had gathered. MITCHELL rushed back upstairs and tried to get more of the children out, but they were crazed with fear, and instead of giving her any help seemed to run back into danger. The fire was everywhere about the top story by this time and the frantic mother was severely burned about the back and arms and face before she was driven back from her brood and forced down the blazing stairs, which fell a few minutes after she reached the open air and rolled in the snow to extinguish the flames, which were finally put out by neighbors. The father and five children mentioned were victims and their charred bones were recovered in the ruins this morning. From the position of the remains this morning it would seem the father had one of the smaller children in his arms trying to reach the stairway when overcome by smoke and heat. The eldest boy and two of the smaller children were in the one room, the father and two children in another, one set of charred bones being found just about where the front door was in the house. Mrs. MITCHELL, badly burned, was taken from the scene of her ruined home to the residence of the SEELEY family, a short distance away, as were the other children. William, the lad who had been away at the time, reached the scene a few minutes after the alarm was given, but was able to do nothing, so fast and furiously had the flames consumed the his home. Messengers were sent for physicians, and Dr. J. B. MCANENY responded and gave Mrs. MITCHELL's bums the attention they needed. The children who escaped were not burned at all, but were clad only in their nightclothes. This morning Dr. E. L. MILLER and Dr. H. F. TOMB attended the injured woman, whose condition is painful, but it is believed she will recover. This morning Coroner MILLER went to the scene of the awful disaster and viewed the few bones which remained of the father and his five children. He then gave permission for their interment and they were turned over to Undertaker ZENDRY, who prepared them for burial and they were interred in the MITCHELL plot in Grandview Cemetery this afternoon. Mr. and Mrs. MITCHELL were the parents of fifteen children, two others having died before the holocaust of last night wiped out the father and five more. The surviving children are: George Albert, aged twenty-six years, and Johnathon Alexander MITCHELL, aged twenty-four, both married and living in West Taylor Township, some three miles from their old home; James Phillip and Nancy, wife of Ben F. BOWSER, who resides on the old MITCHELL homestead in West Taylor Township; William, aged eighteen, Sophia Elizabeth, Rachel Elda, and Ida Irene. Mr. MITCHELL was fifty-three years old and was a member of the United Brethren Church and the Cambria Mutual Benefit Association, he having been employed at the Cambria Brick Works in the Sixteenth Ward. He had not been in good health for many years and was only able to work at intervals. Phillip MITCHELL was a native of Jackson Township. His mother - Mrs. Nancy SHEARMAN - is living in the Seventh Ward with her daughter Tillie, wife of William BOWSER. Mr. MITCHELL is survived by one half-sister - Mrs. BOWSER, mentioned above - and by a half-brother - Amos SHEARMAN - living in Illinois. He was married many years ago to Martha BOWSER who bore him fifteen, of whom but eight now survive. Part of the survivors are at the SEELEY home, where they will remain for the present, others being at the home of Cooly DEGRAW, not far away from where the MITCHELL home stood. The origin of the fire which caused so much trouble to the MITCHELL family is not known, although it is believed to have started from a heating stove in the sitting room. When the family retired there was not much fire in the stove, but it is thought a live coal escaped from a crack and ignited the woodwork. No lamp was burning on the first floor, and as the flames started below stairs the lamp in one of the bedrooms can't be held accountable for for the fire. Coroner MILLER heard the stories of some of the neighbors and also of Mrs. MITCHELL and her daughter Lizzie. Their version of the affair was substantially as given in the foregoing, and he then decided that an inquest was unnecessary. Many conjectures have been made to-day regarding the fire and much wonder is expressed that the inmates of the house did not try to get out of the windows of the second floor, as they would have had a chance to escape, even if they did sustain injury from falling. Fear probably drove them wild and they did not know what they were doing; likely also being overcome by smoke before the flames themselves reached their bodies. The only ones who could tell what they did or why they did it are now nothing but little heaps of bones and what happened in those upstairs rooms in a frantic effort to get out will never be known. There was no insurance on the building and the family is left in somewhat straitened circumstances, their clothing and household goods having been consumed. Neighbors this morning began a subscription to provide money for the immediate use of those who escaped the flames. They lost everything but their nightclothes and the fund is to buy them clothes for present needs. The sons surviving will see to it that their mother and the little ones are provided for and the subscription is no reflection on them. Mrs. MITCHELL will likely go to live with one of her sons as soon as she is able to be moved from the SEELEY home, where she is being cared for now. Her condition is reported as being favorable this afternoon. The funeral sermon of Mr. MITCHELL and his children will be preached on May 4th, four weeks from next Sunday, in Mt. Everett Church, on Benshoft Hill, probably by the Reverand Stephen HILDEBRAND. It is hoped that by that time Mrs. MITCHELL will have sufficiently improved to attend.
