The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1901-06-07
INSTANT DEATH.
Milo II. AlIdredge Crushed by
His Engine.
nad Purchased a Threshing Outfit and
Went Over an Embankment on
the Way Home.


forenoon on the Rapidan road, near
Jones ford, three miles southwest of
| Mankato. The deceased was on his
way home with threshing machine
outfit purchased of the ]. I. Case COM
pany, and while ascending the hill
leading to the bridge was thrown
from the engine, and killed in
stantly, the engine and separator
crashing down the embankment forty
feet below. The scene was a heart
rending one. The roadway at this
point is narrow-so narrow that a
single rig can scarcely pass with
safety.
The sad news of the accident was
telephoned by D. G. Evans to Chief of
Police Bowen and he, accompanied by
Coroner Kennedy and two reporters,
fastened to the scene. The fatal &C
cident occurred at 9 80 O'Clock, and
was witnessed by Chas. Alldredge son
of deceased, and 81. NJ Kienholtz,
friend of Charles.
| Mr.. Alldredge and son. Charles, and
Mr.. Kienholtz drove to Mankato Fri
day, stopping over night at the City
Hotel. Last winter Mr.. Alldredge ar
ranged for the purchase of a new
threshing machine outfit of the J. 1.
Case company, trading in an old Case
engine and separator. Yesterday the
final details of the purchase were COM
pleted and the machine was to be
taken home this morning. After
breakfast the party, including Mr..
Aldrich, his son, Mr.. Kienholtz and
J. Johnson, a machine expert in the
employ of the company, left the Case
building with the newly purchased out
fit. 1t had been arranged that Mr.. John
son should accompany the outfit until
the Matthews hill had been passed
This was done, and when near the old
Lockerby farm, Mr.. Alldredge, confident
that no difficulty would be encountered
from there on, thanked Mr.. johnson
for his kindness in coming with him
that far and the latter started back to
town.
Mr.. Alldredge was good engineer
and for seven years had run
a Case engine and was thor
oughly competent to manage it.
Mr.. johnson had not proceeded far,
being on foot, when he was notified
of the accident He hurried to the
scene and assisted in getting the body
from beneath the wheels of the engine,
which had rolled over onto it. Soon
after W. E. Stewart, who was to bring
Mr.. johnson back to the city, arrived
and also assisted in rescuing the body
from its pinioned position. A lifting
jack was on the machine, and was
used in raising the engine to allow the
body to be taken out.
At the time of the accident the de-
ceased was guiding the engine, the
son, Charles firing the engine. and
Mr.. Keinholtz occupied position on
the front of the separator. Back of
the separator was tied the team, which
relieved itself by break in the har-
mess. One horse went part way down
the embankment but was unframed.
The point where the accident hap
pened is the hill between the Lockerby
farm and the Jones ford bridge, where
the road approaches nearest the river
and skirts around and over point of
the bluff. 1t is the most dangerous
point on the entire road. Two little
gullies have been washed out on the
river side, narrowing the roadway to
eight feet, four inches, while the en-
CINE wheels spread eight feet. The
measurement of the road was made
this forenoon by Mr.. johnson, who also
ascertained that the body of the de-
ceased was forty-two feet below the
point where the engine went off. The
soil is gravel and sand. 1t is said that
the road has been in its present dan
gerous condition for some time, and
the township or county may be held
liable in this case unless it can be
shown that there was contributory
negligence on the part of Mr.. ALL
dredge.
The engine is of 20-horse power and
weighs IA, 900 pounds when the boiler
is full, and the separator has a 40
inch cylinder and 81 inch rear. The
outfit was valued at 50, 500 and the
damage to is estimated at 81, 600. The
engine rolled over three times and
landed close to the river, and the
separator rolled over two times and
did not go as far down as the engine,
from which it broke loose.
Mr.. Alldredge was on the right side
and could not see the washouts, but
the others saw the danger and jumped
| to safety.
A number of Mankato people drove
! to the scene of the accident during
the day. Among the first to go was F.
E. Bishop, agent for the J. l. Case
Co., who expressed deep regret at the
accident
Mr.. Alldredge was fifty three years
of age and leaves a wife and one son.
He was an old resident of Sterling
Center, and was well known and we'll
TODD. His head was bruised, and there
was deep cut near the right eye 1t
is probable that he received internal
injuries. His death was instant 1t is
supposed that he was thrown down the
embankment and that the engine roll
ed onto him. The remains were taken
care of by John Klein & Co. The &C
cident is greatly deplored by all, and
Y ea1H e., fhn lNr !