Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1915-09-17
Island Pond Summer Resident
Loses Life in Auto Accident.

GLENS FALLS, N.Y.-Five members
of Whitehall family were killed
and sixth seriously injured at $3.50
O'Clock Sunday afternoon, Sept. 5th,
when a northbound D. & H. train,
travelling at so miles an hour. struck
an automobile, driven by deaf man,
at the Bay street crossing.
His father, mother, sister. wife
and baby dead, John Norton, %
years old, the sole survivor of the
Inflated party lies on a col in the
Glens Falls hospital unaware that
most of his family was wiped out by
the catastrophe. To his repeated
entreaties regarding his wife, the
physicians and nurses only reply:
She's all right"
The dead are Mr.. and Mrs. Nelson
Norton, each about 65 years old;
their daughter, Miss May Norton, 10
years old, their daughter-in-law Mrs.
John Norton, 80 years old, and the
latter's daughter, Edith, five years
old.
The deafness of Nelson Norton and
cIump of trees which obstructed
the view of the tracts were RESPONSE
BILE for the accident.
Engineer King blew the whistle
and, according to eye witnesses, the
automobile swerved, as if the driver
madessan attempt to ditch it, and then
took the road onto the tracts directly
IN the path of the onrushing train of
three cars. John Nelson was thrown
from the car at the crossing. his
wife and baby We're carried a dis
lance of about 100 yards, and his
father, mother and sister were car
ried on the pilot of the locomotive
aboutt400 yards until the train was
brought to stop.
Persons who were on the scene
Immediately following the accident
will never forget the sight. Strong
m an wept and tears were in the eyes
of the members of the crew.
Mrs. John Norton was alive when
bystanders reached her side. Open
ing her eyes, she asked in her dying
breath
Where is my baby"
A minute later she Joined her
baby and the other three victims in
death.
The car, Ford, was purchased by
Nelson Norton about a month ago.
Sunday morning the six victims left
Whitehall to visit Mr.. and Mrs. Mel
son Norton's daughter, Mrs. Schuy-
Ter Crandall, at Lake George. After
passing the day there the six started
foE., home by way of Glens Falls.
They drove down Bay road. The
father and son were in the front
seat and the three women and baby
in the rear seat. When the car
reached point about 10 feet from
the crossing, one of the occupants
probably called the attention of the
driverst Ito the fact that train was
approaching as he sWerved the auto
toward the ditch and then righting
it into the road drove onto the track.
The. big engine, No. 444, struck
the car squarely in the middle. John
Norton was thrown to the ditch on
the west side of the road and south
of the tracks. TneTautomobile was
carried on the pilot. About 200
yards from the crossing, the rear
seat became detached and fell to the
side of the tracks and near this place
Mrs. John Norton and her baby's
body were found. The remainder of
the motor car and the bodies of the
other three occupants were carried
200 yards farther.
Mr.. Norton has in the past, except
in the lasufew yeags, spent much OF
his time in Island Pond during the
SUMNER where he has a host OF
friends and a number of relatives tc
mourn his loss 1t is said by some
of the older residents that Mr.. Nor.
ton at one time tried to have the
. name Of Island Pond changed to
Brighton.