The Savannah morning news., 1904-03-14
INTO DITCH WENT
AN AUTOMOBILE
WITH SIX OCCUPANTS.
STEERING ROD SNAPPED AND con-
troll OF MACHINE LOST.

Mrs. Murray Stewart Was Dashed
over Front of Machine, but Was
Saved by ChaReur, who Held Her
by the Arm and Kept Her from
FalIing-Machine Was Running Mt
70 Miaes Hour When Rod
Observation-Disclosures of the Operator
Saved All from Injury and Per-
haps Death.
Speeding down an incline on Estill
avenue at the rate of twenty-five miles
an hour yesterday afternoon, the steer
ing gear broke on an automobile in
which were Mr.. and Mrs Murray Meg
Stewart, their three little children and
A. r. Almond, one of r. V. Connerats
chaffeurs. The machine could not be
controlled and ran into a ditch at the
side of the road, throwing Mrs. Stewart
over the dashboard. She was saved
from a fall to the ground in front of
the machine by Mr.. Almond. who held
her by the arm. But for the presence
of mind and nerve of Almond, who was
driving the machine. Mrs. Stewart
might have been killed and all the other
occupants of the vehicle seriously hurt.
AS it was, no one was injured, though
the machine was considerably damaged.
The party had just turned into Estill
avenue from Abercsorn street on the
way to Thunderbolt There is a slight
incline and the aut omobile was soon
going at twenty-five miles an hour.
Mrs. Stewart and the Chauffeur were
on the front seat, while Mr.. Stewart
and his three little children were on
the rear seat.
Connecting Ro.1 Broke.
Without any warming the con-
meeting rod Of the steering gear
under the machine snapped, but AL
mond, at once saw the machine was
running wild and he threw on the
reverse lever and put on the brake.
AS the rod broke, Mrs. Stewart was
fixing her veil and had both hands up
to her head. She was not aware that
anything was wrong until the brakes
went on and the machine began to
slide. Almond had his right hand hold
ing the reverse lever and as he was
pressing the brake with his foot, but
he seized Mrs Stewart by the wrist
with his left hand when hIe saw they
were going into the ditch. The drop
into the ditch threw Mrs Stewart over
on the dashboard and she would have
ldlitAl Dul lot the grip VI <AlHlOnQ on
her wrist. The machine did not turn
over though the front axle was bent
almost to the ground.
Leaped from Machine.
Mr.. Stewart leaped from the ma
chine, the second it stopped. He
thought his wife must have been Sc
riously hurt as he saw her fall for
ward on the dashboard. Both Mr.. and
Mrs. Stewart were profuse in their
edly saved her from most serious in
jury, if not death.
Had any one but an experienced man
been in charge of the machine, the
consequences of the accident would I'M
doubtedly have been very serious. The
machine was stopped in wonderfully
short distance, shorter than one would
think possible when the high speed
at which it was running is consider
ed.
Was Gaining Speed.
Almond says he would have been
going at a much greater rate of speed
within a minute or two, as it was
down grade and he was just opening
up for full speed Another machine
was sent out for the party and later
the damaged one was brought IN
after a new front axle had been put
on. The automobile was a double seat
ed Cadillac. Besides the breaking of
the rod and the bending of the axle
the only damage to the machine was
on the tires, where the brakes rubbed.
In places they are worn, as the brakes
were thrown on as hard as possible
while they were revolving at a very
high rate.
The ditch where the machine left
the road is not very deep. Only a
short distance out the road is more
dangerous. The accident happened in
the middle of the afternoon. when
many were driving and a large crowd
soon gathered. The road for a time
Almost hlnnlcnd n.,ith Hrnhinlns