The Lake County times. [volume] (Hammond, Ind.) 1906-1933, 1906-11-14
Machine Owned by VIM.
Brockway of Chicago,
Explodes.
ST. JOHN IS AROUSED
Church Bell Sounds Alarm and En-
tire Populace of Vicinity
Rushed to Rescue.

William Brockway of Chicago who
lives at 5000 Indiana avenue has come
to the conclusion that the Hoosier
farmers are not so slow as farmers
are generally cracked UP to be. At
least he is convinced that John Davis
who owns farm about two miles west
of St. John is pretty much up-to-date.
The explosion of an automobile
owned by the city man was responsible
for Mr. Brockway's enlightenment and
also for the destruction of a brand new
shed belonging to Davis, which had
just received its second coat of red
paint but a few days before the acci-
dent occurred.
Mr.. Broclsway, in company with c. B.
Corbin, also of Chicago had gone out
on a pleasure expedition in his hand
some touring car. He struck st. John
at about noon yesterday and being
hampered by the snow and slush. his
machine suffered some slight disar-
rangement and finally broke down in
front of Frank Davis premises.
After working Intellectually in the
storm for some time in an effort to re-
pair the damage, Brockway asked per-
mission to stable his car in his shed
where he could do his tinkering under
shelter. This was granted. Brock
way busted himself with one part OF
the machinery while Corbin crawled
underneath to look for the source OF
| the trouble. He discovered that the
fifteen gallon gasoline tank was leak
ing and sounding the alarm he wrig-
| gled out from under the machine and
the two men made a speedy exit to a
place of safety in the open.
| They reached this before the auto
mobile blew up with terrific intonation
carrying the greater part of the new
shed with it and setting fire to the rest
| Farmer Davis and his family rushed
out of the house to view the work OF
destruction and Davis, who being up
to-date as before stated, possesses 9
telephone, flew to it and called up cen
trail at St. John.
"They's an Internal machine ex-
ploded on my premises" he shouted
and set fire to the place! The whole
durn farm'H go if we can't put it out
Central at st. John is up to-date too
She needed no brick house to fall or
her to cause her to wake up. She got
| into quick action and in less time thar
it takes to tell it, the church bell. (that
same that had summoned Farmer Davi:
to worship for the past forty year:
or more) was changing forth in wilC
alarm and the whole town knew tha
there was a fire somewhere. 1t didn
take long for the agitated populace t
learn the location of the blaze anC
| there was mounting in hot haste
and other manifestations of activity
that brought a troupe of neighbour
and friends to the rescue. In the mean
time the fire had subsided consider
ably, but the ire of Farmer Davis haC
experienced no decline.
Fragments of the automobile, which
was blown to atoms, and of the new
shed, lay strewn all over the ono
orderly place and a heap of charre'
timbers marked the place where al
hour before the new shed proud.
reared it's shingled roof.
Mr. Brockway offered to settle 70
$50 Farmer Davis spurned the offer
I'll take 5000 and not a cent less,
he declared in agitated tones.
That's highway robbery declare
Brockway. That shed was never wort
5000"
Suppose it wa'ant. Don't you thinl
my feelings are worth any thing?" wa
the convincing rejoinder.
The upshot of the argument was tn
summoning by telephone of a constabl
from Dyer, who took the city man int
custody. Although it was then
o'clock, a hearing before Justice Seid
Ter was arranged. This resulted in a
agreement on the part of Brockway I
pay over the 5000, but as he had nc
that amount of cash about his perso
he invited the farmer to accompany hil
to Chicago, where he promised to max
good.
This arrangement proved satisfactor
to Mr.. Davis, the trip was made and tH
incident is closed.
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