by Laurel | December 10th, 2013
Miles Tombstone, Side 1
Walter T. Miles, 1866-1933
Annie A. (Aitken) Miles, 1871-1933
John A., Their son, 1893-1894
11 December 1933
Workman at Mill Dies From Injuries
Walter Thomson Miles, 67, of 127 Beech St., died yesterday morning in the Holyoke Hospital of injuries suffered when he was crushed by a 3500-lb. roll of paper in an elevator at the Whiting No. 2 Mill Friday afternoon.Mr. Miles was born in Scotland, coming to this country 56 years ago and Holyoke 18 years ago, most of the time being a master mechanic at the Whiting mill. He was a past noble grand of Taconic Lodge of Odd Fellows, Great Barrington; member of Mt. Tom Lodge of Masons and a Knight Templar, Clan McLaren, Order of Scottish Clans, the Steam Operating Engineer’s union and the First Presbyterian Church.
His wife, Mrs. Annie (Aitken) Miles died less than a year ago. He leaves six sons, Edwin, Clarence, John, Nelson, Robert and Gordon Miles, all of this city; one sister, Mrs. Sarah Simpson of this city; three brothers, James, George and Gideon Miles of this city, and several grandchildren.
The funeral will be held in the First Presbyterian Church, Wednesday afternoon, with Rev. Dr. John Alison officiating. Burial will be in Forestdale Cemetery. The body may be seen at the Alger Funeral Home until the time of the funeral.
This kind of accident was common. An ancestor of mine died in an elavator accident in 1892 in the Glasgow Mill in South Hadley.
I can’t help but wonder but people thought about these accidents at the time.
Bob, sad re the accident of your ancestor. I do wonder about the reaction as well, certainly seem like the papers didn’t make a huge deal about the accidents, at least not compared to what we might see these days!