Tag: Funk

This Day in History: February 18th, 1911

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This Day in History: February 18th, 1911

FIRE ROUTS HUNGARIAN BOARDERS
Old Vunk Homestead Burns While Occupants Look on Helplessly – Lack of Water Handicapped Those Who Went to Help.

MILLTOWN, Feb. 28 – The boarding house owned by the Philadelphia & Boston Fire Brick Company, and which was formerly the old Vunk homestead, burned to the ground last evening. At seven o’clock, a number of local people noticed the flames and, thinking that the fire was very near the outskirts of the borough and that the local fire company would be called into action as a bucket brigade, made for the scene.

It seems that the house was situated a quarter of a mile from the trolley, and its avenues of approach consisted of roads containing a bottomless mire. As a result, the twenty-five citizens found the greatest trouble in getting to the place, and it was soon found that the fire, instead of being near the outskirts of the town, was halfway to South River.

The fire by that time was burning briskly and, as there was no water available, nothing could be done but to protect the nearby barn.

The house was occupied by a dozen Hungarian men, or more, one woman, and four boys, all of whom escaped uninjured. One of the inmates claimed that the fire had started on the north side of the building in the second story and was not discovered until it had gained great headway. No furniture was saved.

Nothing was seen of the local fire department as an organized body. There were two or three members on the scene, among whom were Clifford Waddington, treasurer, and W.E. Becker. The fire was discovered to be too far out of town and too far away from water to call out the members.

It is understood that the Brick Company has the building fully covered by insurance.

Charles Taggart, the entertainer from Vermont, will make his first appearance in the borough tomorrow evening at Redmen Hall. He will give an excellent program under the auspices of the Ushers Association of the M.F. Church. The admission will be 25 cents for adults and 15 cents for children.

The Milltown Building and Loan Association is nearing its first birthday. Read the notice below.

FOR RENT – Four rooms, corner of Lincoln Avenue and Main Street, Milltown. Inquire Mrs. John Geer, Milltown, N.J., f18-1m

FOR RENT – Four rooms, steam heat, and water. Inquire John Christ, Kuhlthau Avenue, Milltown, N.J. 124-3t

The Daily Home News – February 28, 1911Download

This Day In History: August 6, 1913

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This Day In History: August 6, 1913

HURT WHEN TROLLEY CAR JUMPS TRACK

John Funk and Motorman Carter, of Milltown, Have Miraculous Escapes in a Peculiar Accident at Berdine’s Corner, Scene of Fatal Accident – Passenger Caught in Wreck

In exactly the same spot, and in very much the same manner, where Edward McKeon, a trolley conductor, of this city, met his death a year ago. John Funk, of Milltown, a bookkeeper at the plant of the Enameled Brick and Tile Company at South River, received Injuries at 1:20 this morning, when a trolley car on which he was a passenger, left the tracks at Berdine’s Corner, while going at high speed, and crashed into a telegraph pole.

Funk’s Injuries are not serious, and consist of an injury to the leg. and severe bruises about the body He had a miraculous escape from death or serious injury. As did Motorman Carter of the car.

Carter is a resident of keyport, but boards at Milltown. He has been motorman but short time. The car which came to grief at the corner which has been the scene of several accidents, left here at 1 o’clock. As is the custom the car was speeding on the George’s Road track. Motor man Carter says that he applied the brakes before coming to the turn, and that they refused to work. though they had been working well previously. The car jumped the track, and a few second later the body of the car left the trucks, and crushed sideways into a telegraph pole. The car fell and the pole smashed in the top of the car. At the time of the incident Funk was talking to Conductor Channatti. and he was sitting well toward the front of the car. Had he been in t the center or the rear, he would probably have been badly injured or killed.

The car was a complete wreck, and Funk was compelled to crawl out of the wreckage. Motorman Carter stuck to his port, and he also had to fight his way out. He kicked out the front windows of the vestibule, and crawled out. The conductor escaped injury.

Over a year ago an early morning car left the tracks at the same turn, and conductor Mckeon was almost instantly killed. That time there were no passengers on the car. This morning Funk was the only passenger.

The-Daily-Home-News-Wed-Aug-6-1913-Pg-1Download