|
Local History Articles Section
A Car Built in Elmira
|
|
Home Page |
Online Research Library |
More Articles on Infrastructure |
Elmira Page |
Typed for Tri-Counties by Deborah JUDGE Spencer |
Formatted & Published by Joyce M. Tice |
Article from The Willys-Morrow Company - Transmission (company
employee newspaper) Vol. 2- No. 19, April 8, 1920. |
Thanks to Creig Crippen and his father, Eugene, for saving these wonderful
papers all these years and for sending them to us. |
|
|
|
Early Model Automobile Designed By A. P. Morrow and Leroy Taber
DR. W. E. COPELAND PURCHASED THE CAR FROM MR. MORROW---WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE---ENGINE STILL IN EXISTENCE.
The accompanying illustration shows one of the early automobiles of this section.
It was designed by A. P. Morrow with the assistance of Leroy Taber.
It had a cross compound steam engine and it sure could steam as it made all the hills around the neighboring country.
It was built at the Eclipse Machine company at the expense of the designers.
The body of the car was bought at Cortland and the wheels were also bought at some outside concern but the rest of the car was made at the Eclipse factory.
On one occasion Mr. Morrow drove the car to Sodus, it taking three days to make the trip. But it is doubtful if some of the powerful machines of today could do much better over the country roads which existed at that time.
The car had the embarassing habit of catching on fire most any old time and so fire extinguishers and steamer rugs were always carried as part of the equipment. The front part of the car when turned over formed an extra seat so that the car could accommodate four passengers.
The car was finally sold by Mr. Morrow to Dr. W. E. Copeland. He had many experiences which ended with a thriller when the car burned up on the road.
The Willys Crew Motor Car company took the remains and built a new body for it and it was bought by "Bill" Tong who is a foreman at the Willys-Morrow
company.
The engine of the car is still in service.
It is in a meat market in Pennsylvania where it is grinding sausage and hamburg for the natives.
1926 Willys-Morrow Automobile Photos
Photos of my Grandfather and Grandmother- Rowland and Florence Kelly with
his 1926 Willys Knight, Model 66. The other is of just him and the
car with their dog. He was employed at the Willys Morrow plant there
in Elmira. I don't yet just what years, but I do know he worked there in
1926, the same year model as the car. It must have been a new car or close
to it. Submitted by Ron Kelly July 2007
The big event in the country in 1893 was the Columbian
Exposition - World's Fair in Chicago. Many people from all over
the country and the world attended, and it was a big event in their lives.
Unfortunately, some of the would be attendees on the way there experienced
a train wreck. Apparently this would have been west of Buffalo. Pat MOTT
Gobea brought the following Canton Sentinel articles over recently, and
they describe the experiences of some local people involved in that wreck.
If any of you can track down any additional articles about this event and
the role of our local people in it,please send them in for inclusion here.
I happen to have a photo booklet of the exposition sent in by Creig
Crippen some years ago with which I can illustrate this section.
THE JACKSON WRECK
Late news from the Injured--All Doing Well--Mr. Anderson's Story
of the Wreck. While T. M. Fassett was walking about the exposition
grounds at Chicago, he met a man named Burnham, of Columbia X Roads, and
in talking about the Jackson wreck learned that it was Mr. Burnham who
has assisted Miss Krise and Miss Harris from the window of the wrecked
car. Mr. Fassett himself had a very narrow escape. A Jackson paper states
that he had been standing on the platform at the station and was just about
to step into the car when a friend spoke to him. He stopped a mement and
then the crash came. Had it not been for the interruption of his friend
he might have been one of the victims. His first effort was to assist in
the release of the victims from the wrecked cars; and though horror-stricken
by the terrible sights, did heroic service in the labor of rescue. At last
accounts Miss Blanche Beardslee was gaining slightly. Until within a few
days she could remember nothing of the wreck. Miss Allie Harris is also
recovering. Miss Mary Krise was able to ride out on Saturday and is nearly
recovered from her injuries. (The Canton Sentinel, Tuesday, October 24,
1893)
MR. ANDERSON'S STORY.
J.N. Anderson tells the following story of the wreck: "Our party
was sitting in one of the cars which was telescoped. I left my seat with
my wife to step down the aisle to speak to a member of the party. On my
return I had just reached the seat behind my wife and alongside that occupied
by Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore, when the crash came. I didn't see the approaching
train, for my back was to it. What followed the collision beggars description.
