Evening capital news. (Boise, Idaho) 1901-1927, 1914-08-24
FATAL AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT ON
A MOUNTAIN ROAD
{. Elmer lddings Dead as Result Of Injuries
Received and Others Seriously Hurt

Slipping at sharp turn of a steep
mountain road at point above Placer
Vile late Saturday night, a big auto
mobile conveying a week end party in
to the mountains for Sunday, plunged
down a 40-foot canyon with the result
that tragedy was enacted for C. Ell
mer Iddings of the firm of Northrup
& Mangum of this city received in
ternal injuries from which he died
Sunday morning; Mrs. Mabel E. Lind
say is suffering from a broken leg;
Robert Pugh of the Pugh- Jenkins
Furniture company of Boise. owner
and driver of the automobile, is in a
local hospital suffering from a severe
ly sprained back and bruises; Miss
Avice Sheridan and Miss Florence
Bush, both of Boise, are bruised and
scratched. but not seriously injured.
The car turned twice in its descent
and then, with lights blazing, righted
itself and with engine running started
to retrace the path down which it had
but few seconds before plunged, but
was stopped by the steep grade. With
the exception of Mr. Pugh the mem
bers of the party were thrown vio-
lently from the car when it made it's
first turn in plunging down the can
yon. Mr.. Pugh chung to the steering
gear until the car turned a second
time, when he was violently thrown
out. The car escaped serious damage
with the exception of a badly twisted
steering gear
Bound for Garden Valley.
The party left Boise early Saturday
evening intending to motor to Gar
den valley and spend Sunday and was.
soon after assembling, speeding in the
big car towards the divide of the
Boise mountains.
Mrs. Lindsay and Miss Bush are
daughters of Mrs. Helen Bush and
Miss Sheridan is the daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. r. S. Sheridan. Mrs. Lind
say was chaperoning the party. The
trip into the mountains was without
accident or mishap until the party
had passed through Placerville and
reached a point four and one-half
miles beyond that place No trouble
had been experienced with the car
Before leaving Boise Mr. Pugh had
the brakes tested out. In fact he con-
sidered the working of the car almost
perfect.
Sand Causes Car to Slip.
Upon reaching the high grade over
the canyon, the car struck sand and
the wheels began to slip. The car,
with Mr.. Pugh driving, had Just
started to round a curve. Feeling the
car slide back Mr.. Pugh attempted to
stop it with the emergency brakes, but
was unable to do so and in an instant
the party was plunging into pitch
dark space. 1t was about 10 o'clock
then.
How the other members OF the party
aside from Mr. Iddings, escaped so
luckily Is still a mystery to them and
others. Miss Bush was the first to re
cover from the shock. She was thrown
out when the car made its first com
plete turn in plunging down the in
cline. Calling to other members of the
party she received responses from all
but Mr.. Iddings. They quickly made
a search for him. He was found lying
on the side of the canyon evidently in
intense pain and could not be moved
Although suffering from a sprained
back and bruises Mr.. Pugh immediate
~ went back to Placerville to summon
assistance. DIR. w s. Titus was called
from there and in company with Mr.
Pugh's business partner, Mr.. Jenkins
they rushed from Boise in an automo
bile for the scene. In the meantime