The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1914-10-02
AUTO WAS SMASHED
OCCUPANTS. UNINJuRED
From Mondays Daily

FFoW tWopsdy SoUJ
Struck by Dan Patch line freight
on the railway crossing about three
miles north OF the city, an autobobile
owned BY c. j. Laurisch was almost
completely demolished last night. Mr..
Laurisch and his wife were returning
from St Peter at about nine o'clock,
when the accident happened. Mr..
Laurisch allowed his car 10 coast
down the grade approaching the rail-
way crossing. and as he reached the
bottom of the incline threw the car
into low gear. Mrs. Laurisch men,
toned that this was that bad cross
ing" and told Mr.. Laurisch to be
careful.
The automobile was perhaps TWEEN
~ rods from the track at that time,
track both Mr.. and Mrs. Laurisch
watched for a train. When the au.
tomobile was about seven feet from
the train Mrs. Laurisch cried out,
There Is a train" and Immediately
climbed out OF the car. MIR. Laurisch
threw his car into reverse and al
most Immediately the automobile was
struck by the pilot beam of the en-
CINE. The train, Mr.. Laurlsch be-
lieves. was about eighty feet away
when they saw il.
Auto Was Turned Around.
Mr.. Laurisch stated this morning
that he thought the front wheels OF
his machine were on the track when
the engine struck il the pilot beam
striking the car about three feet
from the front The automobile was
turned completely around and landed
fifteen or twenty feet from the track
against telephone pole, and when
Mr.. Laurisch collected his thoughts
he was standing upon his feet, also
facing in the opposite direction from
the train.
lie Immediately looked for his wife,
who was not hurt. She was unable
TO tell what happened from the time
she saw the light OF the train until
the excitement was over. except that
she knew she grasped one Of the
hind wheels of the automobile in an
attempt to pull It back from the rail.
way track.
The train went on perhaps a thou
sand feet before stopping, and then
the conductor and two brakemen
whose names Mr. Laurisch did not
learn. returned to see what had hap
pened. Mr.. Laurisch stated that
from the appearance of the men
when they reached him, they must
have expected TO find the occupants
OF the automobile seriously hurt
They all went back to the freight
train and rode to Mankato.
The automobile was brought tc
Mankato today, and is believed to, be
total loss. The radiator. tenders
wind shield. axle and wheels. as well
as one front door are demolished, the
only part OF the machine which was
not hurt seems 10 be the body.
Small Bruise on Limb.
MrN Laurisch has one small bruise
on one of Inns limbs. had one finge:
nail torn partly OF and this morning
noticed some stiffess. in his. back
Mrs. Laurisch was not bruised in tn,
least, but she too felt rather lame
and much shaken up this morning.
When Mr.. Laurisch talked to mem
hers OF the train crew he said the
train must have been running yer,
fast. but the trainmen denied this
When asked why they had not whis
tied the conductor said the trair
had whistled. but II was before going
round the blum; so perhaps II coul,
not be heard. Just as the trair
reached the crossing II whistled
again. but that was OF course toe
late to be a warning d
Several accidents snd narrow es
capes have been laid to this rail
way crossing and there has been
continual complaint because brusl
and weeds are permitted TO grow NJ
along side the road on the ap
breaches TO the eros sing. making II
impossible to see an approaching
train until within a few feet of the