Bad Accident at the Telephone Line

A most deplorable accident occurred on Wednesday, April 12, 1911, between Fruitland and Stoney Creek, when Robert J. Hanna of Grimsby, met with an accident that resulted in his death, early on Friday morning, and his working companion, Reginald Ferris, had his arm broken but was otherwise uninjured. These two men had been in the employment of the Bell Telephone Company for some time. They belonged to the gang with headquarters at Grimsby, working under local manager LePatourel, with John Campbell as foreman of the gang. The men had been working between Fruitland and Stoney Creek, taking out old poles and replacing them with new. The accident occurred about 10 o'clock Wednesday forenoon. Hanna and Ferris, who were working on the same pole, had removed the wires and were in the act of removing the crossarms, when the pole snapped off close to the ground and fell. The construction wagon stood nearby and the pole fell across this and it is probably due to this that Reginald Ferris escaped with his life. Robert Hanna received a severe fracture of the skull and was unconscious when picked up. R. Ferris sustained a fracture of the arm and other injuries... They were taken to the hospital, where it was found that Hanna had received a severe fracture at the base of the skull and all that medical skill could do was done, but he never regained consciousness, and he passed away at three o'clock Friday... The remains of the unfortunate man were brought to his late home on Depot Street, Grimsby, from which place the funeral took place on Sunday afternoon. Robert J. Hanna had been a resident of Grimsby for about two years, having moved from the farm of his mother-in-law, Mrs. Jas. Howell,formerly Mrs. Albert Teeter, South Grimsby, whose farm he had been working on for some time. Previous to that he was a resident of Cayuga, being the second son of the late Henry Hanna of that town. In the spring of 1909 he sold his farm implements and stock and moved with his wife and small family to Grimsby, where he has resided every since. He had been in the employment of the Bell Telephone Company about three or four months. He was a good hearted, pleasant mannered man and was popular amongst the men and boys and had a large circle of friends in Grimsby, South Grimsby, and Cayuga. His untimely end at the age of 30 years is deeply regretted by everyone who knew him. He leaves a young widow, only 22 years of age, and three little boys, the oldest of whom is not yet five years old. As soon as the accident occurred, the brothers of the unfortunate man were notified and they hastened to his bedside and tried to give what comfort they could to his sorrow stricken wife. After his death, his brothers and Mr. LePatourel, manager of the Bell Telephone Company, took charge of the remains and did everything that could be done to lighten the sorrow of the bereaved widow. Mr. LePatourel, acting for the Bell Telephone Company, arranged for a plot in Queen's Lawn Cemetery, where the burial took place. The funeral took place from his late residence, Depot St., on Sunday afternoon, and was very largely attended by relatives, neighbours and acquaintances in Grimsby and surrounding country. The Rev. J. Allan Ballard officiated at the house and at the grave and spoke very feelingly of the sad circumstances. The pallbearers were John Campbell, Thos. Schofield, Arthur Farrell, Murray Hainer, Adam McGregor and Fred McCutcheon. The floral tributes were very beautiful.