Introduction
Orchard Street runs south from Old Camden Cemetery at 1150 Mount Vernon Street, across Chestnut Street, and ending at Sycamore Street.
Intersection of Mount Vernon Street & Orchard Street
Looking south on Orchard Street from Mount Vernon Street — June 10, 2011.
1000 Block of Orchard Street
1000 Block of Orchard Street as seen from Mount Vernon Street — August 2, 2006.
1044 Orchard Street — Destroyed by fire, June 9, 2011.
1048 Orchard Street — Camden Pottery (1890s–1955) — Destroyed by fire, June 9, 2011.
1000 Block of Orchard Street — Occupants
City directory records and historical notes.
1044 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1947 | No listing in directory |
| 2011 | Destroyed by fire — June 9, 2011 |
1046 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1947 | No listing in directory |
| 2011 | Destroyed by fire — June 9, 2011 |
1048 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1890s–1955 | Camden Pottery |
| 2011 | Destroyed by fire — June 9, 2011 |
1100 Block of Orchard Street
Joseph J. Lesniewski & Family — 1100 Orchard Street, 1956. Joseph J. & Wanda Lesniewski; Joseph A. Lesniewski.
1100 Block of Orchard Street — Occupants
City directory records, 1920–1957.
1100 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1920 | John & Victoria Pierzynski |
| 1934 | Frank Kulczynski |
| 1956 | Joseph J. Lesniewski & Family (Joseph J. & Wanda Lesniewski; Joseph A. Lesniewski) |
1102 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1947 | No listing in directory |
1104 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1947 | No listing in directory |
1106 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1920 | Paul Pavlik & Family |
| 1947 | No listing in directory |
1108 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1947 | No listing in directory |
1110 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1930 | Paul Pavlik & Family |
| 1947 | No listing in directory |
1112 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1947 | Charles Piontkowski |
1121 Orchard Street
| Year ↕ | Name ↕ |
|---|---|
| 1947–1957 | John Wawrzyniak & Family |
Related: Train Kills 2 Children on Tracks — 1121 Orchard Street (John & Florence Wawrzyniak), 1957.
Intersection of Sycamore Street & Orchard Street
Looking north on Orchard Street from Sycamore Street — June 10, 2011.
Train Kills 2 Children on Tracks
Camden Courier-Post –
Boy, Girl Struck on Trestle
Frantic parents today identified John Wawrzyniak Jr., 14, and his sister, Karen, 9, as the victims of a PRSL train at Mechanic and Louis sts. Police said the parents were John and Florence Wawrzyniak, of 1121 Orchard st.
A boy and a girl, both unidentified, lost their lives today when they were struck by a Camden-bound Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines train, at Mechanic and Louis sts. Investigators said the boy, about 13 or 14, apparently died a hero’s death as he attempted to get the girl, possibly his sister aged 9 or 10, off the tracks of a trestle spanning the intersection. The boy was pronounced dead on arrival at 10:10 a. m. at West Jersey Hospital. The girl died 20 minutes later in the hospital, authorities there said.
Railroad authorities placed the time of the accident at 9:40 a. m. Witnesses said the youngsters were running in the same direction the train was heading and almost had cleared the trestle when they were struck.
Train 15 Minutes Late
A PRSL spokesman said the two-car diesel left Haddonfield 9:31 and was due at the Broadway station at 9:42. It arrived 14 minutes late. Many of the passengers had boarded it at Haddonfield after leaving a train from Atlantic City.
Engineer John C. Gillon, of Haddonfield, reported he saw the children on the trestle and sounded his whistle as he applied emergency brakes but was unable to stop in time. Walter D. Lamon, of Camden, was conductor. The PRSL spokesman said the youngsters technically were “trespassing.” Det. Sgt. Patrick Carr took over the investigation.
Witness William Bukowski, 41, of 1508 Norris st., attempted to run up the ice and snow covered embankment when he saw their plight. “I heard the whistle and saw the kids,” Carr quoted Bukowski as stating. “The girl appeared to be playing and bending over the tracks. When the boy heard the whistle, he turned and ran back and attempted to drag her off the trestle. They were near the end of the trestle when they were struck.”
At the hospital, a marketing list and $7 was found in the boy’s pockets. It called for purchases of sauerkraut, pumpernickel bread, cracked wheat bread, cream cheese and cigarettes.
Police were called to the scene by John Revallo, operator of a cafe at Louis and Mechanic sts., who relayed a report by Henry Uber, another witness.
Uber, a painting contractor with offices and shop at 1207-09 Liberty st., was clearing snow on the Mechanic st. side of his building when he heard the train whistle and looked up to see the children on the tracks. Both appeared to be running in the same direction the train was heading, he said, and were thrown part way down the embankment when struck.
Rites Slated Tuesday for Train Victims
Camden Courier-Post –
Solemn requiem high Mass for John Wawrzyniak Jr., 14, and his sister, Karen, 9, will be sung Tuesday at 9 a. m. in St. Joseph’s Church, 10th and Mechanic sts.
The children were killed Thursday by a Pennsylvania-Reading Seashore Lines train on a trestle over Louis and Mechanic sts., less than four blocks from their home at 1121 Orchard st.
Preceding the Mass, friends will meet at 8:30 a. m. in the Ciechanowski Funeral Home, 1309 S. 10th st., where they may call Monday night. Burial will be in St. Joseph’s Cemetery, Chews Landing.
The boy was an honor student at Hatch Junior High School, and his sister, a fourth-grade pupil at Lincoln School.
Surviving them are their parents, John and Florence; paternal grandparents, Casimir and Stefania Wawrzyniak, of Camden, and maternal grandparents, Francis and Laura Pierzynski, of Camden.
Slate Hearing In Two Deaths On RR Trestle
Camden Courier-Post –
(Reprinted from Wednesday’s Late Edition)
The engineer of a PRSL train that hit and killed two children on a trestle at Louis and Mechanic sts. last Thursday was released Wednesday in his own recognizance by Municipal Judge Marino pending further hearing next Wednesday.
John C. Gillan, 66, of 241 Rhoads ave., Haddonfield, the engineer, appeared in court, but Marino announced that through a clerical error the family of the children and the Camden police accident division had not been notified of the hearing. The children were John Wawrzyniak Jr., 14, and his sister, Karen, 9, of 1121 Orchard st.
Judge Holds Engineer in Child Deaths
Camden Courier-Post –
City Court Scene: (Reprinted From Wednesday’s Late Edition)
Municipal Judge Marino Wednesday held a PRSL engineer and a motorist for grand jury action on a manslaughter charge. Both pleaded not guilty and were released in their own recognizance.
The engineer, John C. Gillon, 66, of Rhoads ave., Haddonfield, was operating a train Dec. 5 which killed John Wawrzyniak, 14, and his sister Karen, 9, on a trestle at Mechanic and Louis sts.
The motorist, Samuel Trazzera, 39, of Mountain st., Philadelphia, was identified as the driver of a car which killed Mrs. Mary J. Grey, 76, of 842 Pearl st., Dec. 8 as she was walking at 10th and Penn sts.