Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1917-10-04
SEVERAL INJURED
IN auto ACCIDENT

Five of The Grade Teachers in Pub.
lie Schools Among Those Who
Were Seriously Injured
Don Preston and Harry Melton, in
company with five of the grade teach.
ers. met with very serious accident
a mile and half north of Audubon
at what is known as the Kerwin
bridge Tuesday evening. They were
enroute to Manila to attend the Mill
tary Ball given by Unit X. of the
Ambulance Corps of which Mr.. Mel
ton is a member, when the accident
occurred.
1t is not known and probably never
will be known what caused the &C
cident. The bridge does not set
with the road but the latter forms
a curve to approach it. Evidently
Mr.. Preston misjudged the distance
to the curve, had light trouble or be-
cause Of thousand and one ifs,
failed to make the proper turn and
struck the banister of the bridge
The car being big Jeffries six
and heavily loaded had such great
momentum that 1t tore the steel hand
rails from their supports, badly twist
ing. bending and breaking them.
The right wheel of the car missed
the bridge entirely while the front
axle slid up the steel arch support of
the bridge till it overbalanced and
tumbled into the chasm below, bury.
ing the radiator completely from
sight in the mud
The rear end of the car rested
against the bank, supported by the
top. This one thing seems to be all
that saved the occupants from having
their lives crushed out by the weight
of the car.
Some of the teachers were quite
seriously injured. Miss Bovenmeyer
and Miss Eastman will be interned
for several days and perhaps a few
weeks. Miss Bovenmeyer suffered
from conclusion of the brain and Sc
we're bruises of the body. She was
unconscious for several hours but
when she revived, her mind became
clear and is improving rapidly. Miss
Eastman received a bad dislocation
of the right hip and minor bruises.
Her injuries are improving and she
will be able to be about soon. Miss
Catalan had one rib broken and was
bruised about the body. 1t will be
but few days till she will be back
to her duties as teacher. Miss de
Luhrey received a severe bruise of
the right limb. She will not be in
capaciated long however. Miss Wolf
suffered more from nervous shock
than from bodily injuries. Harry
Melton had one rig broken loose from
his spine and was severely bruised
about the body. Don Preston re-
ceived two severe cuts on the chin
and his limbs were severely bruised.
All were badly shaken up and scratch
ed. but there seems to be no very SER
ious or dangerous injuries at this
writing.
The car was badly damaged-al-
most complete wreck. Some parts
of it can be saved but to repair the
car is hardly possible. 1t was re-
moved from its position in the creek
yesterday afternoon and placed in one
Of the local garages to be dismantled.
Superintendent McIntire assisted
the doctors and friends in caring for
the injured as soon as they were
brought to town. He began at once
to secure assistant teachers to take
the place of those who were unable
to perform their duties None of
them were back to the school room
yesterday and may not be the rest
of the week. Some may be absent
from the school room for several
weeks.
The people Of the city were very
good in coming to the assistance of
the Superintendent and filling the va
cancies. Mrs. Blair Rice is teaching
for Miss Bovenmeyer. Mrs. Frank
McFadden is filling Miss De Lurie's
position; Miss Kittell is filling the
vacancy occasioned by Miss Catalan
absence. Two of the Normal Train
ing girls. Gladys Wedemeyer and Fiji
Goldstein are doing the work of Miss
Wolf. The kindergarten department
was dismissed till Miss Eastman's
return or until another specialized
teacher can be secured to fill her
vacancy. The work Of the school
with the exception of the kindergar-
ten department, proceeded as usual
Much crdit is due the Superintendent
for the mastery way in which he has
organized the school and arranged
the course so that substitute teachers
could be placed in the school and
the work carried steady on.
It is sincerely hoped that the teach
ers may soon be back at their work.
II complications do not arise, it is
not thought any of them will be alb
sent from the school room long. All
are doing nicely and the attending
physicians report the injured improv-
ing satisfactory.