Perth Amboy evening news., 1924-05-05
A j 7 D. TRAGEDY
NEAR METUCHEN.
CAUSES ACTION.
Bad Turn at PumptoWn Cor
ner Brings Protest to the
Board of FreehoIders
METUCHEN DOCTOR ACTS
Child Fatally Hurt as Auto Up
sets-Mother Hurt--Man
Killed Near County Seat

AIETUCHEN, May 5.-Failure to
negotiate the sharp turn on the
Plainfield road at Pumptown corner,
about half mile north of the bor-
ough line caused the automobile
driven by Nicholas Wade of New
ark. to swerve to the side of the
road where it upset shortly after
1 o'clock Saturday afternoon.
Viola. the x-year-old daughter
Of the driver, received injuries which
resulted in her death few minutes
after the accident, while her sisters
Gladys and Eleanor. eight and three
Years. respectively. and the mother,
received injuries which were treated
at Mullen berg hospital at Plainfield.
AIR. Wade and his brother, Otto.
received injuries of minor nature.
The dead child sustained broken
5elvis, three broken ribs and inter-
nal injuries, while her mother and
sisters were painfully lacerated and
bruised from the force of the impact
and the breaking of the glass in the
car.
The injured were taken to the
hospital by H. Schaefer. of IL Will
liam street, New York, who arrived
on the scene shortly after the acci-
dent
Pumptown corner has been the
scene of many automobile accidents
in recent years, due to the sharp
turn which is concealed by dense
growth of shrubbery at either side
of the road. A small cautionary
sign was erected at the spot by the
freeholders last year.
Realizing the danger at that spot.
Dr. Lansing Y. Lippincott lost no
time yesterday in putting a petition
in circulation which was freely
signed by local automobile drivers,
asking the freeholders to take imme-
diate steps to acquire the triangular
strip of land at the dangerous inter
section, clear out the growth of
bushes and trees and pave that por-
tion of road as a means of eliminat-
ing any further loss of life at that
point.
The text of the doctors petition
to the county body is as follows:
May 4, 1924.
Board of Chosen Freeholders:
Gentlemen:-This letter is to call
your attention to a very dangerous
corner of the road and to ask you
to consider abolishing it.
On the road from Metuchen to
Plainfield about one-half mile north
of the Metuchen borough line there
is a fork in the road. The main
paved road turns to the left at a
right angle running toward Wood
brook farm and thence to Plainfield,
While the straight continuation of
the road runs to Oak Tree. At this
rorner there is a grass plot, triangu-
lar. in shape, containing some bushes
and one large tree. Some one keeps
this spot in good shape so that it is
pretty addition to the scenery.
But it Is also a danger spot. Yes
terday child was killed there and a
woman injured. A long list of acci-
dents at this same corner has taught
us to beware of that spot. but the
stranger in this neighborhood fire.
quently comes to grief there. The
road is narrow and whenever two
cars meet on the curve of the main
road they are forced to come within
a few inches of each other. The
slightest swerve is enough to cause
them to lock wheels. In recognition
of the danger your honorable body
has caused to be erected there a
warning signal.
IL the triangular plot were abol-
ished there would be plenty of
room to turn and to avoid collisions
and accidents. I do not know who
owns this plot or who maintains it,.
In the days of scanty horse travel
1t was attractive. In the present day
Of congested motor traffic it is a blot
upon the road. Certainly the eX-
pense of cutting down tree and
removing little sod can not be very
sreat. There would be only few
sauare feet of road to be built.
VIII your committee look it over
md consider the growing list of ac-
dents that occur there? If so l am
are that the choice between pre-
wing a tree and a life will be
imple.
Very truly,
LANSING Y. LIPPINCOTT.