The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1910-12-27
SIX VEKATCHEE CITIZENS
NARROWLY ESCAPE DEATH
Automobile Party of Wenatcheeites En- Route to Foot
ball Game in Seattle in an Auto Yesterday in Bad
Wreck-state's Attorney Elect N. M. sorenson is
Knocked senseless and Taken to Hospital


happened to Wenatcheeites in Seat
tie yesterday. The loss of the con-
test with Chicago was disappointing,
and the accident in which County
Attorney-elect n. NJ. Sorenson was
injured came nearly resulting in the
death Of six popular Wenatchee
young men. That they escaped with
their lives is most remarkable mir
acle.
The party consisted of H. T.
Campbell, R. H. Rodolph, \. M. Sor-
enson, H. T. Wright, DR.. l.. B. Man
chester and DR.. l.. B. Hutchinson.
All of them are members of the
Elks. Starting from the Seattle Ho-
tel at one o'clock, they hired an au-
tomobile owned by 0. Casey and
driven by James Mcbride.
The chauffeur evidently thought
no speed was too swift for any We
natchee bunch. He had not gone two
blocks until DR.. Manchester protest
ed against the excessive speed. The
chauffeur paid not the slightest at
tention to this remonstrance AMI to
several others When the party had
gone about tWo-thirds of the dis
lance to the football field on East
lake avenue, where the street is
built out over the edge of Lake I'm
ion between Nelson Place and Alder
street. the machine was going at a
speed of between fifty and seventy
miles an hour. according to the es-
innate of the members OF the party
and bystanders.
Just A moment before this. Dr.
Manchester, who was sitting In the
front seat, again appealed to the
chauffeur to slacken his speed, but
his request was again ignored. 1t
was evident that the automoblle
could not make the turn without an
accident. All prepared to jump as
they saw a collision with telephone
post was almost certain to come.
The machine skidded, however, when
the chauffeur tried to turn, and the
men were all leaping from the car
when it struck the telephone post,
cutting it completely in two at a
point about two feet above the sur
face of the ground The force OF the
impact may be judged from the fact
that the pole was eighteen inches
in diameter. The car was complete
ly wrecked and the front end was
hanging over the edge of the bridge
above the water. Dr. Manchester S
hat went into the lake. The men
were scattered around, some being
thrown thirty ana others forty feet.
Niles Sorenson was the only one
seriously injured. He was uncon-
scious and remained so for nearly
two hours. Another automobile
coming up was used to take him to
Minor hospital where he will prob
ably remain for three or four days.
It was at 1lrst feared that he was
seriously injured but the report late
last night was that he would be all
right in a day Or two. The other
men suffered nothing more than
scratches and bumps. All that saved
them from going into the lake was
the telephone post.
One of the strange things happen
ing Immediately after the accident
was the disappearance of Chauffeur
Mcbride. No one remembers of see
ing him and he has not been heard
of since. A warrant was sworn out
for his arrest and the police made
diligent effort to find him, but
were unable to do so.
All the party, with the exception
of Sorenson, went on out to the foot
ball game and apparently enjoyed
1t as much as anybody with the ex-
ception of the uncertainty regarding
their comrades condition. They
were overjoyed at the close of the
game to learn that Sorenson had re-
gained consciousness and that his
injuries were comparatively slight.
Ira Thomas, who is associated
In the practice of law with Mr.. Sor-
enson, left last night for Seattle on
hearing of the latter's accident.