The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-06-08
mi a. n. ". MAckRErH.


bankment three miles from Littleton.
b. A. Blenner's White Special" a
competitor in the North Carolina en-
durance run, went to ruin shortly be-
fore o'clock this afternoon on the
tracks of the Seaboard Air Line Rail-
road below. Allen Potts. managing
editor of The Times Dispatch; Cole
man Cutchins, driver: r. 3. Airport
chief observer and ". 3. Nelson. timer.
and checker. were thrown out and
more or less seriously injured. The
injured:
Allen Potts. shocked. bruised and
sprafned wrist.
Il. n. Airport. broken collarbonc and
bruised muscles.
and shock.
Coleman Cutchins, CUTS about head
and face, though not serious.
The accident occurred three miles
from Tittleton and six miles from
Panacea Springs, the night control.
Mr.. Cutchins, new to endurance runs
and long, rough trips. stated to-ntsht
after his mind had become clear that
he thought he tainted at the wheel.
| His i,ands clipped. the ear swerved
and ran Wild He made frantic ar
/ tempt to bring the car. which, 1t was
| said afterwards, was running only hf-
! teen miles an hour. back into the mid
| Ole OF the road.
The general impression seemed to
| he 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 1t near
the pumphouse in Richmond, that ac-
cident being due to tire slipping off
In the heavy sands
Rut the machine TODAY ha -~op.a
too far to the right. In a moment It
was on the edge of the embankment.
along which 1T ran for twenty feet In
an almost perpendicular position.
stuck to Their Seats.
Seeing impending ruin and dca tn,
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 1t cleared the interven-
ine. space and landed almost against
| the tracks Mr.. Potts sprang forward
as the car struck, and landing on his
| hands, turned Il somersault and alSht-
! ed on the other side of the track.
! Cutchins pitched forward over the
steering wheel and fell face DOWN
wards, his head buried completelS in
the mud. Mr. Airport, who attempted
\ TO SpTln5 dS the car ieIL. tnet cage OIL
the precipice, was thrown on his back
and rendered unconscious. Mr.. Nelson
/ pitched from the tonneau over the hood
and landed on his hack against the
rails.
John L. Patterson, of Roanoke Rap
ids, who was accompanied by Dr. II.
C. Irwin, w. P Vaughan and Harvey
Keene in an f, M. f. car, were pilot
ing the endurance party into Little
ton. They slowed down at the curve
in the road to warn the following cars
and saw 1t go over the ledge.
Running to the Rescue.
The motors were stopped in sec
end and the occupants sprans out.
some TO go To the help of those lying
senseless in the railroad cut below.
4 and the others 70 warn the cars fol-
lowing. Almost upon top of each
other the other cars stopped, hearing
i the cry. They've gone over the em-
bankment; they've gone over tho en-
bankment.'
i Men sprang from their cars before
they ceased running and ran to tho
edge of the emhanknent They saw
the whole White Special against tla
4 railroad tracks thirtS-tipe feet below
4 them, the front wheels Embedded in
4 the mud and the four men lying as
ifin the stiffness of death
There was not more than a moment
before the other members OF the party
had climbed down the embankment or
run UP to the scene OF the accident
from the level below. All thought
that the White Special party wah dead,
Cutchins rolled over and groaned and
his face was buried in the mud ALL
port and Nelson lay white and still
blood flowing copiously from the
wounds in their heads and faces.
Potts, on the other side OF the track.
where he had been thrown. half arose.
and fell back. livid with pain.
Unconscious on Ground
4; Doctors II. C Irwin, B. A. Hord,
|, / Nichols and i Fulmer Bright ran
down, They felt the pulses OF the
! half dead men That of cutchins heat
/ strongly. tnat of Nelson and Airport
{ hardly showed signs.
Potts. was then sitting up groaninS.
The men were pleksd up and laid
!, / on ,couehes simprovised from antono
i bile cushions and strychuins and otheri
heari stimuiants were administered
EPotts soon revived, though grooming
for .brsath. and directed the attention
t OF sihe physicians TO the others, who
! he believed 10 be more seriously hurt.