Los Angeles herald., 1909-05-31
CAR DROPS
OVER BANK
100 FEET
Six Injured in Automobile
Accident
Machine Is Hurled Over Arroyo
SecO Precipice
WHIRLS THROUGH AIR IN LEAP
OVER BRINK OF RAVlNE
Crash Witnessed by Rancher, Who
Summons Aid-one Victim
May Die as Result of
Injuries
WHIRLs THROUGH AIR IN LEAP
OVER BRINK OF RAVlNE
THE INJURED

AI1dIlES W. ANoSAA1 A
Commercial Printing company /;
rib broken and internal injuries.
Mrs. Charles w. Leach, wrist
broken and severe bruises.
S. T. White, 1889 South Ave
nue. 81, Garvanza, right hip
broken. critical internal injuries.
Mrs. S. T. White, slightly
bruised.
Margaret White, 8 years old,
cut on head.
Gerald White, g years DID, cut
on face and arms.
TN one of the most spectacular au-
i tomobile accidents ever known IN
4 southern California six persons
n,oya injured. one perhaps fatally, when
an automobile owned by Charles w;
Iaooh 1'la nroprietor of the Commerclal
D,inting company, dropped lOO Ieet
into the arroyo just west OF tne 90
,-iIIa bridge early last evening p l.
white of the Mission Printing coih-
many. who was a member OF the pal ~ ;
with Mrs. White and tleir TWO chi
dren. Margaret and Geralo' may uie
&C the result of his injuries.
TIC machine was travelling at the
rate of thirty miles an hour when tne
accident occurred, turning completely
over as il hurtled into the air over the
brinlx of the raVine. By miracle Oh
chance all the occupants escaped crlti-
cal injury except White. MRS. w nlte
and the two children were thrown ciedI I
of the car, alighting in a tanSle VI
I.lNn
underbrush and shrupperE' witch
d .ubtless saved their lives.
Stearinq Gear damned
The accident was caused by Jam
i, +ba steering gear, which Wrenched
tbe car from the control OF Leach'
who was driving, and sent 1t lurchlns
with frightful impetus over tne Steeo
incline of the arroyo. james w Wlllalu'
a. ranchman, saw the crash ana sun
moning aid took White fron uI,o9i ot,
the wrecked car and called the Key
nolds & Van Nuys ambulance, IN
which the injured were taken TO the
Pasadena hospital.
Leach, with Mrs. Leach, returned
home late last evening. Mrs. Whte'
with the two children, went TO the
home of friends in Pasadena. Her
husband remained at the hospital. Al
a late hour last night MS conultloli
was extremely critical.
Leach. with Mrs. Leach, in the auto
mobile called for the White party at
theft home at 5:45 o'clock in the after
noon. They were seen passing the
Annandale club house early IN the
evening at a fast clip. A short dis
tance east of the club house the road
branches, one fork going southwest
and skitring the edge of the deep guich
marking the arroyo. The machlne ap-
parently was in good conqltlon' anu
Leach loosened the clutch to full speed
on the sweep of straight road leading
TO the bridge Several hundred yards
west of the bridge the road makes a
sharp turn to the right, following
cIoselv the edge of the raVine. Keep
ing ito the outside of the curve Leach
made a sweeping approach TO the turn;
When he attempted to turn the Wheel
the steering gear had jammed, and an
instant later, before the occupants OF
the car could realize the danger, the
big machine had leaped the brink,
whirling in rnidair and dislodging all
but White. who clung to the seat.
The victims of the accident still
were daZed when Willard reached the
scene a few moments later. White was
unconscious when taken to the hoSp1-
tai.
Accident Is Remarkable
The accident is regarded as one or
the most remarkable in local auto
mobile annals.
when | saw the machine go over
the edge 1 had not the slightest doubt
but that every member of the party
had been killed. said Willard. 1T
seems incredible that they could have
escaped. The bank of the arroyo
drops in an almost sheer descent, fully
100 feet. The, growth of shrubbery at
the bottom seems to be the only ex-
PLANTATION, of their escape"
A party will be sent out today to
take the car from the ravine.