Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1921-09-21
CATTLE GUARDS
SAVE TWO LIVES
LEE AND LEROY EASTMAN
STRUCK BY FREIGHT.
FORD TRUCK DEMOLISHED.

Lee Eastman and son, Leroy, aged
II, had a narrow escape from death
Saturday shortly after noon when
their Ford truck, inbound from Shan
nondale farm in Liberty, was hit and
demolished by the noon freight, in
bound from Montfort, at the crossing
south Of Hal Borah's farm. The truck
was carried Is feet down the track
and thrown to the south side a tangled
heap of rubbish. Lee was thrown
about ten feet from the truck and lay
there. Leroy was found on the fender
of the demolished Ford. He was
covered with cream and cinders but
not badly hurt. Lees injuries were
more severe he being cut about the
left side of his neck and head and
every joint in his body wracked and
twisted. He was able to tell Roy to
stop crying as he was call right"
Mr. Eastman and son were brought
to town by Hal Borah, who witnessed
the accident from his dinner table.
Hal rushed to the scene, reaching
there about the time the train crew
did. DR.. Godfrey rendered first aid
and Mr.. Eastman was taken home
Monday his bodily functions had re-
jured internally. He is painfully sore
and practically paralyized in his left
side but will recover. Roy's injuries
were much lighter. He was bruised
on each hip.
Mr.. Eastman says the engineer did
not whistle and that he had no
knowledge of the train until he saw
it a few rods away at the crossing.
Then the engineer gave three short
blasts. Hal Borah and Ben Huppen-
becker, farmers residing near the
crossing, say they heard no whistle
when the train passed the post.
The freight comes in from Mont
fort every day and on Saturday was
just behind the noon train The
e. j. Kitson, conductor, w. G. Hath
away, engineer and Alvin Hildebrand,
fireman Mr.. Hathaway stated posi-
lively Saturday noon that he had
Whistled at the post about 300 yards
UP the track from the crossing. His
statement is corroborated by his fire
man. He says he was travelling about
25 miles an hour and could see the
top OF the Eastman truck bobbing up
and down over the cornfeld as it
travelling about Is miles an hour.
w. c. Cartwright, Eastman's son-in-
law, said Monday that he expected to
take steps to have the affair rigidly
investigated and the responsibility
for the accident placed.
A year ago next month Lees car
was hit square by another car on the
Beetown road west of town. The car
was badly wrecked but no one seri-
ously hurt.
1t is an absolute miracle that Lee
Eastman and his boy were not killed
instantly. The cowcatcher hit the
truck under the seat, a huge dent in
the gasoline tank and bend in the
frame showing where the blow
struck. The truck was twisted around
against the cattle guards. Five of
these posts were pulled out clean.
The truck hitting the posts caused it
to swerve to the south and be pulled
away from the front of the train. The
indications are that the collision with
the cattle guards caused the truck
and it's passengers to be pulled out of
the way before the truck fell ahead
of the engine throwing the man and
boy on the tracks to be ground to
pieces. This is likely what saved
Lee and Roy Eastman