Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 41, Number 87, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 July 1909 — GOT HOME, BUT IN BADLY CRIPPLED CONDITION. [ARTICLE]

GOT HOME, BUT IN BADLY CRIPPLED CONDITION.

Rensselaer Checker Club Meets Defeat at Kentland After Being Ditched On the Way Over. The Rensselaer checker club returned from Kentland Friday evening in a more or less worn out condition. Senator Halleck was covered with grease from head to foot and the others were not in a much better shape. The trip was made in Senator Halleck’s automobile. The first mishap took place this side of Remington, when one of the lamps fell off and was run over by the machine. A little later the drive chain broke. This was fixed, but when they were about half way between Remington and Goodland an approaching automobile failed to give its share of the road, and the Rensselaer party turned out to avoid a collision and one side of their machine went into a ditch two feet deep, taking off on,e of the tires and destroying the inner tube. An extra tube was put on but this soon gave out and they made the balance of the trip on three tires. They arrived at Kentland about 10 o’clock at night in a badly demoralized condition and this no doubt accounted for their defeat in the checker game which followed. The score was 57 to 43 in Kentland’s favor. At Kentland they secured a new inner-tube, but this developed a leak after traveling a short distance and their troubles began shortly after leaving Kentland for home yesterday at 10 o’clock. The tire was discarded and taking to the dirt roads in order to make'it easier on the wheel rim the trip was resumed on three tires. At Foresman 100 feet of rope was secured and wrapped around the wheel and they made the rest of the trip without much trouble with this homemade tire. In all twenty miles was traveled with one tire missing. The motor worked perfectly and but for the carelessness of the other automobile driver but little trouble would have been experienced. Another game will be played In Rensselaer in a short time as soon as the effects of this disastrous trip is overcome.