The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1903-11-01
INJURED BY A
RUNAWAY AUTO
Going Thirty-flvs Miles an Hour
Schmittroth Is Thrown 0ut.
INJURIES ARE QUITE SEVERE
MAY RECOVER IF BRAIN IS NOT
BADLY AFFECTED.

The automobile may claim its first
victim in Utah through an accident
which befeH Nicholas Schmittroth. a
mining man, shortly after 8 o'clock yes
terday afternoon near the corner Of
Seventh and X streets. His OIdsmobiIe
ran away from him and, striking a
small rut in the road threw him out.
ar Schmituoth struck on the left side
/ of his face on the hard ground. and be-
sides receiving a conclusion of the
brain, number Of cuts and bruises on
the face. is thought TO have sustained
the fracture Of a couple of ribs on the
/ left side.
The injured man is at st. Marks hos
Ipltal- where he was taken an hNlr or
so after the accident occurred. DR.. A.
Z. Belle, who operated upon Mr..
Schmittroth about O'clock last even
ing, assisted by DR.. A. J. Hilton, said
his patients chances for recovery de-
pend almost entirely upon the severity
Of the injury to the brain. If it is really
40 worse than. was supposed last even
ing. the automobiles has q fair chance
o to recover. If the jar to the brain is
greater than was apparent last even
ing. his chances are spOndingly
| leSsened
Auto Was Running Away.
The exact cause of the accident VIII
not be known until Mr.. Schmittroth re-
covers sufficiently to explain il. Those
who saw it are COnfideEt that the min
ing mans automobile was running
away with him at the time he was
thrown out. That his neck was not
} broken at the time was really remark
able, as Mr. Schmittroth was thrown
distance Of about forty feet from his
machine, which was at that time de-
scending a hill at the estimated rate
Of about thirty-five miles an hour
The accident occurred near the cor
ner Of X and Seventh streets. at the
foot of a descent of about i degrees.
1t occurred at $40 o'clock. Among those
who witnessed it were V. s. Peet. trav-
cling agent for the Bear River Land
company. who resides at 673 Seventh
street; his daughter, Miss Gertrude
! Peet and p. w. Adams of Evanston.
Ind. who is visiting Mr.. Peet
The trio were in the kitchen, when
Mr.. Schmittroth was seen cutting
cross lots from Eighth to Seventh
streets, between j and X streets. The
terrific speed at which he was going
downhill attracted their attention to
him. Mr.. Peet at once exclaimed that
the man would be killed when he
reached Seventh street and attempted
to turn either to the right or left. They
rushed out of the house. Just as they
reached a point where the accident Oc-
CURED, Mr.. SchmitTOth was seen TO
leap in the air about ten feet and fan
head downward into the road.
+ Picked Up Unconscious.
Mr.. Peet and Mr.. Adams. assisted by
neishbors, picked up the unconscious
man and took him to Mr.. Poets resi-
dence. Seven attempts were made to
H. -e-.e. .. L
found who was at home. Tt was fifty
minutes after the accident occurred be-
fore surgical aid was at hand After
his wounds had been dressed at the
Peet residence Mr.. SchmittrOth was
! taken to ST. Marks hospital where
| he was operated upOn. Speaking Of
! the accident, Miss Peet said.
II came out of the house. after see
ing the man riding furiousIy down the
hin, just in time to see him lean over
the left side Of his machine. The next
instant he was flying through the air
The left front wheel had struck
sh; How rut in the road. caused by
/ water pouring down the hill. and broke
off with a snap like the report OF Il
revolver.
I Il was told by people who saw the
machine on Eighth street near I street
a few minutes before the accident oc-
CURED that the machine was working
badly, bucldng and running wild by
/ turns. / am positive that the auto
mobile was running away at the time
Mr.. Schmittroth was thrown out"
Manager of Jefferson Mine.
Mr.. Schmittroth, who resides at 275
/ II street, is manager for the Jefferson
! Mining company. which is operating
/ near the mouth of Little Cottonwood
/ canyon. He came to this city from
/ Omaha, Neb., i'm 1890, and engaged in
the bakery business. branching out IN
/ Eureka also. He was in that business
in Omaha.
\ In 1894 he gave up his bakery here
and devoted his time to his mine -Four
years later he sold out at Eureka and
since then has given his mine his Un-
divided attention. Up to two months
\ ago he made his home at the mine.
The house he occupies on II street was
purchased by him only a short time
ego.
Mr.. and Mrs Schmittroth returned
from Clinton Ia. Friday night. where
Mrs. SChmittroth had been for the
benefit Of her health.