The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1910-06-16
MACHINE PLUNGES
over EMBANKMENT
-Four Occupants OF Blenner Special
in Endurance Run Narrowly
Escape Death.
RICHMOND. YA.-Snec,aI

ISiephofnc communication with
Thomas Gresham, who is also on
the run, Wednesday, and learns
that his son was badly bruised
about the head and suffered "A
broken collarbone.
II wanted TO take the first train
Thursday, "but MIR. Gresham
told me that Bob was not seri-
ousiy injured and that it would
not DC necessary. He will arrive
home this afternoon at 5 O'Clock,
and do not think he will be laid
MP for any length OF time"
Mp. w. Ii. Nelson. who was also
seriously hurt when the auto was
hurled over a thirty-five foot en-
bankment, and Mr.. Gresham will
return to Richmond with Dir. ALI
port.
The following is in part an account
or the accident as reported by A. r.
w. Mackreth, stan correspondent Of
the Times-Dispatch, who was with
the party:
PANACEA SPRINGS, N. Especial
Hurled over a thirty-five-foot embank-
ment three miles from Littleton, b.
A. Blenner's White Special" a COM
petitor in the North Carolina endur-
ance run, went to ruin shortly before
4 o'clock Wednesday afternoon on the
tracks of the Seaboard Air Line Rail-
road below. Allen Potts. Coleman
Cutchins. driver; r. B. Airport, chief
observer, and w. B. Nelson, timer and
checker. all of Richmond, were
thrown out and more or less seriously
injured. The injured:
Allen Potts, shocked, bruised and
sprained wrist.
r. b. Airport, broken coliarbone and
bruised muscles.
w. B. Nelson. fractured wrist.
| bruises and shock.
Coleman Cutchins. cuts about head
and face, though not serious.
The accident occurred three miles
| from Littleton and six miles from
Panacea Springs. the night control.
Mr.. Cutchins, new to endurance
runs and long, rough trips. stated last
night after his mind had become clear
that he thought he tainted at the
wheel. His hands slipped; the car
| swerved and ran wild. He made
! frantic attempt to bring the car.
which, ii was said afterwards, was
/ running only fifteen miles an hour,
| back into the middle Of the road.
| The general impression seemed to
| be that the steering gear had broken,
but this Mr.. Cutchins denied. A care
full examination of the machinery has
not yet been made. Several weeks
| ago the same car turned over with
Mr.. Blenner while he was driving IL
near the Pumphouse in Richmond.
| that accident being due to a tire slip
| ping off in the heavy sands.
But the machine had gone too far
10 the right. In a moment il was on
the edge Of the embankment, along
which it ran for twenty feet in an
| almost perpendicular position.
Stuck TO Their Seats.
Seeing impending ruin and death,
the thought of jumping for their lives
| occurred to the men in the car, but
as Cutchins was hanging grimly to
the wheel they stuck to their seats.
The car swerved again, this time
down. With a bound it cleared the
| intervening space and landed almost
against the tracks. Mr.. Potts sprang
forward as the car struck, and land
ing on his hands. turned a somersauIt
and alighted on the other side of
the track. Cutchins pitched forward
over the steering wheel and fell face
downwards, his head buried complete
ly in the mud. Mr.. Airport, who at
tempted to spring as the car left the
edge Of the precipice. was thrown on
his back and rendered unconscious
Mr.. Nelson pitched from the tonneau
over the hood and landed on his
back against the rails.
Unconscious on Ground.
Drs. H c. Irwin, B. A. Hord, r. A
Nichols and j. Fulmer Bright ran
down. They felt the pulses Of the
half-dead men. That Of Cutchins beat
strongly, that OF Nelson and Airport
hardly showed signs.
Potts was then sitting up groaning
The men were picked up and laid on
coucheS improVised from automobile
cushions and strychnine and other
heart stimulants were administered
Potts soon revived, though grooming
for breath, and directed the attention
OF the physicians to the others, who
he believed to be more seriously hurt
Cutchins was placed on a cushion
seat and Airport and Nelson were
placed beside him. They appeared to
be dying.
What has happened? Where am
/! Where is the carr" cried Cut
chins.
One by one they were borne into a
small grove, where their hurts were
temporarily bandaged. Rules and reg
ulations no longer counted, and the
injured men were placed in the cars
coming up behind. Speed was reduced
so that the injured might not suffer
unnecessarily.
Each man was placed in a car and
taken to the hotel at Ijttleton, where
signs OF welcome Haunted gloriously
before them, but the welcome Gre
ated no enthusiasm. The entree to
Llttleton was quiet and without en-
thusiasm. The wounded men were
borne TO the hotel and Mr.. Nelson
was put to bed. Coleman Cutchins
gradually recovered his natural clear
! ness Of mind, but could tell nothing
or the accident at the time He was
taken afterwards to the hotel at PAN
+.
Airport. Mr.. Nelson remained in Lit
Teton. DR.. Bright telephoned to Mrs.
Nelson last night apprising her of the
accident, and assuring her that her
husbands injuries were not serious.
but she went to Littleton today with
her husbands brother, and will ac-
company her husband back to Rich
mond. Mr.. Airport, who is suffering
with severe fracture of the collar
bone, Will also return this morning.
Mr.. Potts, whose athletic ability
probably saved his life, and Mr.. Cut
chins will continue on the run.
Went Over Like Flash.
The car went over the edge so sud-
denly that it was too late to use the
brake. There was only time for a
word of prayer and then eyes were
shut that they might not see the
chasm. One of the occupants of the
Inflated car said afterwards that he
thought death was certain, as the car
skidded and swayed along the ledge.
Another threw his hands over his
face and moaned; the others closed
their eyes. Then the car leaned awav
and downward. There was a crash:
the occupants, impelled with the mo.