TABLES TURNED: There’s something fascinating about those
man-bites-dog stories, and here’s an AP article culled from the
DuBois Courier Express (Oct. 6):[neWLine]
“”Dead Goose Knocks Hunter Unconscious,”” says the
headline.[neWLine]
“”STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) – A Swedish hunter spent two days in
bed after being knocked unconscious by a Canada goose that landed
on his head moments after his son shot it dead.[neWLine]
The goose had been flying about 60 feet in the air when it was
shot by Carl Johan Ilback, who was hunting with his father, Ulf,
along a stream in eastern Sweden.[neWLine]
When the goose dropped from the sky, it hit Ulf Ilback in the
head and knocked him out, he said.[neWLine]
“”It wanted to extract its revenge, I assume,”” Ulf Ilback told
local newspaper Extra Ostergotland on Wednesday. “”If it had gotten
a better hit, it could have broken my neck.””[neWLine]
Ilback spent two days in bed with severe headaches before
returning to work.[neWLine]
“”The story brought about a lot of laughter at work,”” he
said.[neWLine]
He added that during this month’s moose hunt, he may wear a
helmet.[neWLine]
[neWLine]
LAST TRAIN: It was standing room only on the last passenger
train to pass through Bradford. It was the “”end of the line,””
too, for the B&O steam engines in Bradford in October
1955.[neWLine]
Last week, we cited stories in The Era of that period written in
preparation for that final passenger train. The accounts largely
covered the history of railroads in McKean County stretching back
more than 100 years.[neWLine]
Today, we follow up with a story in the Oct. 17, 1955, edition
by staff writer Don Barry.[neWLine]
“”About 50 local residents, many of them ardent railroad
enthusiasts, departed from the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad
station, hauled by the last steam locomotive schedule to pass
through the city,”” he wrote.[neWLine]
“”Running about 20 minutes late because of picture-taking and
spontaneous good-bye ceremonies, the train pulled into the Bradford
Depot about 6 p.m. Five minutes later, it rumbled off, screening
itself with gasps of steam and crying farewell with the eerie,
echoing signal of the steam whistle.[neWLine]
“”From now on, the Pittsburgh-Buffalo Division of the B&O
will be used entirely for freight hauled by diesel
engines.[neWLine]
“”A dozen people boarded the northbound train Saturday night to
take the epoch-ending ride. There were five adults and five
children en route to Salamanca and two adults going to
Buffalo.[neWLine]
“”Earlier Saturday, on the last southbound passenger train
through the city, 13 passengers boarded at the local depot. By the
time the Pittsburgh train reach Elk County, there was standing room
only aboard the single coach.””
