Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 March 1918 — FOUR NARROWLY ESCAPE DEATH [ARTICLE]

FOUR NARROWLY ESCAPE DEATH

WHEN AUTO IS STRUCK BY TRAIN AT MAIN STREET CROSSING SATURDAY. Four persons narrowly escaped death at about 6:16 o’clock Saturday night, when a local freight,switching at the Main street crossing of the Monon railroad, backed into the automobile in which they were riding. Those who were in the car were: John Robbins, Lydia* Schneider, Mary Luther and Katie Luther, all of near Fair Oaks.

The party was crossing the tracks going north at the time the accident occurred and were on their way home. As |he car approached the siding, Robbins heard, the rumble of the heavy freight and saw at a glance he would be unable to avert a collision.. He leaped- from the car and assisted Miss Mary Luther, who was riding in the front seat with him, from the car, and then turned his attention to the young ladies in the rear seat. The latter were just getting out of the automobile when the train struck it, and both were thrown heavily to the ground, just clear of the track suffering minor injuries. The automobile was carried down the track for several yards, but was not overturned. The car in which the party was riding was a Dodge. The right side of the car was badly damaged and the two left wheels were broken off, and it will be unfit for further use. Robbins attributes the accident to the fact that the train was backing up and consequently he could not see any headlights. No flagman is on duty after six o’clock in the evening., consequently the gates 'are not raised and lowered. This is the same crossing where John Rush was killed last November.

The party was brought to town, and Misses* Schneider and Luther were taken to the office of the company physician, where an X-ray examination was taken of their injuries, which were found not to be serious. Miss Schneider suffered an injury in her knee and Miss Luther had a badly injured arm. The car was left at a local garage, and the victims of the accident were taken to their homes by F. G. Deschand.