The Forgotten Morewood Massacre in Westmoreland County

As you ride down US119 near the Pa. 981  Mt Pleasant exit you will pass by an old YMCA and Sports complex . If you get the sudden feeling of sadness or grief there is a good reason.
7 Coal Miners would loose there lives near this intersection during the Morewood Riot as it was known  across the street from Morewood Coke Ovens which where on the site at the time.
They where a thousand strong protesting wage and labor conditions in a prolonged Labor Stoppage at the all too well known and Infamous Henry Clay Frick coke ovens ,when Sheriffs deputy's let loose a volley of fire killing the 7 Coal Miners instantly and 2 who would pass from their wounds on April 2nd, 1891



 




 


  There is nothing left of the town of Morewood or Coke Ovens only the superintendents office to see  and a road with a name.
It was all but forgotten tragedy .But luckily it has been remembered by a handful of people who helped to get a state marker in place and a memorial where they are buried. 
One of a handful of bloody and deadly encounters between lboir unions and management .

It seems even today unions only know one way to negotiate and thats with force,threats and intimidation .
 Which has gotten hundreds killed. and why groups like the Iron & Coal Police, Pinkerton's and Baldwin Felts detectives  where formed in the first place. You have a right to strike , stop working for some one  and  to protest you do not have the right to destroy property and when you do the results seems to always be the same and so was the Morewood Massacre or Riot as it is some times known. 
Instead of working with management to make things efficient and increase production so wages and benefits  can rise its always strike and destroy . This is why unions get very little support or sympathy from the general public.



A most Unusual and Mostly Forgotten War memorial on Pittsburgh's North Side

If you walk thru West Park on Pittsburgh's North Side and walk behind the National  Aviary
you will find one of the most unusual War Memorial in the area .
Built in 1914 as a remembrance of the  Spanish American War









an actual Torpedo Tube  of the USS Maine   which was sunk in Havana Harbor in Cuba and which started the war is on display ,as well as one of the 3 plaques is dedicated to Lt Friend William Jenkins  who was Killed  on the USS Maine and only Pittsburgher aboard it at the time. Only 2 other city's have a piece of the Maine as part of their memorial displays
 

While it was originally believed to have been an Exploding Mine in the harbor which sunk the ship more  modern explanation  is believed to be a  fire in a Coal bunker on the ship caused it to sink when the fire broke thru the bunker into ammunition bunker nearby.



While the truth may never be known we do know many served and perished during the war and we have a permanent naval base on the island of Cuba as a result.

I grew up in Carrick and one of my Neighbors Charles Martin was a Spanish War Veteran and actual Roosevelt Rough Rider who charged San Juan Hill  who was 101 years old when I spoke to him and he always thought our own government was behind its sinking.
Mr martin was present during the ceremony for the memorial

Special thanks to Jaison Viglietta  For the excellent pictures he recently posted on Face Book of the Memorial  below.





Little known UFO Incident in Kittaning Pa. area Involving a Math teacher and his studies of it.

I was recently contacted by Dave Croyle Owner of WTYM 1380 AM /103.7FM  about a newspaper article he came upon from 50 years ago and was invited on his morning radio show to talk about it. along with Fred Saluga  Regional VP of MUFON

Seems a High School mathematics teacher J. Mitchell Blose

Had an encounter with UFO's on his Farm Property in  Yatesboro section of Armstrong County
where he claims a UFO landed on his farm.

Mr. Blose went on to having a UFO research group at Kittaning High School where as many as 80 students became interested in it.
Dave Croyle is hopeful one of those former students will contact him about the school club.





How a Pittsbugh Jewish Engineer got even with the Germans after WW-I I in a Subtle but Powerful Way.

One of my Jewish Customers was getting ready to expand his business when I stopped by with the floor plans for the Fire Alarm to show him what the city was going to require. while we where reviewing the plans his mom was sitting in the office as she came by a couple days a week and they would go to lunch.

She told me the tale of a friend of theirs who attended the same Synagogue and  was a Holocaust Survivor who immigrated to the US became a Professional Engineer for Westinghouse Electric Corporation here in Pittsburgh.


As a way at getting back at the Nazis on every plan for Generators ,Switch Gear and Motors etc  that where going overseas to help rebuild Germany.   He would put a large print Circle with a J in it  next to his name where he sealed the documents and in the Foot Notes and Specifications Lists as well to show the Germans that this plan was designed by a Jew.
As a direct way to get back in there faces , that a Jew had designed this plan.

Now is the story true . I believe so and very plausible  as there are often all kind of secret  identifying marks on prints to tell when copies are made   or even to insult another engineer or plan reviewer .
 I saw the J circle a few times on prints on overseas equipment plans I have looked at when doing research on repairing old machinery and the engineer had a Jewish name.
So if it is true it was one mans way of getting revenge against the nazis .



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The BIIC Club once the best kept little Secret Italian Club in Bloomfeild

Sadly its boarded up and closed  according to Yelp  but at one time the BIIC Club official known as  The Bloomfield Independent Italian Club was a hoping place 6 nights a week . In the Bloomfield neighborhood of Pittsburgh Pa. along Lorigan Street which runs off Edmund  down by the railroad tracks .

Where everything from Party's to Weddings where one time held.
The only reason I even know of its existence is because I use to take care of the security system at the club thats when the last person to run it Bobby Ladonne who worked for Gas company during the week was still taking care of it and it was only open on Saturday Nights as an after hours club in the 90s
Last time I stopped and talk to Bob in late 90s he was ready to retire and I do not know if he handed the bar down to his kid who has a Filter manufacturing business. 

Needless to say the place sadly slid down hill to the status of a dive bar over the years like so many little clubs now long closed and forgotten.
That where in all of Pittsburgh's little ethnic neighborhoods

 




They provided the community a safe place to have a celebration or simply to have a drink among friends.
Most Like BIIC never even had a sign out front or if they did it was small .
 One of those places everyone knew your name . 
 On a Saturday night you would walk up the steps  knock on the door and if Lance the doorman knew you he would admit you If he did not know you or your friend you where not welcome.  
Once inside it opened up into a big wooden floor hall  with an old wooden bar a shot and beer joint with occasional mixed drink kind of place .Many of the restaurant  and bar workers went their because it was a place they could drink since all the other clubs and places had to close by 2 BIIC was allowed to serve till 3AM/

There was a 2nd floor hall Bob showed me which was being used for storage where bands would once play during dinners and celebrations. 
But sadly no more its a life style the younger generation will never know going to a neighborhood club on a Saturday.