Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1919-02-03
AUTO TRAGEDY CLAIMS
TWO WOMEN VICTIMS
ON SILVERTOh ROAD
HIrs. Peter Hansen Killed And
Mrs. Harry Hill Near Death
As Result Of Accident.

Yesterday afternoon, on the Silver
ton road a few miles out from Salem:
occurred the most terrible automobile
accident recorded in this city for many
years. As result Mrs. Peter Hansen
hes dead and Mrs. Harry Hill, injured
internally, Is unconscious in the Salem
sanitarium with little hope of recovery.
The party made up Of Mrs. Hill and
sen and her daughter, Mrs. Hill and
Mrs. Chas. Wilson, were returning from
drive out on the paved road about s
O'Clock Sunday afternoon, in new
Oldsmobilc car, driven. by Mrs. Wilson.
At point about two miles out from the
fair grounds there is sharp curve in
!, the road, with an embankment about
five feet high. This curve was taken
at fairly high speed, and in making
it the outer wheels of the car ran off
the strip of paving onto the dirt bed
Mrs. Wilson wss endeavoring to turn
the car back upon the paving when
the front wheel struck big block Of
slab wood and broke down, allowing
the axle to strike the roadbed. The
momentum was such that the machine
turned q complete somersault, first
striking on the top, which was com
pletcly demolished along with the steer
ing gear, and then landing on its wheels
in the ditch.
BY miracle Mrs. Wilson, who occu.
pied the front seat with the daughter
Of Mrs. Hansen, escaped with severe
scratches and bruises, while the girl was
practically uninjured
p. E. Fullerton, who chanccd TO be
driving over the fbad few minutes
after the accident occurred, states that
as he drove up he was hailed by the
)young girl who said they were in need
Of help. A moment later Mrs. Wilson
came from the front Of the machine
apparently half -dazed by the fall unt
said something about getting back .tt
town She then said there wore two
other ladies there, but she didn't know
whether they were dead or alive. Mr.
Fullerton and his companion then be
gan to investigate and discovered th'
two women lying bleeding, unconsciou
and half buried in the mud beside TIN
highway.
Another party made up Of Mr.. an
Mrs. L. Bowen, Mr.. and Mrs. VIM. Bow
en- end Mrs. LYDIA Bowen, drove up a
about the same time, and an effort wa
made to find home with telephon
connections in order to summon hel
from town. They found the nearD,
houses locked and realizing that !
would take some time to connect b
the rural lines, Mr.. Fullerton dashed in
to town with his car, ordered out tn
ambulance and picked up DR.. Fisher
getting back to the scene in yer.
short time. In the meantime one 0
the parties on the ground had sueceede
in breaking into house and called Dl
Cashatt, who arrived on the scene q fey
minutes in advance of DR.. Fisher.
1t was apparent at glance that bot
the women were terribly injured intci
nally in addition to their outer bruise
and nothing could be done for ther
there. They were hurried back towar
town, but Mrs. Hansen died on tn
wsy in. Mrs. Hill was brought in to tn
: Salem sanitarium, where she lay in a
unconscious and apparently dying cor
dition up to the present hour.
The wrecked car, a fine new Oldsmt
bile belonging to Chas. Wilson, q mi
torman on the Oregon Electric, wa
brought in by Jas Kappahn and take
to the Wilson garage on North Comme
cial street, where it is undergoing r.
pairs. Considering the experience