The first thing I knew I was on the bottom of the car in a cramped position,
with my head jammed against my knees. "I occupied a position that, if anything,
was smaller than that taken up by a soap box. I breathed with difficulty,
but was entirely conscious. I soon noticed blood flowing down my face,
but supposed it came from some one lying above. I was held firmly in position
by a huge beam. My scalp was fearfully cut, as I afterward found out, and
that is where the blood came from, but I did not feel any pain at the time.
When the wreckers began work they commenced to tear away the timbers. I
felt the heavy beam gradually descending on me, and finally mustered strength
enough to call to the men and ask them to raise the timber with a jack.
This they did and I was rescued. Gilmore and his wife, who were beside
me, were instantly killed. He was superintendent of the Morris Run colliery
and handled 700 men. I received a bad cut on my right thigh and a hurt
in my back." While Mr. Anderson was one of the first removed from the telescoped
car, Mrs. Anderson was the last. She was crushed under the seats and was
held firmly by a timber which lay across her body, yet, strange to say,
she did not lose presence of mind, though suffering from awful pain while
she lay under the coach for nearly two hours. When the rescuers did reach
her, they attempted to drag her out by grasping her under the arms. This
almost killed her, she stated, and after telling the men to release her
limbs, she was withdrawn from her perilous position. (The Canton Sentinel,
Tuesday, October 24, 1893)
THE GILMORES.
Rev. Mr. Gratton, of Morris Run, says: The Gilmores have lived
at Morris Run all their lives. The old couple had not been on a railroad
train since forty years ago the first of the month, nor had they in that
time been outside their own county. They had looked forward to this trip
for weeks, and anticipated a pleasant time at the Fair. Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore
were the last two to be identified, and their identification is due to
the Masonic emblem worn by Mr. Gilmore. Jackson Masons found the Masonic
pin worn by him, attached to which was the Odd Fellows' three links. Knowing
that J.N. Anderson was a Mason, they went to the City hospital where he
lay, a mangled victim of the wreck. When asked if he knew the old gentlemen
taken from the same car he was in and who wore a Masonic pin, he replied:
"Well, poor Uncle Billy Gilmore! So Uncle Billy is among the dead. Too
bad! Too bad!" Then, after a pause of a moment, he inquired after Mrs.
Gilmore, and when the dead woman was described, he identified her. Mr.
Anderson said that while waiting at Buffelo, he and Mr. Gilmore were discussing
railroad wrecks, and agreed to take out a trip accident policy for each
of the four for $3,000, which were mailed to Miss Gilmore, who is employed
at Mr. Anderson's store at Morris Run. (The Canton Sentinel, Tuesday, October
24, 1893)
Joyce,
The train wreck referenced in "What's New" on June 19 took place in
Jackson, Michigan.
Here is a link with some info http://www.michiganrailroads.com/RRHX/Wrecks/WrecksMenu.htm#Jackson1893
Attached is a photo Charles and Zoe THOMPSON Starr. She was the
daughter of George Henry THOMPSON and Elenora BERRY, granddaughter of William
THOMPSON and Sophia HOUTZ of South Creek Township (http://www.rootsweb.com/~srgp/bibles/thompson.htm).
Zoe also died in the train wreck at Jackson. I do not know where
the Starrs were living at the time. These photos and the article
came from Marie Brasington (who should be given credit)
Here is a transcription of the article that accompanies Zoe & Charles'
photo:
|
Mrs. Charles Starr
Among the many sad things connected with the present railway horror
at Jackson, Mich., few are sadder that the death of Mrs. Starr, only twenty-six
years of age, with a comfortable home, fondly loved by her husband, devoted
to her child, a little boy of four, who has no realization of the great
loss he has sustained. It certainly seemed as if she had everything
to live for. She was of a bright, happy, joyous disposition, spreading
sunshine in the home, and was, in her father's house, the center of the
affection of the entire family. Her mother is well-nigh crazed of
her loss. The great outpouring of friends at the funeral last Sunday
afternoon attested not simply to the genuine worth of the deceased, but
also the sympathy of the community for the afflicted family." |
|
|
The article is not dated nor is the newspaper identified. The
attached photo is a .jpg verson. There is a large .bmp photo is among
the Thompson family photos on the CD I gave you several years ago.
It was too large for me to attach.
Lee Kinnan Fazzari
|
Published On Tri-Counties Site On 04 OCT 2004
By Joyce M. Tice
You are our welcome visitor since 1 OCT 2004 |
|