The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-12-25
PLEASURE PARTY
WAS IN DILEMMA
CAME NEAR BURNING AUTO.
SPILLED GASOLINE on GROUND AND
DROPPED BURNING MATCH.

Emergency Brake Had Been Slapped
ON. wheels Were Locked and Ma
chine Had 10 he Lifted From the
Rurning Earth-Hnd Used kerO-
scne Oil to Fill Tanks, Believing
They Were EmDty-Party Rescued
by WreckinE Machine.
A story was brought in by local
automobile dealer, who also does a
general wrecking business, rescuing dis
abled autos on the road, last night, in
which a number of prominent gentle
men and two companions figured.
Shortly after o'clock the party left
the city for ride through the moon
popular resort was attended by no
further incident than the frequent
stops for the proper enjoyment of re-
freshments. The owner of the ma
chine was acting as shower" and
piloted the party safely.
After an hours enjoyment at the
Casino, the party started on the re-
turn trip. The night was made merry
by the songs and jests of the elated
quintette. The whirring wheels and
regular "chug, chug'' of the motor kept
accompaniment to the song. and the
throaty notes of the signal horn punctu-
ated, as with laughter. the funny
stories. Indeed, it was lawfully jol-
ly"
Shadow Frightened Driver.
Suddenly across the road ahead
there appeared a shadow, resembling
through the wine mist which OBJ
secured the Showers" view, a fallen
tree. 1t was nothing more than
depression in the road Just as the
machine got to the spot the driver
threw on the emergency brake, clamp
ing it down so hard that the lever
broke. This accident, however, es-
capped the notice of the driver, and all
members of the party who were not
thrown from the machine piled out TO
see what was the matter. 1t was
discovered that the driver had be-
come frightened and thought he was
about to run over a fallen tree. All
laughed merrily and there was much
joking.
When all had clambered aboard and
the engines had started, the driver
put on the clutch. The machine re-
fused 10 bulge. Again and again an
effort was made to get the machine in
motion. but when the clutch was
damned on the engines stopped and
some one suggested that the gasoline
had given out. A consultation was
held. and a searching party was sent
out to get gasoline. No gasoline was
to be found, but several gallons OF
kerosene were secured at a negros
house and hastily poured into the
tanks. More efforts were made to
get the machine in motion, without
avail.
In the befuddled brain of one of the
members of the party, a happy idea
took birth-to telephone for wreck
ing outfit. The rescuing car arrived
in due time. and the attendant at
once saw what the difficulty was
There was kerosene mixed with the
gasoline in the tanks He quickly
emptied the tanks, to put in more I'M
adulterated gasoline. The adulterated
contents of the tanks had been spilled
all over the ground Immediately I'M
der the machine.
Oil Burned FierceIy.
Some one struck a light that the
work of the expert might be conducted
with due expediteness. The match
burned short, and was hastily thrown
to the ground. In a moment that por-
ton of the ground underneath the ma
chine resembled. in mild form. the
eruption of Mt. Pelee. The rescuing
machinist had his eyebrows singed off,
and hastily scrambled from under the
machine.
1t was apparent in a moment that
the machine would be burned If It
was not moved. Every member of the
party put shoulder to the wheel, fig
uratively, and commenced showing. The
machine would not bulge. The wheels
were locked by the emergency brake