Norwich bulletin., 1922-12-08

Two motor trucks running wild made up the Thursday list of automobile ac- cidents fin Norwich. One landed in the vestibuIe of the United Congregational church on Broadway and the other brought up against the railing of the easterly bridge, West Main street. which prevented it from plunging into the Han- tic river.
 The first accident happened at, II in the morning when the auto truck of the Arrow oil Co.,, of Broadway, driven by George Smith of North B street, Taft vIlle, ran down the Church street hill, across Union square and crashed through the middle of the three big front doors of the United Congregational church.
 With its load Of filled oil cans, the truck was sald to weigh about -four tons, when it was left standing by the curb on Church street by Driver Smith as he went to a place to deliver some oil The engine was left running, but the wheel turned into the curb and the brakes set. Mir. Smith said. The brakes became loosened and the car started downhill.
 Driver Smith. who was going up g. flight os steps at the time. saw the truck start and dashed after it, but was una Die to jump aboard to put on the brakes. He shouted warning as he ran along with the truck, which first careened in to the gutter and grazed hydrant at ,he roa- of the old Y. M. c. A. building. This ripped the mudguards off that side of the truck, which kept on it's ways to the Otis library corner. where 1t seemed to be headed down into Chestnut street towards the public service cars that are parked along the curb there. The driy- CTS of the public service cars scattered td avoid the impending crash. but the truck strengthened out. and headed directly l for the church.
 ] Ducking through between the touring 1 car of John P. Huntington and another machine that were parked at the curb 1 up three steps and through the center doors of the church. Both doors were torn loose, one of them falling against 1 a table that was standing in the vesti 1 bule, and the machine came to a stoI with half it's length inside the vesti 1 bule. The table was pushed back against the wall and smashed the glas: in the frame of the honor roll.
 A woman and child who were on the sidewalk in the path of the oncomins ! car were warned by the shouts of Driv CT Smith and the jitneymen, so that the, got out of the way.
 Rev. Alexander H. Abbott, MGstor 0 the church, who was in his study owe the Otis library. heard the crash as tn truck hit the hydrant and from th study window saw it make its dasl across Union square and into the church Sexton Hans Rasmussen was in tn church when the machine crashed int the vestibule with a noise that Nil Rasmussen thought must be an earth quake.
 Driver Smith reported the accident a police headquarters and was ordered b
 State Policeman NJ. R. Sterling to be i
 court Friday morning to answer to tn charge of leaving his car with the en zine running. Later oI Mir. Smith sai
 he thought the oscillation of the heav
 load of oil cans on the truck had ha something to do with starting the trucl as the cans would continue to sway fc some time after the truck had bee
 brought to a stop.
 The truck had it's mudguard torn con !pletelN off on. the right hand side, il headlights broken, it's steering whe, , made useless and gears broken in tt
 clutch. The engine was started whi the car was inside the church and wit the help of the interested spectators was backed into the street, where was left to have it's load of gasolin taken out and later was lowed dow into Willow street. Late in the afternoon the smashe : doorway at the church was boarded II