The "Tribune" Will Receive And Acknowledge Contributions For The Sufferers Of Last Night's Fire The Tribune will receive and acknowledge in its column and deposit in the Citizen's National Bank contributions for the surviving members of the MITCHELL family, six of whose members were cremated in last night's fire, the particulars of which are given in an article elsewhere. The following contributions are noted today:
H.T. EDWARDS -- $4.00 The following is in the possession of Mr. E.R. GRIFFITH, who will turn it over to the Tribune
E.R. GRIFFITH -- $5.00 Mr Aaron STUTZMAN, who helped take charge of the remains this morning, took up a subscription which aggregated $85 up to this evening.
April 3, 1902
Prompt Response to the Needs of Sufferers by Tuesday Night's Fire. "Tribune" Notes Total of $164.20. There has been a prompt and general response to the needs of the survivors of the MITCHELL family, six of whose members were cremated in Tuesday night's awful fire in West Taylor Township, where Mrs. MITCHELL was also seriously burned. The Tribune last evening noted contributions amounting to $34.25, of which $3.00 had been turned into this office, the remainder of which is in the hands of Mr. E.B. GRIFFITH, who collected it. Additional contributions are noted below. The amounts received by the Tribune are deposited in the Citizen's National Bank to the credit of the MITCHELL fund, where deposits are also made by those individuals who have been soliciting contributions. Some money collected by the latter, however, has already been spent for pressing necessities of the MITCHELL family, including a casket to bury the dead and clothes for the living. Following are noted contributions received directly by the Tribune and others reported to it up to 4 o'clock this afternoon. Previously noted -- $34.25 Additional Receipts By Tribune:
John HENDERSON -- $5.00 Received By Aaron STUTZMAN : A. STUTZMAN -- $3.00 Total Reported: 164.20
April 4, 1902
Up to last night the Tribune had noted contributions of $164.20 to the fund for the relief of the MITCHELL family, whose home was destroyed Tuesday night in West Taylor Township, of which $42 had been directly to the Tribune and was so acknowledged, the balance having been given to solicitors. The status of the fund as of 4 o'clock this afternoon is as follows:
Previously noted: $164.20
Johnstown Lodge, #245, A. O. U. W. -- $5.00 Collected By C. S. SEELEY And Handed To Tribune:
CAPLES and MOORE -- 2.00 Total Reported: $213.20
April 5, 1902
Below will be found additional contributions to the fund for the surviving members of the MITCHELL family, the father and five children of which were burned to death Tuesday Night at their home in West Taylor Township, the amount of $213.20, previously reported. Received By Tribune Since Last Report:
Cash -- 2.00
2 Jun 1902
Robert Shaffer, proprietor of the Grand Central Hotel, Hooversville, died suddenly at 7 o'clock this morning, of heart failture. He had not been well for some time, but was able to be about the house until last night, when he went to bed. He took sick later in the night. The deceased was born in Somerset County about twenty-eight years ago and was a son of Mr. and Mrs. Herman Shaffer, of Friedens, and was a brother of John Shaffer, proprietor of the Coal Exchange Hotel, Hooversville; Bart, who is in the West; Mr. J. J. Shaver, of Johnstown, and Mrs. William Sipe, of Sipesville. He was married to Miss Martha Hoover, of Hooversville, at Cumberland, Md., three years ago, and is survived by his wife and a son -- Clyde Shaffer. The deceased formerly worked in the Gautier Department of the Cambria Steel Company. Mrs. Shaver departed over the Somerset & Cambria Branch this afternoon for Hooversville to attend the funeral, which will take place at 10 o'clock Wednesday morning, when the Rev. George Sheeve, pastor of the Hooversville Lutheran Church, will conduct the obsequies. Interment will be made at Friedens.
Edward, the infant son of William and Amelia Easterbrook, died at the home of his parents, No. 408 Ash street, Seventh Ward, at 7:30 o'clock yesterday morning, of scarlet fever, and the funeral took place at 10 o'clock this forenoon, with interment in Grand View Cemetery. The Rev. Dr. C. C. Hays, pastor of the First Presbyterian Church, conducted the obsequies. The child was eight months and half old. Three other members of the Easterbrook family are down with the same malady. Mrs. C. H. Shockey, wife of the well-known general merchant at Stoyestown, died at her home in that place last Friday night. She is survived by her husband and several children. The deceased was about thirty-six years of age and was born near Meyersdale. The funeral took place at 2 o'clock this afternoon, interment being made at Stoyestown.
