The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1935-01-25
Clifford O. Asplund and Frank
Becker of Chisholm Lose
Lives In Crash.

FRIDAY mornings bus 20 Virginia.
driven by Andrew LeiviSsa, and 8 ESht
work truck OF the Minnesota Power &
Light company, came together short
distance from Virginia and TWO wo-k-
men riding IN the truck were instantly
killed The dead men ara Clifford o.
Asplund, aged 50, and Frank Becker,
aged IS, both Of Chisholm The truck
was on its way 10 Soudan WHARF ne
men were % do soma work @ the
switchboard al the Soudao m1e-
The occupants Of the bus, al u whom
were slightly injured or suffered from
the shock were Mrs Heinz TsbeA. LIS.
Anton BoIka, Mrs. Ann BrzxIhel. MIS-
Albert Beck and Mrs John Nelson q
this city; Mrs. Andrew Nppols, Ms
John zobitz, Tower; J. ?. Dixon, Fargo.
N. D.: Alfred Ruoknen, Soudzn; MIS-
John Lahti, Pike River; August L1sE1.
and Victor Ketola, Virginia
The accident happened as the bus vas
going south short distance from The
Faorenton hall and On the new road %
Virginia The driver stated thai a. tbs
point the brush piled II the cons-<sc-
ton work and by the CCC was Being
burned and that the dense smoke blow
ing over the highway onscued tie
vision and that he did not see the truck
until Il was within ten feet IN front @
him, approaching n the center Of the
road
LeiviSka further told the coconer's
jury which examined the case g. ths
Graham funeral home II Virginia, thai
he started slowing down 8 hak nile
from the brush fires He said -hz<
when ne reached the smoke he vas
travelling between Is and % miles 81
hour and that he had TUNED q rs
headlights II full The smoke vas
dense IN places that visibility va
limited to six feet, he said
In describing the moment q the
crash, Leiyiska said the truck bearing
the utility maintenance men popped GU
OF the smoke after be had driven psx
several Of the brush fires. Ee said be
stepped on the brakes and the cex-
second the crash came He stated that
tools which were II the truck, SLOW.
paper and debris flew through -hs
windshield and temporarily blinded the
driver as well as the PASSENGERS n the
bus The impact took him OF the ses.
and his foot OF the brakes.
The bus driver said that IN -he SEC
ones between the time he spotted tae
car bearing down on him and the crash
he looked TO see Il he was On the lSo-
side Of the road and slammed On lis
brakes The collision caused the Ies.
front tire TO blow out and ths tie rod
to break, forcing the bus OF the road
into the ditch On the opposite side o.
the road from which Il was travelling
On, he declared
He also told the jury that the &C.
cldent happened 50 suddenly that he
did not have an opportunity 20 notice
whether the occupants Of the truck were
doing anything 10 avoid the COLLISION
he stated that the truck lights we're 10.
burning.
The truck was demolished II the sc-
cident with the engine torn out and
lying two feet in front Of the chsSsis
remains and with parts scattered v1dely
over the accident area, LeiviSka said
He described the damage 20 the bus IS
broken axle, broken tie rod. dersed
radiator, smashed headlight and blown
out tire. The driver also stated that he
was not drinking man and that there
was no evidence Of liquor u the truck.
Deputy Sheriff Pare Of Virginia. who
went TO the scene shortly after the sc-
cident. stated to the jury that measure
ments showed that the bus ended ID
210 feet from the place where the crash
occurred and that Il travelled Us feet
on the highway before running into The
ditch He stated that the body q
Becker was hurled s. feet from tie
place the crash occurred and the body
Of Aspaund, % feet. He also said paris Of
the truck were scattered along the high
way for LIS feet There were Il fires
burning within stretch o. as feet
along the road and the diameter O. the
fires varied from six 10 II feet each.
The wind was blowing the smoke from
the tires directly across the road When
the deputies arrived about an hour
after the crash. they stated the smoke
was not dense.
The funeral for the unfortunate men
killed II the accident took place a.
Chisholm Monday. Services for II.
Aspaund were held IN the Community
church, the Rev Crawford Grays Con-
Quoting the same. Deceased Is sE-
vived BY his widow, his mother and two
hrothes- The mother and the brothers
reside at Eonxood, Michigan. where the
body was taken for burial
The funeral for Mr. Becker vas bad
ct the First Lutheran church. the Rev.
Carl E Cederberg officiating. Becker
was born in Germany and came to this
country when two years Of age he 5
survived by his widow and : son. joel
Both OF the men had been employed By
the power company al HboinE and
Chisholm for the past ten years