A few days ago, Mark Iven make a comment about how he would love to go back and walk the streets around Wellsville about the time of the 1883 Birdseye View Map. It reminded me of a story we used in our April 2009 newsletter for the historical society. Thought I might repeat it here. I hope its not too long for FB! WE called the article Stepping Out Reading through the old newspapers, it is very apparent that life was pretty hazardous in the early days of our town. A simple walk to or from the store could ruin your day, as evidenced by a few items below. Many sad stories were told about pedestrians being “killed by the cars” of the Erie RR, and I will not dwell on them here, except for one story that was reported in the November 1852 Hornellsville Tribune. At Genesee Station (Wellsville) Esther Dunham Chandler had crossed the railroad tracks, in front of a train, and looked back to see that her mother and sister had decided to wait for the train to pass. Only 25 feet from the train, Esther turned back to wait with her mother and sister. She was hit and instantly killed by the train, which was travelling about 40 mph. Esther had only been married five months. Her headstone is one of the oldest in Woodlawn cemetery. The Allegany County Democrat of Feb 18, 1876 reported that Carlton Farnum barely escaped being drowned on his way home from work. He closed his office doors at 10 pm and started for his house over the river bridge on State Street. The night was very dark and stormy and Mr. Farnum succeeded in reaching the sidewalk at the end of the bridge where another small bridge spanned the mill race. The water here was about 12 feet deep and moved fairly swiftly. It seems Mr. Farnum traveled a little too far to the right, as one foot struck the bridge and the other foot hit nothing. Losing his balance, he went over the bridge into the water. He struggled to remove his overcoat, which was holding him down, and finally arose to the surface and made a “gallant swim for the shore”. Nearly exhausted, he reached home where he changed clothes and congratulated himself on his narrow escape! Runaway horses and Wellsville mud made the newspapers in December 1882. Shortly after noon a horse attached to a lumber wagon belonging to John Baker, of Pixley Hill, while standing in front of Peck’s market, suddenly became frightened and dashed down Main street. When in front of O’Connor’s store the wagon collided with a buggy, occupied by Mrs. Thomas Murphy, of South Hill. The buggy overturned and the widow Murphy, after performing several evolutions in the air suddenly descended and disappeared in the fathomless mud of Main street. Anxious and willing hands were soon to the rescue and widow Murphy was extricated from her perilous position and safely conveyed to the sidewalk, where upon examination, she was found uninjured with the exception of her mud-covered garments. Her horse, which was blind in both eyes, had made a dash for liberty and was vainly trying to ascend the stairs in the O’Connor building, while mixed up underneath it was several baskets of vegetables and glassware which the horse was rapidly chopping fine. Baker’s horse was caught on Pearl street and beyond being badly frightened was not hurt. Baker after fishing a long time in the mud, brought to the surface the remnants of his load and departed from the scene of his adventures. Threats of a suit to recover damages on the widow’s buggy soon brought him back however, and with much grumbling he hauled the buggy to the shop for repairs. In June 1899, a team of horses attached to a heavy wagon belonging to Henry Howard of Allentown, became frightened and ran from in front of Weatherby & Keller’s store toward Pearl Street. At this point the team took to the sidewalk in front of the Lincoln Block (Community Center) where one of the horses fell while the other dragged it until they struck the fence surrounding James Thornton’s yard and there they stopped. Mrs. Michael O’Connor of Farnum Street, accompanied by her guest Miss Mary Long of Brattleboro, VT, were on the sidewalk when the frightened horses came bearing down on them. They were saved from being run down and trampled upon by Mr. Thornton’s fence. Miss Long had just returned from the west where she was visiting within a few miles of a Richmond, Wisconsin cyclone which devastated that town. Her narrow escape “lead her to believe that Vermont is the only safe state to stay in and she will make arrangements to return home as soon as possible.” In September 1904, the Wellsville Daily Reporter (WDR) reported that Ella Gorton fell on a bad sidewalk in front of the S.F. Hanks Lumber lot and received severe injuries. A little boy accompanying Mrs. Gorton was walking just ahead of her and it is thought that he stepped on a plank throwing the end up, which struck Mrs. Gorton in the stomach and in falling forward, she bruised the side of her face considerably. Workmen picked her up, she being unconscious, and brought her to her rooms on West Pearl street. It was reported that the accident “will probably result in another damage suit against the village”. Mame Wescott had an adventure in September 1923. This poor woman was crossing the bridge over the railroad at Madison Street, when a passing train below blew off some steam, propelling a piece of decking she was about to step on into the air in front of her. She stepped through the opening, throwing out her arms as she fell, and saved herself from being mashed by the passing train by catching the floor of the bridge. She was able to extricate herself without assistance and was not hurt by the incident. Remember to look both ways now!!
Posted on: Wed, 06 Nov 2013 00:17:02 +0000
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