Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1916-10-13
AUTOS IN HEAD-ON COLLISION
Stanley and Ladysmith Parties Clash
on Road Near Chippewa Falls

Two Fords came together Sunday
morning at 10 O'Clock on the Eagle
Point trunk line road four miles north
of the city limits near the Omaha
crossing south of the O'Neil creek
bridge at the Richardson farm. 1t was
in broad daylight but there was some
smashup. Both cars We're put out of
commission. One car was new run
about owned by John L. Ryall, the
Ford agent at Ladysmith and driven
by one of his employees who was COM
ing to Chippewa Falls accompanied
by another young fellow. The, Ford
touring car was owned by j. r. Wal
lace and T. j. Penny Of Stanley, and
driven by Mr.. Wallace and containing
Mayor Crane and three other Stanley
parties who were enroute to BloOmer
to visit DR.. Ketchpaw and family for
the day.
The accident happened in a peculiar
way. On a fine stretch of road both
cars were travelling at fairly lively
clip. The Ladysmith Ford was head
ed into Chippewa travelling close be-
hind large touring car. The Stan
ley Ford was going north at a lively
rate and turned out to take the side
of the road for the big touring car.
The Ford drivers did not see anything
but the big touring car which obscured
their vision. The Stanley Ford after
turning out for the. big car turned
sharply into road and crashed right
into the left front wheel Of the Ford
which was directly behind the touring
car The stage was set just right for
such an accident. The first that the
Ladysmith Ford knew of the Stanley
Ford was when the latter was right
upon it. The Stanley Ford was travel
ing at a faster gait and being heavier
it created fearful havoc with the La
dysmith Ford, driving a terrific broad
side into the Ladysmith victim.
The damages to the Ladysmith car
were as follows: left front wheel
completely smashed; front axe beat
to an L shape; radius rods bent; left
front fender crumpled up and smash
ed beyond repair; left front lamp
smashed; left running board crumpled
and apparently no damage to engine,
but other minor damages about the
car.
Damages to the Stanley Ford: front
axe and radius rods bent; left front
and rear tenders both bent but can
be repaired; other minor damages.
Werner's Garage at Bloomer was
telephoned and Bert Jones, their me-
chanic came down with parts for the
Stanley Ford and an extra car which
took Mr.. Wallace and his party to
Boomer so that they were delayed
only about As minutes.
The driver of the Ladysmith Ford
phOned up to Ladysmith and Mr..
John L. Ryall came down with all the
parts, including a new wheel and he
had bis car ready by seven O'Clock
last evening. The damages to both
cars amounted to perhaps $3.50
Owing to the Eagle Point trunk
line being a straight road and the
cars going and coming driving so
nearly in line it behooves motorists
to always be on the lookout to see,
what is ahead or behind of the cars
which they are meeting or passing.
This unfortunate accident was clear
" the result of the drivers Of the
cars not being on the lookout as to-
whether there were any other cars
in front or behind that big touring
car. 1t is figured that the Wallace
car must have been going at a pref
ty fair rate of speed which necessi-
tated the driver making a sharp turn
to get back into the roadway after
passing the big touring car This
sharp turn in the roadway was his
undoing. The driver of the Lady
smith car said when he saw the other
Ford flip around the touring car and
head directly for him that there was
not ghost of a chance for him to
get out of the way except to duck
into the ditch which is about two and
a half feet deep and that might have
injured both he and his companion.
Luckily no one was iniured.-Chip-