Coroner Miller was notified yesterday of the death of George Shirey at the Memorial Hospital, which occurred at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The Coroner investigated the matter and decided no inquest was necessary. Shirey was admitted to the Memorial Hospital several weeks ago, after jumping off the Stone Bridge. He was crossing, and, in getting out of the way of a train, he saw another bearing down on him, and so deliberately jumped off the bridge, sustaining fractures of his right thigh and right arm, an injury at the base of the brain being the most serious of his hurts. He failed to rally, although at times he seemed better, but the improvement was not permanent, and he died as stated. Shirey was thirty-seven years old and unmarried. Mrs. John Ribblett, of West Taylor Township, is a sister and is the only relative Shirey is known to have about here.
Small Blaze Saturday Night Quickly Put Out by City Department. The City Fire Department turned out Saturday night for a small blaze in the Axle Department of the Cambria Steel Company. The Millville Company was the only one which went inside the gate, playing a stream on the blaze which soon extinguished it. A torch exploded at 11:10 o'clock Saturday night and set fire to the woodwork around the windows, and this wood was burning when the men turned on the hose. The alarm was turned in from Box 123, corner Front and McConanghy streets. The loss will be covered by $15.
2 Sep 1902
Fred Litz, of Portage, is registered at the Park Hotel. C. W. Shumaker, of Latrobe, is among the visitors in the city. R. Purlie Smith, of the Rocks, is home from his visit to Cleveland. C. D. McCormish, of Indiana, is among the guests at the Capital Hotel. W. Walter Henry, of South Fork, was among the visitors in the city over night. Frank Farrell, the Fairfield avenue druggist, is spending the day at Seward. Miss Lilian Haynes, of the South Side, is home from her visit to relatives in the Ligonier Valley. Miss Myrtle Hutzen, of Braddock, is the guest of her grandmother, Mrs. Catherine Colbert, of Westmont. John B. Stearn, of Braddock, came to the city Saturday night on a visit to relatives on the South Side. The Rev. Charles Lambert, of the Ninth ward, has returned from Altoona, where he preached on Sunday. Mr. and Mrs. N. H. Brown, of Windber, were in Johnstown last night, being guests at the Merchants' Hotel. Mrs. Mary White, of the Fourth ward, departed this forenoon on Day Express for New York and Philadelphia. Mrs. William T. Evans and family returned to Johnstown last evening from Avonmore to remain permanently. Miss Van Scoyoc, of Windber, was in Johnstown last night, stopping off on her way to the eastern part of the State. Masters John and Ward Trostle, of near Stoyestown, were among relatives in Johnstown during the past few days. Misses Mary Kearney and Marguerite Nagle, both of Pittsburg, spent Sunday with Miss Mary Horan, of Adams street. Mr. and Mrs. J. Bert Denny, of the Merchants' Hotel, returned this forenoon from their visit in the north of the county. The Rev. J. Q. A. Curry, pastor of the South Fork United Evangelical Church, was among the visitors in the city to-day. Mrs. Campbell Rutledge, of Water street, returned to-day from her visit of a few days to relatives at Livermore and Blairsville. Edward L. Mattingly, of the Thirteenth ward, is home from his visit of a few days to relatives in Altoona and friends in Harrisburg. David Griffith, of market street, went to Jenners, Somerset County, this morning to visit old friends. He formerly resided there. Dr. and Mrs. J. S. Mardis, of Haynes street, arrived home last night from their visit to Washington, New York, and Atlantic City. Dr. W. W. Hoffman and son, who came to the city yesterday on a visit to relatives, departed this forenoon for their home in Lorain. Mr. and Mrs. Lou Jacobs, of Pittsburg, were in the city Sunday and yesterday as the guests of Mr. and Mrs. William Reed, of Vine street. Miss Mary E. Gageby, of the Eighth ward, is home from her visit to her sister, Mrs. Concer McClure, at Braddock, having arrived last night. J. J. Davis and his daughter Jemima, of Pittsburg, who had been with relatives in and about Johnstown for a month, returned home this evening. Mrs. Thomas Dugan and her maid, Miss May Reese, of Elwood City, department this afternoon for home after a visit of a fortnight to Mr. and Mrs. Georg eRowley, of Union street, Mrs. Dugan's nephew and niece. Mr. and Mrs. David Kessler, of Donegal, Westmoreland County, were on the South Side yesterday and last ngith as the guests of the Rev. and Mrs. Martin I. Weaver, leaving this forenoon for Stoyestown, where they left their horse and buggy, having driven to that place from Donegal. Mrs. Cunningham, wife of James S. Cunningham, with her daughter, Miss Florence Cunningham, left their home in the Seventeenth ward yesterday afternoon for DuBois to spend a week at the summer home of I. W. Robinson, President of the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad.
