The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1923-08-16
ACCIDENT AT RIVER BRIDGE
Car and Driver Plunge Thru Bridge

Blackfoot has q modern Paul
Revere, and he Is still revering. He
chose, not the Charles river, but
Snake river for the scene of his
activities. and he had his ride.
1t was 10 o'clock by the curfew
tand Peter Christensen mounted q
Dodge car and scooted to Snake
river bridge west. Thirty planks
were out at the center of the bridge,
and the center Orders were removed,
leaving fine opening as wide as q
car and thirty feet long. Into this
plunged our hero. But he did not
aim true, else 1t would have been q
baptism or more. His car missed
the center by enough to have the
left front wheel hook over a girder,
and thereby hung the jitney. Peter
dismOunted, and he admits that he
did 1t quickly. He set his feet firmly
on girder and retraced to the plank
floor and then sought out the solid
pavement connecting with the town
1t happened at 1910 p. m, and peo-
pie who saw him at IL o'clock aver
that he was still pale, but that is
aside from the main event He
went, he saw and he returned, and
all is we'll.
1t was reported that tehre were
no lights and no stop signals in posi-
disputed In part. w. C. Thompson,
road superintendent in charge of the
work of replanking the bridge, stated
that he had the south end of the
bridge fenced up with planks, and
q TN vufco OF ha
north end of the bridge. He was
called to go to the bridge at about
II o'clock and said he found the
planks knocked out of position and
carried some distance upon the
bridge.
A man who was at the bridge be-
fore dark stated that he viewed 1t
from the north end and that there
was a big truck standing ON the
bridge at the north end, and that it
was not turned crosswise, but that
It was standing In the middle of the
bridge with no room
'or cars to pass 1t on either side, but
With plenty of room for saddlehorses
Ind loose stock to pass it. He said
lie saw timbers of some kind at the
outh end, with one end resting on
he ratings and the other ends on
he floor of the bridge.
Mr.. Christensen, the man who
lrove the car into the newly devised
,lunge, said he struck the timbers
t the south end and before he could
let his car stopped he was up to the
'lunge. When asked II he had been
he stated that he had not.
lie said the lamps on the car were
h. ~ h. kf~~nh
cross the track until he was almost
pom them, and 1t put out his lights
nd left him gliding on into dark
ess. He was about stopped when
e fell into the opening and If he
ad had two feet more he might have
ept out of it. He said he did not
ee any sign saying the road was
losed, and did not see any red light
0 signify danger. He said that at
he Fletcher Taylor corner there was
hing about "Beebe, insurance, come
gain,' and he thought that was
ueer thing to be laid down in the
pad and left there. He passed it all
light and did not see anything wrong
18th the road, and when he came to
his second obstruction he was
uzzled for the moment and in the
leantime he slowed down and hit
he opening. The car did not drop
lru for the reason that the left
ont wheel caught on the girder,
nd as the car tipped to the right, the
Up of the car struck the girder on
lie right side. The rear wheels re-
lained on the floor, but right at the
1ge Of the opening. He admits that
Q was scared and that the opening
nd the river beneath looked as big
, Mt. Putnam.
Mr.. Thompson in discussing the
after said he went to the ware
ouse to get colored lanterns and
'und that he had no key, having let
lie of his men take it, SO he con-
uded not to bother about the red
gifts for that night.
Observations made on the road
I'd at the bridge in the morning
lowed that at the Beebe sign men
oned as lying in the road at the
aylor corner. there was post four
ct high at the side Of the road with
CONTINUED on PAGE 81