The San Francisco call., 1910-09-13
Wild PLUNGE OF
Big AUTOMOBILE
into A CANYON
{. Il. Donaldson, Wife, Invalid
Son and Niece Have Narrow
Escape While Motoring
Edge of Road Caves Away and
Touring Car Rolls Over
and Over
ESPECIAL Dispct-h o he Call

lSpccIat DIspct-h . he Gall
SAN ANSELMO Sept. 12-Turning
over four times in a covered touring
car that plunged 40 feet down the can
yon Of the Russian river three miles
south of Hopland in Sonoma county,
Saturday night. c. G. Donaldson. pub
Usher and printer OF San Francisco,
miraculously escaped death with his
wife. invalid son and Miss Martha
Jones.
All We're painfully injured Donaldson
sustaining sprained ankle and lacera-
lions on the legs and body. Miss Jones
suffered ar injury TO her hip and minor
cuts and bruises. Mrs. Donaldson was
scratched and bruised on the body and
B.. limbs. while Gilman. her II year old
invalid son. was saved from serious
harm by a collie dog, whose hairy body
formed cushion between him and the
overturned auto.
DonaI Idson lives with his family at
san Anselmo. while his place of busi-
ness is in san Francisco. where he is
member Of the firm of Donaldson &
Nloir Al $50 Jackson street Miss Jones
his niece was visiting at his San An
selmo home. The party returned last
night on a late train.
TRIP To : RANCH
Tie party. with Donaldson driving
the car left here early Saturday morn
ing 10 visit the ranch Of Mrs. d. =
Jones z relative, in Potter valley Mrs
Donal ldson sat in front beside her hus-
band The boy. afflicted with spinal
trouble lay strapped to q stretcher IN
tho tonneau Miss Jones sat with him,
and The collie dog slept on the floor
They whirled along the winding road
above the river merrily until about 8
.-u.-lock in the evening Then, as Don
aldsou guided the big car around a
sharp curve the outer edge Of the bank
caVcd awav. The rear wheel dropped
with a severe shock and the tire eX-
ploded.
PR NGE DOWN CANYON
The machine lurched downward into
the canyon. The occupants were un-
able 10 escape. The top held them in.
Bound TO the canvas stretcher the in
valid hoy was hurled over and over
with the others. Four times the car
turned turtle churning the trapped
Occupants at each bound. Brush and
blackberry bushes lined the slope,
breaking the force Of the descent
s. clunp Of saplings finally brought
ine rolling car up suddenly with the
wheels in the air. DOna ldson and his
son were pinned under it. The for
ward seat lay across the mans legs.
. while tile crippled boy was under the
tonneau- Miss Jones and Mrs. Don
aldsou were thrown clear Of the wreck
falling among blackberry vines and
other shrubbery
PINNED UNDER CAR
Donaldson mana ged 10 extricate him
self. but cOul6 not lift the car from the
- boy. Meanwhile, Miss Jones climbed
the hank and ran 2 quarter Of a mile
tdespite The injury TO her hip) to a
farmhouse. The farmer. Fred Amen
- best in company with four men. two OF
whom were Indians. returned with the
young woman to the wrecked car.
d where the invalid boy was still held
captive
When the car was lifted they found
the collie dog lying across the body of
p Is young master. A small folding seat
a the rear had been pressing upon the
dog. which fortunately thus shielded
the lad from much of the pressure.
Neither the lad nor the dog was seri-
ously injured.
The farmer and other men assisted
and carried the injured to the farm
- mouse, which proved so small that the
party was forced 10 sleep in 2 harm
7 hey dressed their own injuries. as no
- physician was near. The closest rail-
p road point was Fountain. a flag STA
tion two miles distant. After remain
ing AT the farm until Sunday afternoon
they were driven to the station bv Al
- menbest and reached San Anseluo last
> nignt- The car is still in the canyon.