North Powder, Union County, Oregon
Dalton, Wife Killed Auto Wreck
Son Wylie Dalton Sustains Severe Injuries In Accident At Telocaset Viaduct Wednesday Noon
Double Funeral Set For Sunday At Baker
Sorrow Grips North Powder Community as Terrible Tragedy Becomes Known
Death was the fourth passenger in the big Marmon car as it rounded the curve at the north end of the railroad viaduct near Telocaset shortly before noon Wednesday and shortly after, Mr. and Mrs. James Dalton had been claimed by the unseen fourth passenger and Mr. Dalton’s son Wylie was in the Hot Lake hospital with a broken hip, broken nose and other injuries. The car hit head-on the end of the viaduct cement wall.
Mrs. Dalton died in the ambulance while on the way to the hospital and Mr. Dalton passed away soon afterwards, both being mortally injured with cuts and fractures. The elder man, owner of the car, was driving and his wife occupied the other front seat, while Wylie, in the ear seat was knocked unconscious.
The younger man is reported to have recovered consciousness after reaching the hospital, but said he did not know the cause of the accident, as it happened without warning. He said his father had just asked him what time it was, and when told it was 11:25, remarked that they had pent of time to be at the ranch for dinner.
The party had been to Union on business and were returning home when the accident ending so tragically occurred. No one is known to have seen the accident at the instant it happened, but “Buster” Eddy, highway employee is said to have been approaching the viaduct from the opposite end and slackened his pace as he saw the Dalton car coming onto the other end, and when he looked again the car was stopped. It was found to have gone across the highway as it rounded the curve and the front part of the car hit the end of the cement wall, driving the engine and other parts backward onto Mr. and Mrs. Dalton, the latter receiving a fractured skull, apparently from the impact of her head against the shatter-proof windshield. The steering wheel was bent abruptly forward, indicating the driver’s body had been thrown against it with terrific force.
Those inspecting the wreck at the scene, are of the opinion that the accident was caused by the blowout of the front left tire, the car’s tracks some 40 or 50 feet from the cement wall. It is believed that the driver was unable to bring the steering gear back fast enough. Mr. Eddy and others did not believe the car was going at an excessive speed, and attribute the accident to the blowout. The impact is said to have sprung the door on the driver’s side open and the senior Dalton’s body lunged though it.
Mr. Eddy and other travelers got word to Telocaset from where a phone message brought an ambulance from Union. Herschell Halsey of Telocaset took Wylie to Hot Lake, the ambulance taking the elder couple. The Motor Service garage of North Powder was notified and responded with its wrecker and after some difficulty extricated the wrecked machine and brought it to Powder. The car, one of the largest made, is badly wrecked.