Mrs. Mary Reinhart, wife of John Reinhart and mother of Mrs. Alexander Recke, who was one of the persons to perish in the Great Flood, died at her home in Tyrone Sunday morning of paralysis. The deceased was born in Saxony and was aged seventy years eight months and twenty-four days. She emigrated to this country in the early 50's. She was united in marriage to John Reinhart, in Tyrone, in 1856, and had resided in that vicinity ever since. She was a consistent member of Zion Lutheran church, of Tyrone. Besides her husband, Mrs. Reinhart is survived by five sons and one daughter -- Frank Reinhart, of Tyrone; John Reinhart Jr., the well known passenger conductor on the Pittsburg Division of the P. R. R., whose home is in Wilkinsburg; Mrs. Lizzie, wife of the Rev. Mr. Beiswinger; Willian and Joseph Reinhart, of Pittsburg, and Charles Reinhart, of Altoona. Mrs. Reinhart, who frequently visited Johnstown, was a relative of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Hahn. Mr. and Mrs. John Kammerer, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Bader and Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Bader, of the South Side, who, with Will Hahn, son of Mr. and Mrs. Conrad Hahn, went over to Tyrone to-day to attend the funeral, which took place this afternoon.
4 Sep 1902
Mr. and Mrs. George H. Brown and daughter, Miss Lucy, of the First Ward, are home from their visit to Atlantic City.
Mrs. W. D. Weimer and daughter Marie and Miss Freda Koerber, of Johnstown, after a pleasant two weeks' visit with friends in this place, returned home Friday afternoon. -- Somerset Herald.
14 Oct 1902
Thomas N. Kurtz, formerly of Brownstown, Lower Yoder Township, and Miss Mary Shaffer, of Mt. Union, are to be married by the Presbyterian minister at Mt. Union to-morrow evening at 5 o'clock. The groom is head bookkeeper for the Mt. Union Silica Brick Company and was formerly employed in Haws' brick works in this place. His parents reside in Brownstown. Mr. and Mrs. Scott Dibert, of the Seventeenth Ward, will go over to Mt. Union to-morrow to witness the ceremony.
Frank J. Parrish, of Cresson, and Miss Jean D. Paul, of Carnegie, were married in the Catholic Church at the latter place at 9 o'clock this forenoon by the Rev. Father Quilter. Their attendants were John P. Bracken, of Gallitzin, and Miss Agnes Paul, a sister of the bride. The groom is a son of Mr. and Mrs. F. J. Parrish, of Gallitzin, who, with Mr. and Mrs. K. A. Reed, also of Gallitzin, witnessed the ceremony. The groom is a druggest and is engaged in business at Cresson where he and his bride will reside.
Michael Berry, of No. 814 Devlin street, Ninth Ward, and Miss Mary Neary, daughter of Austin Neary, of the Twelfth Ward, were married at 7 o'clock this morning at St. John's Catholic Church, the Rev. M. J. Canole officiating at the nuptial mass. Thomas Neary, a brother of the bride, and Miss Rose Berry, a sister of the bridegroom, were the attendants. Mr. Berry is a machinist employed by the Cambria Steel Company.
17 Nov 1902
GOLDEN WEDDING ANNIVERSARY The children, grandchildren, and the two great-grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. James McHugh, of No. 1143 Ridge Avenue, Tenth Ward, yesterday for the venerable couple, held a surprise celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of their wedding. A feature of the occasion was the presence of Mrs. Mary Ann Freidhoff, mother of Mrs. McHugh, who is over ninety-two years old. With Mrs. Freidhoff and the little son and baby girl of Mr. and Mrs. Freidhoff and the litle son and baby girl of Mr. and Mrs. James Malloy, the latter being the grandchildren of Mr. and Mrs. McHugh, five generations of the happy family were present. About 100 persons in all took part in the celebration, including the Rev. Henry McHugh, pastor of St. Agnes Church, Soho, Pittsburgh, who is a brother of James McHugh and tomorrow morning at St. John's Church Father McHugh will say a high mass in honor of their anniversary.
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