Jasper County Democrat, Volume 17, Number 102, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 March 1915 — Saved the Auto But Ruined Their Overcoats. [ARTICLE]

Saved the Auto But Ruined Their Overcoats.

Charles Kessinger of Jordan tp., bought a new Ford touring of ex-sheriff Hoover Saturday, and Mr. Hoover’s son, Victor Hoover, started out with Kessinger to teach him to drive the car. Both were smoking, Kessinger a cigar and young Hoover a pipe. They had got out south of town a few miles when they detected the odor of something burning, and on looking back found that the auto top was a mass of flames. They stopped the car and beat out the fire with their overcoats, ruining their coats but saving the car from complete destruction. As it was the top and upholstering on the rear seat was ruined and the body scorched so that it will have to be repainted. Mr. Hoover drove the car to Earl Park yesterday afternoon to have it repaired, and will stand half the expense of the SSO to S6O which it will cost to have it put in as good shape as new. It is probable that a spark was blown from the pipe or cigar into the cloth of the top and was soon fanned into u blaze by the breeze created from the speed the car was running.