The morning journal-courier., 1908-07-07
r. l.. Bigelow's New Thomas Gar damned When Driven Across Kimberly Ave-
 nue Structure.
COULD NOT STOP MACHINE
Chauffeur Jumps to Safety When Auto Just Misses Dropping Into the Riyer--Rear Part Com-
 plcte Wreck.

A narrow escape from a probably fatal accident occurred last evening at the Kimberly avenue bridge when the i0-horse power Thomas machine owned by F l. Bicelow was driven up the West Haven end of the bridge as 1t was opening, and not being able to shoot over the top because of a re- versal of power fell back into the opening between the bridge and the street. The opening between the bridge and the street was not large enough for the car to fall through, and so the back part was smashed to pieces as the bridge closed Donald Blakeslee, who was chauffeur of the ear, jumped when the machine sank into the opening and was unlnjured
 The accident happened at ten min utes before when the bridge was opened by Newton Bradley, the ten- der, to allow the Howard company's boat to go through. The Thomas car driven at a high rate of speed by Blakeslee, shot around the curve and ran upon the bridge Blakeslee put on the brakes and tried to stop the car The section of the bridge was then at nearly so degrees and with the brakes on the car was unable to go over the edge and down into the water, Instead t dropped back No attempt was made to close the bridge as this would have caused an accl- dent to the Howard companys boat, and 1t was twenty minutes before the sections were again in place. In clos ing the bridge, both the back wheels had been smashed to slivers, while the back of the car was crushed. includ- ing the rumble seats, and portions of the sides were broken. The two for ward wheels and the two front seats were unhurt
 o. J. Bradley son of the bridge ten der, had just come up from the rall- road yards where he is employed. and saw the whole accident. He ran and got block and. tackle and attached 1t to the front of the machine as soon as the bridge was near enough closed to make 1t safe. The wreck was then drawn out of the opening between the street and was hauled to the middle of the bridge.
 It was immediately seen that the ear could not be run until many re- pairs were made and Mir Bigelow was notified
 Maynard, the agent for the Thomas cars, was also informed of the acci- dent and came down at once in his own machine. He worked over the car with Blakeslee until one of Smed- leys carts came along, and the ma chine was then taken to the Knight barage
 It was estimated last night at Knights garage that the damage to Mir. Bigelows machine would reach s1,000. More harm that was at first anticipated was done. Beside the smashing of the back of the machine and the wheels, it was found on close examination that the body of the ma chine was damaged so that a new one will be necessary. Besides this the whole frame is strained and shaken.
 MT Blakeslee said to a Journal Courier reported last night that he was certainly around the bend when ! Bradley started to open the bridge The bridge appeared to him as he looked along the road slightly raised md this he believed to be the regular appearance of the structure. He said that he was not going faster than twenty miles an hour.