The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1912-07-19
Sibley park, was dangerously injured

Sibley park, was dangerously injured
this morning when the wagon in
which he was riding was hit by the
Omaha freight train, No. %. Mr..
Blake had been down town, and
was driving back with a horse and
! light wagon. The train was COM
| ing into Mankato at speed of about
| twenty miles an hour The engineer
says that he blew his whistle for
noticed wagon approaching. He
said that the horse was running and
| it appeared to him that Mr.. Blake
was trying to stop it, but could not.
The engineer, as soon as he saw the
wagon approaching the track, ap-
piled his brakes, and stopped his
| train in about ten car lengths. But
| the engine hit the middle of the wa
gon and threw Mr.. Blake about thir-
ty feet, where he struck his head on
| a rail.
Taken to Hospital.
The horse was not hurt in the
| least and ran on into the park. Peo-
pie soon gathered there and carried
Mr.. Blake into the park, where he
was laid on the grass until the am.
bulance arrived. He was then TAX.
en- to Emmanuel hospital, where DR..
il. W. Andrews found that he had
! suffered severe concussiOn of his
skull and had had several ribs brok.
en-, besides minor injuries.
Condition Serious This Afternoon.
This afternoon he had suffered sew
eral hemorrhages of the brain and
| his condition is precarious. Mr..
Blake is seventy-two years of age,
and at his advanced age the injury
! is the more serious.
Daughter Away From Home.
Immediately after the accident, the
Ihousekeeper of Mr.. Blake telephoned
to Albert Lea in an attempt to COM
municate with his daughter, Miss
Sadie Blake, who was supposed to
be at Albert Lea for day or so,
while on her way home from Spring
Valley, where she had visited with
relatives. However, she could not
be reached by telephone, but rela-
return.
Train Running 20 Miles an Hour.
Engineer Robert Palmer of the
freight train stated after the acct
cent that the train was running
about twenty miles an hour, when
the accident occurred, and that he
whistled at the proper distance from
the crossing. 1t is known fact that
Mr.. Blake is slightly deaf. To Mr..
Palmer, it appeared that the horse
was attempting to run away, as Mr..
Blake was tugging at the reins. Mr..
Palmer threw on the brakes immedi-
ately after and the train proceeded
only ten car lengths when it was
brought to a standstill.
The horse was not usually very
high strung, but it appeared that he
became frightened by the train.
Eighteen Years Superintendent.
Mr.. Blake is seventy-three years of
age and was born in Canada. He
has one daughter, Miss Sadie Blake,
a brother, Sherman Blake who re-
sides at ,Faribault, two sisters, Mrs.
Everett Jones of Spring Valley and
Mrs. Thomas Jones of Mankato town
ship. He is widower, his wife
having died man" years ago, and he
resides with his daughter at 1913
Frazier street.
For nearly eighteen years he has
been superintendent of Sibley park,
and during that time has made many
noted improvements. When he first
took charge of the park, it was a
small affair, full of underbrush, and
during his superintendency he has
sen the park beautifed until the
present. Mr.. Blake was a member
of the Odd Fellows lodge.
At 2:30 o'clock this afternoon Mr.
Blake was still unconscious and his
exact condition could not be ascer-
tanned.
Underground Roadway Needed.
The accident which occurred this
morning on the Omaha track at the
intersection of the track with the
Sibley Park road, impresses upon
the people Of Mankato more strong
ly than ever the necessity of either
an overhead wagon bridge or an
underground roadway. This accident
was such one as is probably mar
rowly avoided every day by people
visiting the park, and some safer
way of crossing the railway tracks
should be provided
From Saturdays Daily.
Christ Hovlund, the young man
who complained to the police that
a brakeman on the Omaha railroad
had taken all he had, fell uncon-
scious to the ground in front of the
residence at 1908 South Front street
last night. A call was sent to Desk
Seargent Charles Scoville and he
Immediately detailed Officer Bienapf
on the case. When the policeman
found him, he was still unconscious.
The ambulance was called and How
lund was brought to st. Joseph's
hospital in an unconscious condition.
DR.. Andrews attended him and said
that it was due to nervous hysteri-
cal condition. Hovlund had had very
little to eat during the day and it
was thnnpbf that tbic bod