The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1914-08-01
MISS HUTTON DEAD
MRS. HOUGHTON
FATALLY HURT
Auto Accident on PownaI Hill
This Forenoon
BIG CAR WENT OVER BANK
In Attempting to Pass Team Car Got
into Soft Dirt Where Road
Was Being Repaired

Mrs. Robert Hutton of New York
was instantly killed and Miss Mary
Houghton of North Adams was fatal
ly hurt about 1890 this forenoon
when a big Plerce-Arrow car went
over the bank on the long Pownal
hill and rolled 80 feet down the slope.
The car was owned by A. c. Ilough.
ton. one of the leading citizens of
North Adams and formerly the head
Of the Arnold print works. Mr..
Houghton was in the seat with the
chauffeur John Widers OF North
Adams.
In the back seat were Miss Hough-
ton and her friend, Mrs. Hutton. and
her husband who sat In the middle
The car was ON It's way from North
Adams 10 Bennington.
The accident occurred about a mile
and half beyond Pownal Center on
the long Hill well-known to all auto
usuers of this vicinity.
The road at that point had just
been repaired and widened and was
soft on the outer edge. In passing a
team the driver of the Houghton car
turned into this soft dirt and the car
which was going AT fast rate OF
speed went sideways over the bank
and rolled over and over 80 feet
down the hill
Mr.. Houghton and the chauffeur
Were thrown out as the car slipped
over the edge of the bank, but the
two women were caught under the an
to as il turned over and were badly
mangled. Or. Hutton was thrown so
far that he escaped when the car
turned over
Neither Mr.. IIoughton or the driv-
err of the car were hurt, but Mrs Hut.
ton was dead when they reached her.
Another car coming along was hurri.
ed to North Adams with Miss Hough-
ton in an attempt TO save her life.
There were men at work nearby
and so help was at hand to do every
thing possible
This hill has always been recogniz.
ed as dangerous place for autoists
and there have been several narrow
escapes there. The old railing was
repaired and a new one was to have
been put up when the work was com
pleted.
The accident happened near one OF
the winding curves in the long de-
seen, from Pownal TO South Pownal.
The road is sufficiently wide TO admit
the passage OF team and car. II is
presumed that the chauffeur took the
left side of the road in order that the
horse might have the safer side of
the highway.
The side OF The highway next TO
the steep drop down the hillside was
unsound. having recently been I'LL
ed in with loose earth that had not yet
packed. When the front wheel of the
car reached the loose earth there
was nothing 10 sustain the weight
and the automobile rolled over the
edge.
The three men must have fallen out
of the car Immediately after il went
over the side of the road. Mr. Hough
ton was considerably bruised hut the
driver of the car sustained no injury
With the assistance of the occu-
pants OF a passing car and OF men
Who were at work in the vicinity the
body OF Mrs. Hutton was carried 10
the shade Of nearby tree and cover
ed with a robe Her face was crush
ed and death mus; have been instan-
taneous.
Miss Iloughlon was carefully car
ried some distance up the road tow
ard Pownal Center and laid beside
the highway.
News of the accident was quickly
telephoned to North Adams and in a
short time more than score of au-
tomobilcs were on their way 10 the
scene OF The tragedy. 4 couch was
obtained from the home Of Maurice
Bennett. the nearest house. and the
young woman was placed upon II and
lifted into one Of the larger cars for
the journey to North Adams. She
was unconscious and in the opinion
Of the PHYSICIANS had little chance
for recovery.
Another report OF the accident is
that there was work team on the
side Of the road opposite where the
accident occurred and Houehton's
car coming up the Hill rapidly made