A possible answer to why a viaduct was built over part of Logans Ferry Road which Penn Dot Discovered was causing road to collapse

Logans Ferry Road is a busy little section of road between Plum Boro and New Kensington Pa.
traffic from the New Ken and Burrel area use it as a short cut to Pittsburgh as it brings you down to Oakmont via cox Comb Hill  instead of having to go thru New Kensington .

Recently Penn Dot had to close down the road to repair it where Logans turns into Coxcomb  as road started to collapse and Penn dot found the road was a viaduct built over an abandoned  railroad spur to nowhere.


Well I have the answer I believe where the spur went and its purpose.
 which was scuttled in 1920 or 30s


  Long ago there was the Logans Ferry Coal Mine this mine produced excellent steam coal which was sold to the West Penn Power Station across the Allegheny  River.
One problem thou was getting coal across the frozen  river in winter when tugs and barges could not operate.






The solution was ingenuous they built 2 tunnels under the river from the mine to the power plant which went under the river in late 1800's  tunnel 1# was used to haul coal cars filled with coal to the plant and Tunnel 2# was used to haul the empty cars back and what Penn Dot found seems to be the old mine workings supply spur . With so much passing of time any one who knew about this is long gone and now there is just some old pictures here and there and paper work sure would love to find pictures of the actual tunnels in use other than the one image shown.

 ,But so much of Pa. old industrial history has just been  torn down and buried such as in this case.


Devils Walking Stick a rare and most unusual plant with Medicinal and Magical Powers that grows in our area

Recently I had a crew out to clean out the tower base of one of the AM Radio Stations I take care of in W. Va. that had become overgrown with weeds and which can damage the grounding grid if not properly taken care of.

One of the more unusual plants we found growing in a small patch was Devils Walking Stick
As you can see it is appropriately named.
with so many spines on it ready to tear into your flesh. its official name is
 Arilia Spinosa




 Now I have heard many story's about it but rarely ever come across it other than at Witchcraft Supply Shops.

One story goes that god put spines on the plant after the devil trying to find a path back into heaven found it a good strong staff to use for his journey back and in putting the spines on the devil could never use it again.

More than likely it got its name from the way it looks like a long walking stick.

However thorny the plant it does have medicinal uses which goes all the way back to Native Americans who made a tea of it to reduce inflammation.




Amazing a plant that can cause much pain can also be used to reduce it..

However the plant is also said to have magical powers to ward off evil and this is why people put a branch of it above their door way to keep evil witches from entering .





This is why witches use it to protect themselves from a spell another witch may have cast upon them. 
Those who practice Hoodoo in particular use it for this reason . I know you pay big bucks to acquire it from a witches supply store . Yes there actual store fronts which carry witchcraft supply's .
and the craft is more popular now than ever.  

If you run across it use extreme caution the thorns go thru most gloves with ease.
and you might even consider selling to a local witches supply.