Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1919-08-08
AUTOMOBILES WRECK


Zone of the worst automobile acci-
tents that have occurred in High
Iand-certainly where probabilities
bf fatal results were mere imminent
took place in the Vandrpool Gap
asst Friday afternoon.
Charlie Pullin, the well-known
passenger man between Monterey
aHsnd Staunton, had gone to Minneha-
Eaa after Mrs. H. P. Patterson, her
daughters, Margaret and Vir-
1inia, and two hotel guests, Mrs.
Anna Conrad and little son, Homer,
md it was the last named who I'M
Wittingly caused the accident which
wrecked the car and so nearly cost
the lives of the occupants. Mr.. Pull
Kin was descending the eastern slope
If the steep ridge at slow speed and
lls he took his eyes from the wheel
For an instant, the little boy, who
vas in the seat with him, pulled the
hrottle wide open and turned on a
full head of gas just at short turn
On the steep descent. The car, a
high power Hudson, dashed forward
With bound, left the road and liter
kslly flew over the steep embankment
Iesnd into space, landing against an
knak tree sixteen feet down the slope,
I'm bed of huge stones. The car
vas kept from turning over by the
pring catching on the tree, but the
anding was sufficiently sideling to
| .ause both doors on the lower side to
l1y open, and through these opjen
loors the six passengers were hurled
\ ,eadlong among the rocks.
| Strange to say no one was killed
4 IT fatally injured, yet none escaped
| Without scratches and bruises. 1t
developed that Mrs. Patterson was
most painfully hurt, receiving ugly
| bruises ION one of her limbs and
,ther parts of her body.
Mrs. Conrad had a severe cut on
Ter forehead, requiring a number OF
| stitches, while Margaret and Virgin
Patterson, Mr.. Pullin and the lit
lie boy were more or less cut and
bruised. DR.. Fox was called, and
mean time the victims were taken to
he home of Robert Wiley. They
we're all able to- be brought to town
| ate that evening.
! A number of Montereyans hurried
| % the scene Of the ACCIDENT and rem
dered such help as was needed. Since
then scores of persons have viewed
| the wreck and all agree that the
escape of the entire party was ME
| raculous. It is realized that nothing
| )ut the great momentum of the car
;aved their lives, for otherwise it
must have turned over. head-long.
INTO a bed of mountain rock.
The evidence that the car made a
plunge clear of the ground is undeni-
lble, the bumper striking the tree at
much higher level that it normally
maintains, and there was nothing
disturbed on ground over which it
leaped.
Mrs. Patterson and Mrs. Conrad
have both been confined to their beds
since the accident but it is not
thought any interanl injuries will
develop, and that both will soon re-
cover from the severe bruises and
shock sustained.
Fortunately, two of the passengers
IN the Minnehaha trip, Mrs. Peter
son and daughter, Miss Antoinette,
we're called to their home in Norfolk
oy telegram announcing illnesss in
the family, and returned via the c. &
D., thus escaping the experience and
ianger in store for the rest of the
party.
The wrecked car was gotten out
and broughnt to town Tuesday. In
spite of it's mad leap, only one wheel
had to be borrowed in order to ena-
BILE it to be towed to town on its own
running-gear. The principle DAM
age seems to be to the radiator and
frame of the machine.