Jessie Snodgrass (1919)

SNODGRASS

Posted By: Treva Patterson
Date: 9/1/2007 at 10:02:37

The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, July 30, 1919

Jessie Snodgrass, formerly of Winterset, was killed July 20 in an automobile accident in Idaho.
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The Winterset Madisonian
Winterset, Iowa
Wednesday, July 30, 1919
Page 1

AUTO ACCIDENT CAUSES DEATH

Miss Jessie Snodgrass Killed Near Boise By Failure of Brakes

Miss Jessie Snodgrass was killed in an automobile accident on July 20th and her sister, Miss Mary, was injured, according to the Evening Capital News of Boise, Idaho. A clipping from this paper has been sent to the Madisonian through the courtesy of Ernest P. Armstrong, cashier of the Blaine county National Bank at Hirley, Idaho.

The account reads as follows:
“These brakes will not work.” These were the last words spoken by Charles A. Oakes of Caldwell, who met death Sunday in an automobile accident on the Idaho City road. They gave a warning, however, which saved the life of Miss Harriet Sturgeon, who opened the door and rolled out of the car as it took its fatal plunge down the hill with his load of human freight, killing Mr. Oakes and Miss Jessie Snodgrass and severely injuring Mrs. Oakes, Miss Harriet Sturgeon and Miss Mary Snodgrass.

This was the statement made today by Miss Sturgeon to W. T. Garrett, who lives at the More creek bridge, and was an eye witness to the fatal accident. When interviewed he said, “I saw the car coming down the hill. It was being driven slowly and carefully. Suddenly it took a lunge. The driver turned his head and I saw the door of the car open and a woman roll out. After the car left the grade it fell with terrific speed and jumped for at least 30 feet, striking a telephone post which it broke off square against the ground. Mrs. Oakes and Miss Mary Snodgrass fell out at the time and rolled down the hill some 75 feet among jagged rocks. The car then turned over three times. Mr. Oakes and Miss Jessie Snodgrass who were killed, fell out on the second or third turn. The car continued on down, striking its radiator against the ground on the railroad track, crushing it into many pieces.”

“I hurried to the place and it first looked to me as though all were killed. I sent a man horseback to the nearest ranch to telephone and gave my attention to the victims. Mr. Oakes was the first one I could notice breathing and I thought he would live as he recovered consciousness for a few minutes, but he was hurt internally and died in about an hour and a half. Miss Jessie Snodgrass died without recovering consciousness. I hailed the first car which came along, which was in about twenty minutes, and the injured were taken to my place and then to Boise. In less than an hour there were between 25 and 30 cars there and everybody was ready and willing to help all they could and everything that was possible was done for those injured.”

Mrs. Oakes, Miss Sturgeon and Miss Snodgrass are reported to be doing nicely at the hospitals and will probably be out this week.

This tragic occurrence which has caused the death of a young woman who lived in Winterset for many years, brings sorrow to many old time friends of the Snodgrass family. Captain Snodgrass died prior to the removal of the family to Knoxville about fifteen years ago. Mrs. Snodgrass died at Knoxville and was brought here for burial several years ago.

Miss Jessie became a milliner’s apprentice when Mrs. Doak, then Miss Farquhar, entered the business. For eight years, Miss Jessie continued trimming, and remained with Miss Vierling for about a yerar after she bought Miss Farquhar’s establishment.

The two sisters, Jessie and Mary, own a photographic studio in Caldwell, Idaho and planned a visit to Iowa in August when they were to visit Mrs. Doak and other friends here. Miss Margaret, another sister who has been a nurse for several years is living in California. Their only brother, Lucian lived in Loveland, Colorado where he is a photographer.

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