and 24 workers lost their lives in the freezing cold Ohio River.
If it where not for a Ferryman named John Deer who lived right beside the river running to his own ferry all but 2 would have survived. .
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| Photo Credit Frank Zouloufos |
A Forgotten Tragedy right next to the Mckeesrocks Bridge
I drive over the McKee's Rocks Bridge several times a month on my way to Neville island and all these years of driving seen plenty of tragedy's on the bridge deck from motorists speeding and causing horrific Crashes. I knew about the Pressed Car Steel Riot right beside the bridge and various explosions and fires .But I never knew about the tragedy that played out before the bridge was built in May 12, 1909 when a skip boat carrying 30 workers home after a hard days work capsized
and 24 workers lost their lives in the freezing cold Ohio River.
If it where not for a Ferryman named John Deer who lived right beside the river running to his own ferry all but 2 would have survived. .
and 24 workers lost their lives in the freezing cold Ohio River.
If it where not for a Ferryman named John Deer who lived right beside the river running to his own ferry all but 2 would have survived. .
Avella Pa. A town with a Dark Spot and How it played a deadly part in the Cliftonville WV Coal mine Riot which killed a Brooke CountySheriff and 13 known Miners.and many to this day unknown
When you ride thru the town of Avella Pa. today its one of those sleepy post industrial coal mining towns you can tell it was very prosperous town at one time when you see the large now abandoned Town Bank But you would never know the dark spot this town would play in the Cliftonville Riot in nearby Wellsville WV .
They marched the 4 miles to the mine from Avella that morning and what was suppose to be peaceful was anything but .
In the end several miners received jail sentences while the others got charges dismissed and the total number killed as well as who murdered the sheriff is unknown to this day.
and it is an all but forgotten tragedy and case of union members using violence and intimidation instead of our courts system.
It was a hot July 17 when Union Miners would gather in the town of Avella upset over the nearby Cliftonville mine being sold and now worked by Non Union Miners . They where supposedly going to peacefully remove them but it ended up a riot with the local Brooke County Sheriff Duval dead as well as 13 miners in the ensuing battle which saw the mines equipment and tipple destroyed.
They marched the 4 miles to the mine from Avella that morning and what was suppose to be peaceful was anything but .
In the end several miners received jail sentences while the others got charges dismissed and the total number killed as well as who murdered the sheriff is unknown to this day.
and it is an all but forgotten tragedy and case of union members using violence and intimidation instead of our courts system.
The Little known Tradition of Sharing a Shot of Whiskey with the deceased at their Grave
When I was young my Grandfather Markowitz Passed in 1968 and he was buried at the local St Johns Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery .
One day our whole family including my dads sister Marie and her husband Eli joined us as we went to visit my grandfathers grave .
My Uncle Eli who is of Serbian Decent talked about coming out and visiting pap as he called him and pouring a shot of whiskey on his grave for him as they greeted each other .
He said it was an old tradition went back to the old country as a sign of respect for the dead .
While this is well known with Mexican Heritage on the traditional Day of the Dead to offer food and drink I did not know other cultures at time did this .
I have since learned not only is it a Serbian Tradition But also an Irish Tradition to pour the dead a shot of whiskey on tier grave,
I have actually been able to witness this tradition a couple times because I love to explore old grave yards and cemetery so if your ever lucky enough to witness the ritual of alcohol on a grave know it is of great respect
One day our whole family including my dads sister Marie and her husband Eli joined us as we went to visit my grandfathers grave .
My Uncle Eli who is of Serbian Decent talked about coming out and visiting pap as he called him and pouring a shot of whiskey on his grave for him as they greeted each other .
While this is well known with Mexican Heritage on the traditional Day of the Dead to offer food and drink I did not know other cultures at time did this .
I have since learned not only is it a Serbian Tradition But also an Irish Tradition to pour the dead a shot of whiskey on tier grave,
I have actually been able to witness this tradition a couple times because I love to explore old grave yards and cemetery so if your ever lucky enough to witness the ritual of alcohol on a grave know it is of great respect
Mad Mike The Ghost they Hired to Scare People on Mt Washington
Seems Pittsburgh has had its fill of phony ghosts over the years but one legend which some claims to still exist to this day is a character by the name of Mad Mike
who was hired by the Duquesne Incline supposedly to scare people into not using the 1300 step Indian path down Mt.Washington and instead use the newly Opened incline for 5 cents
You have to go back to May of 1877 and the newly opened incline was just not getting enough riders so the owners hired some local disabled people to make hissing and other noises at night to scare people .Especially since the trail had no lights .
One such actor who became known as Mad Mike was so good many would run but if they did not he would jump down from the tree he was hiding and hit people with a stick.
Well it worked and soon the incline was making a profit..
But to this day they claim if you decide to check out the remains of the old trail near the big Sprit sign which shines down from mt Washington you can still here mike trying to scare you.
https://www.facebook.com/PghGhostTour/posts/scary-times-on-the-inclinethe-duquesne-incline-stranded-30-people-on-the-mt-wash/10156472222849072/
who was hired by the Duquesne Incline supposedly to scare people into not using the 1300 step Indian path down Mt.Washington and instead use the newly Opened incline for 5 cents
You have to go back to May of 1877 and the newly opened incline was just not getting enough riders so the owners hired some local disabled people to make hissing and other noises at night to scare people .Especially since the trail had no lights .
One such actor who became known as Mad Mike was so good many would run but if they did not he would jump down from the tree he was hiding and hit people with a stick.
But to this day they claim if you decide to check out the remains of the old trail near the big Sprit sign which shines down from mt Washington you can still here mike trying to scare you.
https://www.facebook.com/PghGhostTour/posts/scary-times-on-the-inclinethe-duquesne-incline-stranded-30-people-on-the-mt-wash/10156472222849072/
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