Watertown Daily Times, Wednesday afternoon, January 26, 1910 BOY IS KILLED WHILE COASTING John Hough, Aged 12 Years Meets Almost Instant Death At Theresa SEVERAL OTHERS ARE INJURED Eleven Were On Sleigh Which Crashed Into Telephone Pole. RUNNING 60 MILES AN HOUR Steering Gear Broke, Sending Flying Bobs Into Pole -- Marjorie Houghton Breaks Leg -- Walter Smith, Steersman Rendered Unconscious (Special to The Times.) As a result of one of the most tragic coasting accidents which ever occurred here, John Hough, aged 12 years, is dead today, and several of his playmates are severely injured. Speeding down Sand hill at a rate of 60 miles an hour, a pair of coasting bobs, carrying 11 young people, crashed into a telephone pole with terrific force at 9:30 last night. Hough was thrown against the pole and sustained a severe scalp wound, a compound fracture of the right leg and was injured internally about the stomach. He died a few minutes after the accident. Marjorie Houghton fractured her left leg and Christine Schneider broke the fingers on her left hand. Walter Smith, who was steering, was rendered unconscious. These were the most seriously inured, although all on the sled were more or less bruised or shaken up. The young people were coasting on Sand hill, a long steep decline which is in a very dangerous condition. At the bottom is a crosswalk, and on the left of the road is a watering trough. At the right were the telephone and electric light poles, the road slightly dipping that way. While dashing down the hill, something in the steering gear broke, causing the bobs to sheer to the right and crash into the pole. The following is the list of those on the bobs with their injuries. John Hough, killed, age 12 years, son of Mrs. Burt Hough, Theresa. Walter Smith, aged 15 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Nelson Smith, left foot crushed and cut, rendered unconscious. John Townsend, aged 19 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Hiram Townsend, cut on back of head. Merrill Townsend, aged 15 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Townsend, back injured. Marjorie Houghton, aged 15 years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. James Houghton, left leg broken. Elmer Houghton, aged 17 years, brother to Marjorie Houghton, bruised about left leg. Leon Lilly, aged 14 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Clinton Lilly, bruised and shaken up. Lovica Honeywell, aged 15 years, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lorenzo Honeywell, of Oxbow, left leg badly cut and bruised. Jasper Freeman, aged 25 years, badly bruised. Lawrence Garceau, aged 10 years, son of Mr. and Mrs. Joe Garceau, slightly bruised. Christine Schneider, aged 17 years, fingers on left hand broken. Smith, who was steering was rendered unconscious, at first, but this morning was able to tell a graphic story of the accident. After describing the position of the cross walk and telephone pole, he said: I was steering and Hough was sitting in front of me with his feet on the tiller. We were going at a terrific speed and I kept steering off to the right to avoid the watering trough. As we struck the crosswalk, I heard something crack, and I knew in a minute we were gone as the bobs were headed straight for the pole. I yelled to Hough to jump, but he only clung tighter. I yelled, My Lord, were all killed and tried to shove Johnny off, but he clung tight. Then, we struck the pole, and I didnt know what happened next. It was all over in an instant, but everything passed through my mind Simon Dailey was the only eye witness of the affair. He was at the foot of the hill and saw the bobs coming down at a speed estimated at 60 miles an hour. He saw the swiftly moving sled swerve to the right and dash into the pole. Hough struck his head squarely into the pole, Smith was thrown a yard or two ahead, the rest were thrown into a heap, the bobs smashed to a wreck. A crowd quickly collected, and the Hough boy was carried into the Theresa hospital, a short distance away. Dr. Snell was called. The shock was too severe for the boy to withstand, however, and he died in a short time. The boys mother had been called and was present when he died. Smith was taken home by Mr. Dailey. The boy was able to walk but seemed dazed. When he entered the house he said nothing, but walked into a dark room and shut the door. John Hough was the son of Mrs. Burt Hough. His father died suddenly last May, being ill only one day. Besides his mother, he is survived by two sisters, Florence and Lottie, and one brother, George. The funeral will be held from his late home Friday at 2 p.m., Rev. W. J. Hancock officiating. He was a bright lad and a general favorite among his school mates. At different times the hill has been closed to coasters on account of the dangerous condition; it being a glare of ice and very steep. Some years ago an accident occurred on the same hill in which a young man was severely injured
Posted on: Tue, 20 Jan 2015 22:59:31 +0000