HISTORY: “The largest locomotive ever used in the Bradford division of the Erie, arrived here yesterday from the Brooks Locomotive Works at Dunkirk.

“The engine weighs 94 tons and is a fine specimen of the type. Eight engines of a similar construction have been ordered for use on the local branch.”

That’s the word from The Era on Oct. 20, 1900.

Two days later, The Era reported on the perils of traveling on the train tracks without looking.

“John Nevin, a farmer, drove across the railroad track at Ashford, yesterday, despite the warning cry of the flagman that an engine was approaching.

“The engine struck the wagon, completely wrecking it. Nevin was thrown out and sustained a fractured arm and was hurt about the back.”

It sounds like he was lucky he wasn’t hurt worse.

No one was hurt in this next rail calamity either, which also happened in October 1900.

“One of the open cars on the O.R.C & B. railway was derailed at the top of the hill near State Line, yesterday afternoon.

“Through somebody’s failure to deliver a telephone message, the car bound for Olean ran by a passing switch and collided with a car bound for Bradford. No one was hurt by the accident, those on the cars jumping before they came together.”

Now that we’ve shared some perils of transportation, we’ll end with a bit of a laugh.

This tale was shared on Oct. 26, 1900.

“Yesterday a resident of Cottage Row caught a skunk in a rat trap. A neighboring lady saw the animal and investigated.”

That seems like it would have been a bad idea.

“The result was indescribable,” the story stated. Perhaps the neighbor learned to mind her own business.

The skunk didn’t fare well in this story either.

“Later on the cause of the trouble was assassinated and consigned to earth in a hurriedly made grave,” the story read.

That stinks.