Life was Dangerous in September 1920

Accidents Involving Trains

 Samuel Eberett of Washington, Indiana, substituting for Henry South as engineer for the B&O was seriously injured in a head -on collision just east of the river bridge. The freight train, a double header, was going west and the switch engine with a cut of empty cars was going east presumably to the tank for water. The force of the collision threw the second engine of the freight train down the north side of the grade and a tank car down the south embankment. The tender of the switch engine crashed into the cab, catching Eberett as he attempted to jump. His left leg was broken in two places between the knee and ankle and his foot badly crushed. The crew of the freight escaped to safety by jumping.

 Accidents Involving the Oil Industry

 James Marshall, an employee of the Indian Refining Co., was using a compressed air gun and the plunger struck him above the left eye, fracturing the skull.

 Floyd E. Burgoon,35, sustained injuries that resulted in his death September 1, 1920. In the company with Rolla Fyffe and J. R. Randolph he was driving hoops on a 1600-barrel receiving tank on the J. B. Lewis farm near Petrolia. One of the hoops burst and the belief is that a stave struck him with sufficient force to render him unconscious and the oil and water poured over him. He was employed by the Ohio Oil Co and had lived in the Petrolia neighborhood for three years. He leaves a wife and three small children. (The Sumner Press said he was 26, but the Lawrence County News gave his age as 35.)

Accidents Involving Horse and Buggy

 Tom Utterback of Hopewell met with a serious accident while on his way home from Lancaster. Just before leaving Lancaster, he saw a strange man tampering with his rig and when he came out to go home, the stranger excused himself pretending he mistook Utterback’s rig for his own. When Mr. Utterback had gone a short distance, he discovered his buggy was afire. It was useless to try to extinguish the fire, owing to its rapid progress, without exposing the horse to some painful burns or perhaps the loss of the animal, so he did the only thing there was to do, unhitched the horse, and let the buggy burn.

 Accidents Involving Automobiles

 James Kogan and wife, living on the D. S. Ravatt farm near St, Francisville were both badly injured in an auto crash. 

Henry Jackson ("colored" as the printed by the newspaper) and Wm Lynch were involved in an automobile accident while returning from Vincennes about 2 am. They drove over the East River bridge but as they made the turn west an approaching automobile with blinding headlights upset Henry’s equilibrium and the big Chalmers car headed for the slaughter house on the north side of the road. The car rolled three times and the cries and groans of the injured men aroused the whole east part of town. The injured men were brought to the city for medical attention. Jackson’s injuries were confined to a general shaking op and a badly cut wrist, but Lynch’s right shoulder blade was broken and his chest crushed. He was taken to Vincennes for an operation.

 Homer Combs, 15, ran into an automobile on Jefferson near 12th Street fracturing two ribs and spraining his wrist. He was riding a bicycle and witnesses said he rode squarely in front of the automobile. He was taken to the office of Dr. C. H. Crews and later to his home on the Dr. Gore farm northwest of Lawrenceville.

 Jule Osborn of Sumner suffered the loss of a finger in connection with an accident involving his automobile. Dr. Green had to amputate it at the first joint.

 Accidents Involving Farming

 Henry Schick’s arm was broken in an accident while unloading a load of hay. The rope broke and he fell from the wagon.