Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1913-07-22
AUTO PLUNCES IN
TO DREDCE DITCH.
Dr. McCauliff, Roy Crouthamel and
Miss Yansey, a Nurse, Have
a Marrow Escape From
Fatality.
WERE RETURNING FROM .ALeoNA|
Car Lands in IL or Is Feet Of Water
NO Lights Displayed
as Warning.
WERE RETURNING FROM ALGoNA

Dr.. e. 7. McCauliff, Roy Crouth-
amel OF the Hanson & Tyler garage,
and Miss Yansey. a nurse at Mercy
hospital, had very close call for
their lives while returning home
Saturday night from a trip to Al
gona. They were driving in the doc
tors automobile and ran into large
dredge ditch containing IL or 10
feet of water, near Humboldt.
The party left this city Saturday
morning for Algona, where DR.. NC
Cauliff performed a surgical opera
tion, the nurse going along to assist
the doctor. Mr.. Crouthamel is an
expert auto mechanician and accom-
panied them to drive the car and
take care of any auto troubles
which might arise.
The accident happened about
1890 at night just this side OF
Humboldt. There were no red lights
displayed as danger signals, nothing
but q plank lying across the road
with long tile standing upright at
either end of the plank, the latter
having evidently been placed on top
of the tile but had fallen or been
Knocked OF. This was probably suf-
ficient to warn vehicle owners from
driving into the ditch during broad
daylight, but was no protection after
night. Its-xsas dark and the driver
of the car ran into the open ditch
before he realized the situation. The
car plunged down the embankment
and stopped resting on its front end
In water deep enough to reach near
II to the necks OF DR.. McCauliff and
the nurse, who were in the rear seat
of the car, and completely submerg-
ing the driver, Mr., Crouthamel. AS
the top of the auto was up, Mr..
Crouthamel struggled considerably
to get out between the bows OF the
car top and from under the water.
|, Being able to swim and with the
timely assistance of the doctor, who
was still In the back seat, he escap-
ed drowning and all finally succeed
ed in climbing out Of the car and
reaching the bank OF the ditch. Had
the auto capsized all might have
met watery grave. However, aside
from few bruises received by each,
no serious injuries we're sustained.
This was surely a most fortunate
ending of such an accident.
Before the party had left the bank
of the ditch, another auto was sight
ed BY them. coming from the oppo-
site direction, and but for the quick
action OF the Webster City party.
SIMILAR accident would in all prob
ability have happened. The auto was
occupied by an attorney named
Douglas OF Fort Dodge and two OF
three ladies were in the car with
him. DR.. McCauliff yelled at the tor
Of his voice to stop them and the
driver evidently did not hear him
a. he was continuing straight ahead
but the ladies on the back seat mus
have understood, as they persuaded
the driver to stop and inquire what
the trouble was. They were on the
way 10 the lakes and were very
Il grateful, indeed, to the Webster City
u folks when they realized the signif'
icanee OF the situation. The For
! Dodge auto took DR.. McCauliff ant
his companions back to Humboldt
i where they secured another car ant
3 came on home.
DR.. McCauliff visited the spo
sunday and after investigating thu
nos;tjon of the auto in the ditch ant
the general surroundings was aston
a ,she6 that the car did not turn Owe
4 and that the occupants escaped will
z mn fatalities. Ed Brown, the photo
st er, accompanied the doctor an,
-pe views Of the car In tn
that the ditch contract
7xUleen receiving complaint
q Mime from the citizens o
regard to the danger