Broken Hip is Fatal for Zane Bloom, Sunday

A broken hip, sustained 11 days previously, proved fatal for one of this city's fine old gentlemen on Sunday morning when Zane W. Bloom died at his home at 510 Locust street.

Mr. Bloom was one of the older railroaders of this city, having been on the pension roll of the old B., R. & P. Railroad for 14 years, and previous to that served for many years as watchman of the railroad's most important crossing in DuBois on West Long avenue. He was widely known and his death will be mourned by many friends.

He entered the railroad service 47 years ago, in 1891, being one of the pioneers on the C. & M. Branch and in May, 1895, had the misfortune to fall victim to one of the railroad accidents that were so frequent in those days. A leg was crushed so badly that it had to be amputated and it is believed that that handicap contributed to his fatal injury.

He became watchman of the West Long avenue crossing in 1895 and guarded it faithfully for 28 years until 1923, when he was pensioned. Since then he had been living quietly at his home.

On the evening of Wednesday, January 19, he went into the kitchen of his home for a drink of water and as he reached to turn on a light, he became overbalanced and fell. X-ray pictures the following day showed that his hip had been broken, and, in spite of the best efforts of physicians, his death resulted on Sunday morning.

Zane Webster Bloom was a native of Clearfield County. He was born in New Millport on October 16, 1857. His parents were James M. Bloom, of Curwensville, member of an early Clearfield County family, and Margaret Glenn. On December 31, 1889, he was united in marriage with Mary Muldoon, of Morrisdale, the ceremony taking place at Lock Haven. The family moved to DuBois in 1893 and has resided here ever since.

To the union eight sons and daughters were born, seven of whom survive, along with his wife, as follows: Clair Bloom, of Allaquippa; Mrs. Katheryn Benedict, of McMechin, W. Va.; J. Paul Bloom, of Akron, O.; Mrs. Avanel Hockenberry, of Punxsutawney; Mrs. Helen Dixon, of DuBois, and Miss Laurain and Glenn, at home. Ralph, another son, died 31 years ago on January 31. Two sisters, Mrs. Elizabeth Wilson, of Buana, Pa., and Mrs. Lola Honeker, of Reading, as well as 11 grandchildren, also survive.

The body was taken to the N. R. Moore undertaking parlors and prepared for burial and will be removed to the bereaved home at 10 o'clock Monday morning. Funeral services will be held there on Wednesday at 2:30 o'clock, 31 years to the date and hour, after the funeral of his only deceased son. Rev. J. A. Lyons, of the First Methodist Church, assisted by Rev. R. A. Nelson, of the Evangelical Church, will conduct the burial services and interment will be made in Rumbarger Cemetery.

DuBois Courier, Monday, January 31, 1938
____________

Zane Webster lived most, but not all of his life in central PA.3821
____________

Railroading family. The boys [Zane’s sons] were all “call boys” when young. Two worked for the railroad when grown. The girls were all railroad switchboard operators before marriage. Most of them married railroaders.3822
____________

Zane Webster lost a leg, up to the knee, (possibly his right leg) which was amputated following a train accident. It ssentially ended his career working on the trains, but he worked in other capacities with the railroad until his retirement.2117
____________

Zane was probably born on James' farm near New Millport. He first worked as a laborer for the old Beech Creek RR and later acquired by the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg RR.  He worked his way up to a freight conducter but after 1895 [and his train accident] was a watchman and crossing guard. and is buried next to his wife Mary Ann and an infant son, Ralph who gied young.3820
____________

A Zane C. Bloom is included in the Roster of the Fifth Regiment Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, serving in the Spanish-American War, as a Priv. Co. E; Res. Clearfield, Pa.; Enrd. June 21, 1898; M. I. June 21, 1898; M. O. with Co. Nov. 7, 1898.3823

[The above Zane C. Bloom is no doubt an earlier relative of this Zane Webster Bloom.]