Search This Blog

Translate

Monday, October 22, 2012

Newspaper tells of car accident

I have bitten the bullet and jumped into the world of online historic newspapers.  Granted, I have found bits and pieces of information here and there thanks to Google from newspapers.  However, I had never jumped head first into the pool.  Oh noes…. This could be really bad.

This morning, while drinking my tea, I found an article telling about the car accident that ended my uncle's life on a rain soaked road, at 18, in 1959.  I have also found articles on my grandfather when he was running for the Indiana State House of Representatives.  Goodness knows what else I will find over the next few days, weeks, or months! 

It has been very fascinating to say the least.  I have to admit I was a bit disgusted at the 49 cents per pound for a roast in the 1964 newspaper I was looking at.  Mumble, grumble…..

 
Page 26, Anderson Herald Bulletin, November 14 1959

Three Added to Death Toll

United Press International

Three more traffic fatalities, all of them on the rain-drenched roads, sent the Indiana total moving steadily upward today as another weekend opened.

Two of the accidents occurred after the weekend count began at 6 p.m. Friday.  The other occurred a short time before the count began.

One of the victims was the son of an Indiana Legislator.  Another was killed trying to miss a dog in the highway.  The third was an old man in dark clothing who wandered into a busy highway in the evening gloom.

John Combs, 18, Washington, was killed early this morning when his car skidded off U.S. 50, hit a culvert and rolled over near Washington.  Combs was the son of Paul E. Combs (R-Washington).  Charles Shake, 20, Washington, who was riding with Combs, was taken to Daviess County Hospital with a back fracture and other injuries.

George Beatty, 81, near Columbus, was killed Friday night when he was hit by a car driven by Robert McKain, 35, Columbus, on U.S. 31.  Authorities said he fell or stumbled into the path of the car.

John Rue Mercer, 63, Indianapolis livestock buyer, was killed late Friday when his car collided with another vehicle as he swerved to miss a dog in U.S. 421 east of Whitestown.

State Police said the car skidded and struck a car driven by Harold Duckworth, 37, Frankfort.  Mercer was thrown to the pavement and died at the scene.  Duckworth was treated for a back injury at Clinton County Hospital in Frankfort.

 
photo credit: ShironekoEuro via photopin cc

2 comments:

  1. I am just about to jump into the world of online historic newspapers, to try dismantling my "brick wall." I thought I'd try blogging about my process in real time, even though I don't know where my search will lead (chancy!)

    I also am a self-taught family historian. I admire your blog page, which is beautiful with all its sidebars. The article you found is so clear and succinct, yet it must have been hard to read this vivid description of your young uncle's death. Thank you for this post.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Mariann: Yes it was hard, luckily I had been told the details by my dad years before so I knew the fist. what I didn't realize is that it happened on a major road in thier town and my grandmother drove past the accident site almost every day for the ext 40 years.

    Thank you for your kind words! Good luck with real time blogging. Mine is done between bites of ceral in the morning when my kids are getting ready for school!

    ReplyDelete