The Twin Falls times. [volume] (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1905-1916, 1916-08-10
MAN DROWNED
IN AUTO ACCIDENT
Salt Lake Man Drives Car Off
Low Line Canal Bridge
ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT BAD
PLACE ON ROAD SOUTH OF CITY.
Sam ChristiansOn Of Salt Lake Dead.
Other Man Named sackett Not Seri-
Ously Hurt.

Sam Christianson of Salt Lake, 33
years of age, salesman for the Zion
Cooperative mercantile institution,
was drowned last evening shortly af
ter six o'clock when he was pinned
under water after the six-cylinder car
he was driving ran off the bridge
which crosses the low line canal, two
and one-half miles south of Twin
Falls. All hopes of resuscitation were
given UP when twenty minutes later
he was eXtricated from beneath the
car, and although the power COM
panys pumOtor had been sent for, the
man was pronounced dead before it
arrived upon the scene of the acci-
dent. The other occupant of the car,
Harry B. Sackett, of Salt Lake, sales
man for the Cudahy Packing company,
managed to get clear of the car as it
ran off the bridge, and the only injur-
les received were severe cuts about
the hands. Mr. Sackett, completely
dazed by the accident. was rushed to
local hotel where he has since been
under a nurses care
There were no witnesses to the af-
fair and Mr.. Sackett's condition makes
it difficult to learn just the circum-
stances leading up to the accident Ac-
cording to the evidence gained, the
two gentlemen left ROgerson in the
afternoon, where they had gone in the
interest of their companies. They had
telephOned friends in Twin Falls that
they expected to arrive here about six
thirty o'clock. According to Mr..
Sackett they we're travelling about
twenty miles an hour when they ar
rived at the bridge crossing the low
line canal There is straight
stretch of road leading to the bridge,
which crosses the canal at an angle
to the road. On approaching the
bridge it seems that the car got off
the road, the hub of the right front
wheel just grazing a telephone pole.
and when the car reached the bridge.
it crashed through the railing and
landed nose down in the water
The end of the railing on the right
side of the bridge projecting past the
end of the bridge, crashed through the
windshield, hit Mr.. Christianson in the
chest and knocked him back into the
tonneau, in which he was pinned by
suitcases when the car half turned
over in the water, carrying him un-
der The force of the current pre-
vented the cars turning completely
upside down
Another car passing stopped and
while Mr. Sackett tried to locate his
companion, aid was sent for and a
call for help was sent to Twin Falls
A threshing crew nearby on Mr. Nc
Atee's place, hurried to the scene Of
the accident and pulled Mr.. Christian
son from beneath the machine By
half past six, aid arrived from Twin
Falls and shortly after, Coroner Cros-
by arrived with the ambulance, but the
man was dead
The body was removed to Twin
Falls, while a crew from local gar
age pulled the slightly damaged ma
chine out of the canal. The company
for which Mr.. Christianson works has
been notified of the death and word
has been received that his family will
be notified and that a man is being
sent here to convey the body back to
Salt Lake The man arrived on the
noon train and leaves with the body
this evening. Mr.. Chrsstianson leaves
a wife and two children to mourn his
sudden death
Mr. Christianson is well known
about Twin Falls as he covers this ter
ritory by machine every five or six
weeks. He had just arrived in the
city few days ago and this was the
last trip he was making to outside
points before leaving this territory.
| A pathetic phase of the accident was
brought to light when. a letter from
the dead mans little daughter was
found in one of his pockets Mr.. Chris
tianson had received the letter short
ly before making his trip to Rogerson
} and in it the little girl had said
Daddy, I hope you don't have any
more trouble with your machine"
This is the third machine that has
gone off this bridge in the last ten
months. According to report the
bridge is in a diiapidated condition
and has been badly in need of repairs
: for the past two years.