July 11, 1835 – The first serious accident which happened on a steam train in the vicinity [of the Green Tree Inn] occurred July 11, 1835. As the train was a short distance from Paoli, and passing under an apple tree, Patrick Daily, an outside passenger, stood up and reached out for an apple. An overhanging limb knocked his hat off, and in his efforts to regain the hat, lost his balance and fell under the wheels of the car, the whole train passing over his right leg. Daily was at once carried to a neighboring house and a doctor summoned, who on his arrival was so appalled at the sight of the mutilated limb that he could do nothing for the sufferer but advise his removal to the Pennsylvania Hospital, which was done as soon as a car could be gotten ready for the purpose. It is needless to say that in the meantime the patient bled to death.

The Wayside Inns on the Lancaster Turnpike by Julius Sachse

July 28, 1873 Great Hail Storm - A Brave Act – On Friday week a great hail storm passed over a portion of Radnor township, Chester valley, and Marion township, Montgomery county … At a curve on the Pennsylvania railroad between the Eagle and Reeseville, two trees were blown across both tracks which was observed by two boys, aged ten and fourteen years, who immediately ran, one up and the other down the road, and signaled the approaching trains, and succeeded in stopping them before they reached the obstruction. The train going east was the fast line with seven cars filled with passengers; the one going west was an accommodation train. Both trains would have evidently been dashed to pieces, had it not been for the presence of mind of the brave lads who dashed to the rescue through the fearful storm of wind and hail.

Delaware Republican (Wilmington)[Chronicling America ]

September 14, 1876 At Paoli, Chester county, Robert Reilly and Terrance McGannan, employed by contractor Lemmon in straightening the Pennsylvania rail at that point, quarreled and fought at midnight. In their struggles they got on the railroad track, and not noticing in their blind fury, that a coal train was coming, they fought on and were struck and instantly killed by the engine as it suddenly swept around a curve. They were carried about a hundred yards on the cowcatcher, and their bodies when picked up, were fearfully mangled. An inquest was held and the train employees were exonerated.

The Post (Middleburg PA) [Chronicling America ]

August 23, 1877 Killed On The Rail. – Yesterday morning Geo. Bensinger, of Cincinnati, about 18 years of age, was killed at Reeseville, by the cars. He was riding on a freight train when the coupling between the cars suddenly broke, and the shock threw him on the track, where almost the whole train passed over his body and legs. He was terribly mangled, and died about half-past two o’clock in the afternoon. Deputy Coroner William Wally Davis empaneled a jury, which rendered a verdict according to the above facts.

Daily Local News, [Chester County Historical Society]

December 13, 1879 Five men have been killed during the improvement being made in the straightening of the Pennsylvania Railroad at West Whiteland and Valley Creek Section

Daily Local News (West Chester) [Chester County Historical Society]

August 28, 1880 Death on the Rail – On Friday afternoon one man was killed on the P.R.R. and two other badly injured. A gentleman from West Goshen, who was on one of the afternoon trains going east, witnessed a part of the affair, which was to him a sickening sight. It appears that a number of men were engaged in repairs on the road, and seeing a train approaching stepped over on the other track, not noticing another train approaching from the opposite direction, and the result was as above stated.

Daily Local News (West Chester) [Chester County Historical Society]

November 30, 1881 Desperate Deserter – Tuesday evening Capt. Wm. S. M’Caskey left Philadelphia on Cincinnati express, having in charge a lot of about fifty recruits for the regular army, whom he was taking to San Antonio, Texas. The crowd was pretty rough, and while the train was running at a full speed at point between Eagle and Paoli, one of the men jumped from the window of the water closet. He was found later in the night by Conductor Baker of an accommodation train which followed, and upon examination it was ascertained that his arm was sprained and head badly bruised.

The Herald (Somerset, PA) [Chronicling America ]