Jasper County Democrat, Volume 14, Number 60, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1911 — STRUNG OF ACCIDENTS. [ARTICLE]

STRUNG OF ACCIDENTS.

And One Came Near Having Fatal Termination. Beginning with Saturday evening, the past few days have witnessed a number of automobile and other accidents, but fortunately no fatal injuries have resulted and, in fact, in but one case has there been any serious injuries. While out on the Pleasant Ridge road Saturday evening, accompanied by Mrs. Lennie Gant, Dr. Moore run his auto into the ditch and had to phone to town for a relief party. Max Kepner and Jim Rhoades responded and got the car out and the latter drove the critter in, but the doctor walked in, not daring to trust himself.in it again. When Kepner was returnng he met Tom 1 Walters out by the Gangloff bridge, and the horse, scaring at the lights of the auto, shiecL off to one side of the bridge and one of its hind legs went through a hole where the plank did not quite reach the side.

Considerable difficulty was experienced in getting the horse’s leg out, a second relief expedition being necessary from town to extricate it. Except for a few minor scratches the animal was uninjured, although it was feared its leg would be broken before it could be released. 'While driving his machine into the garage Saturday, Granville Moody touched the accelerator instead of the brake, sending the machine forward so rapidly that he could not make the opening, but hit the side of the building and the edge of the cement sidewalk, breaking the sidewalk and breaking some of the brick in the wall and blowing out the tire on the front wheel. The same day, while the machine was being driven at a good rate of speed north of town, a cow was struck and thrown to one side of the road, but none of the occupants of the auto were injured.

While being driven out to John Hurley’s southeast of town, Saturday night, by a young man working south of town, Simon and Reubon Snow had quite an exciting experience out by the Gangloff bridge. The driver was not very familiar with the road, and just after crossing the bridge they met a rig, and their driver turned out a little too far and the buggy rolled down the embankment, turned over twice and only stopped when it struck the fence. The shafts broke and released the horse, and except for a few minor bruises the Occupants of the buggy were unhurt. The buggy reach was broken and it was otherwise damaged, but after tying up the shafts the boys drove on to their destination.' Sunday Mir. and Mirs. George Ketchum, and Mr. and Mrs. John Moore of north of town, autoed to Kentland. George had put in gasoline, he thought, to make the trip all right, but on the way home, between Remington and Rensselaer, he came up with B. Forsythe, who was having trouble with his machine, and after George had got Mr. Forsythe started off he found that his own supply of gasoline had run out, and a relief car was sent out to him.

Monday forenoon Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum started to take Mr. and Ketchum started to take Mr. and Mrs. Moore home, and wihen out by the Ike Saidla residence the auto skidded on the wet road, and the next thing the party knew they were lying in the ditch at the side of the road with the auto bottom up over them. Fortunately there was a space in the bottom of the ditch a few feet wide and perhaps two feet deep, where it had been shoveled out, and the occupants of the car falling in this were saved from being crushed to death by the heavy auto, although Mrs. Moore was injured quite badly by a part of the auto, very likely the back of a seat, resting on her chest. Frank Donnelly went out in his auto and brought Mr. and Mrs. Ketchum back to town, after righting the -overturned machine, Mrs. Moore having been previously released and taken to Mr. Saidla’s house and Doctor Kresler called to examine her. She was later taken to her own home in the doctor’s auto. While her chest and back was hurt considerably, the doctor stated yesterday yesday , that he did not think there were any internal injuries.

Mr. Moore received a few bruises but the others were unhurt. There was perhaps 8 of 10 inches of (water in the ditch, and all got a thorough wetting. The glass front to the auto was broken and some other parts bent and twisted. Otherwise it was not badly damaged. This accident might easily have had a different ending, and it behooves others to take warning and be very careful about driving on wet roads. In fact, with the number of automobiles we have in Jasper county and careless way many drivers run them, it is remarkable that we have npt had some fearful accidents. ere this. J C /