The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1921-10-14
Yellowstone TRAIL
BUILDERS IN ACCIDENT
FORD CARD SMASHED INTO CT
MENT ABUTTMENT; TWO OF
PARTY NEARLY KILLED

Z
Wi'enot Enterprise Ober; Olson
Of Orticy ard w. E. Hrown of Yer
million have been at the Wilmot hos
pital all week lowering between life
and death as the result of an auto &C
cident south of town last Sunday nixila
and bruce Amos of Highmore AMI
William Elder of Prinphar, Iowa, are
rursing painful injuries.
These young men are engaged at
work for the construction company
building the Yellowstone Trail in the
vicinity of Ortley. Last Sunday they
drove down here to look ever the
possibilities Of securing work at husk-
ing corn, one of the men said, having
learned that the yield in this vicinity
was very good. They we're about the
city late in the evening and some.
where about nine-thirty started to re-
turn to Ortley. They drove straight
south Of town and at the Hanson farm
six miles south ran into the cement
bridge across the creek at that place,
around which there was no filling due
to the inability to secure desirable
bids for doing the work. TIE boys
we've riding in a Ford and instead of
turning east at the detour around the
bridge. drove straight ahead and
smashed head-on into the heavy ce-
naent abuttment, throwing Overt
Olson and one Of the other men on top
of the bridge, and rendering them all
unconscious. Here they no doubt had
lain in that state for two hours, when
couple of boys passing about II
o'clock were accosted by Mr. Elder,
who had sufficiently recovered to real
ize that an accident had occurred.
They rendered what assistance they
eouh. reused the Hanson boys and
had the injured men brought to this
city. where they were given immediate
attention by DR.. Harris. who worked
over them nutn mseainx.
1t seems that there IL. no sign u.
this place indicating that the bridge
is un*ler repair, and Of course, th.
young men did not recollect the cir
cumstances leading up to the acci-
dent. Obert Olson received ugly
scalp wounds and probably a frac-
tured skull, w. F.. Brown was severely
injureN about the face end chest, in.
cluding the fracture of his upper jaw.
Bruce Amos, wle was driving the car
lost practically all his teeth and had
his lower jaw fractured, while Will
liam t,lder, the owner If the car, came
out with only severe bump on the
forehead. If all the men live. as the
indications are at the present time,
the young men can consider them
selves very fortunate, indeed. 1t can
be considered nothing short OF mira
ci0us that the car should smash into
this abuttment of solid cement il it
was travelling at only a moderate :e
speed, without killing all the occu-
pants outright. careful survey Ot
the ground would indicate that after
hitting the bridge, the car tipped NJ
agains,t the abvttment and then set
tied back On its wheels again. and the
car itself was not badly damaged
Relatives Of the injured men have
been IN constant attendance all week
and the r1en themselves are receivin.
the very best of care. There are fire.
aaent threats Of damage suits anil
something in this line might develop,
while On the other hand, there Nigh.
be circumstances connected with the
affair that will cause the affair to lie
dropped in case the men recover
Many pesple aver that while the men
were in town some Of them were de
eidedi, under the influence Of liquor
and it this is the case the township
libality would be greatly minilmized
And while the township had no sign
at the bridge, it. is maintained that
the heavy growth of tall weeds on
this side of the bridge across the roa,
had heen regarded as sufficient warn
ing TO travellers.
The accident is indeed unfortunate
and should serve as another warning
that Great care should he exercised
while driving after dark. particularly
while under the influence Of liquo..
and also to contractors and township
officials regarding the proper dangel
signs at the places.
Telephone your items to this Office.
Arthur Anderson, f. H. Benedict
ard n F. Nelson, delegates to ths
< of p grand lodge held in Mobridg.