The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1916-10-05
OIL. SPIRES Of
BURLINGTON FATALLY
INJURED SUNDAY
Auto Crashes Into Bridge Railing Just
West of City-Dies Ten Minutes
After Reaching Hospital

Obie L. Spires of Burlington was IA
tally injured last Sunday evening
when his auto crashed into the railing
of bridge just west of the city. The
exact cause of his death is still a
matter of conjecture upon the part of
his friends. Whether the accident
was due to defective steering gear
or whether Mr.. Spires suffered an at
tack of heart failure as the auto ap-
preached the bridge will forever re-
main mystery. H. T. Hogy Of Bur-
lington was sitting at his side and
conversing with him at the time the
accident occurred. Mr.. Hogy states
that as they descended the steep hill
and struck the sand road at the bot
tom he observed that Mr.. Spires did
not have the car under absolute con-
troll, but he felt no alarm and had no
idea Of their imminent danger until
the crash came The impact threw
Mr.. Hogy distance of twenty feet.
When he arose and approached the
car Mr.. Spires was still sitting in the
seat but at the opposite end. AS Mr..
Hogy came up Mr.. Spires said, "Hans.
my time has come Get me to the hos
pital quick. I am dying" Just then
the car of Kenneth Jackson drove UP
and the injured man was transferred
to his car and quick run made to the
hospital. On the way Mr.. Spires con-
versed with Mr.. Hogy, who was sup
porting him, as he was in great pain,
and talked with considerable effort.
Upon their arrival at the hospital a
physician who was present examined
him and stated that there was no hope
as the man was then dying. He lived
about ten minutes after arriving at
the hospital. It is believed that an
injury which he sustained some years
ago when kicked by horse may have
been the indirect cause of his death,
as upon several occasions of late he
had been heard to complain of intense
pains in the region of his heart The
accident itself is not thought to have
been sufficient to have caused death,
and there was not even a single bruise
upon the body to indicate an injury
of consequence. O. K. Spires, a broth
er of the deceased, informs the indie
pendent that in all probability he suf-
fered an attack of vertigo as the ma
chine descended the hill and this is
apparently the only hypothesis by
which the accident can be accounted
for, as otherwise he could have stop
ped the car easily by resorting to the
brakes. ...-.'
The body was taken to the under
taking parlors Of J. W. Rowan where
the funeral services were held on
Wednesday afternoon, Rev. Sparkling
conducting the services. Interment
was in Rose Hill cemetery.
Besides a sorrowing wife and two
daughters, Hazel and Irene, aged IS
and Is respectively, the deceased
leaves an aged mother, Mrs. Zenith
Spires Of Burlington, three brothers,
O. K. Spires of Burlington, DR.. Louis
Spires of Joliet, ILL.,, and Charles
Spires Of Oklahoma City, Okla, and
two sisters, Mrs. Elmer Kind of Bur
lington and Mrs. Nellie Pattenga1e OF
Pana, III.
Obie L. Spires was born at Parsons,
Kansas, May 3, 1870 Moving to
North Dakota in 1907 he engaged in
farming and during the past few years
lived in Burlington where he was en-
gagged in livery and general teaming
work. He was a man devoted to his
family who will sadly miss his loving
presence from the fireside Obie Spires
was a good neighbor and friend, gen
erous to fault, ever ready and will
ing to sacrifice his own comfort to do
good turn for a friend. The indie
pendent extends it's sincere sympathy
to Mrs. Spires and family in their be-
reavement.