Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 30 September 1914 — HEARD THE FLUTTER OF WINGS [ARTICLE]

HEARD THE FLUTTER OF WINGS

When Delos Thompson’s Big Auto Tnrned Turtle at Zadoc Sunday Afternoon.

Whil,e Delos Thompson was driving his big Mannon Six auto up to the Kankakee Sunday afternoon about five o'clock, with Dr. Johnson, Emwet Laßue and C. E. Garver accompanying him, the machine slipped off the grade at the railroad crossing at Zadoc and turned over. Johnson and Garver were thrown free from the car, but Thompson and Laßue were pinned underneath, the former being held across the body and the latter by the rear seat. Johnson and Garver tried their best to free the imprisoned men, but could make no impression on lifting the big car, which weighs nearly 4,000 pounds. There is no one lives near by and it is likely the imprisoned men would have finally had the life crushed out of them had not Abe Halleck and family of Rensselaer, with George Luce and family of Chicago, happened along in the former’s auto, and bv the united efforts of all the parties succeeded in raising the car and pulling Thompson and Laßue out. Mr. Thompson only suffered a fractured rib and Mr. Laßue a few bruises. Dr. Johnson found after reaching home that his colalrbone was fractured.

They had just stopped the car before going over the tracks to let Robert Michael of Kninian, pass with a team, and were driving very slowly at the time of the accident. Just after crossing the tracks the front wheels swerved slightly on the narrow grade and the cat gradually settled off to_ the side of the soft sand and turned over. The grade is four feet or more high at this point and had the ground been real hard it is likely a different tale would be told.

The auto was righted and the party returned to Rensselaer, the car being but little damaged. A part of the steering wheel was broken off, the wind-shield broken and one fender bent. A very fortunate accident indeed. Mr. Thompson is one of the oldest and most careful automobile drivers in Rensselaer, and the accident shows that no one is immune from danger in driving motor vehicles. Accidents are liable to occur at almost any time to the best of drivers, and it is indeed a wonder that all the occupants of this car escaped with so little injury.

The party were going up to Dunn’s Bridge for a little trip, and had expected to enjoy a fish supper there, but the plans of “mice and men” oft go wrong, and they returned home supperless. In fact, their appetites for fish were wholly gone.