LOUISA COUNTY, IOWA

The Republican Centennial Edition, Wapello, Louisa County, Iowa
Thursday, July 12, 1956, Section Three, Page 39
Transcribed by Shirley Plumb, June 30, 2019

THE HIGHWAY STORY
By Bob Hullihan

    This accident traveled around for years in three parts. Then came a day and a moment when the three parts came neatly together.

    One part was a man who wouldn’t put out his hand to signal a turn if he had a better than even chance of plucking a $10.00 bill out of the air.

    The second part was a careless man who brought neglect and decay to everything he owned. His property simply went to pot for lack of care. His car had no tail light.

    The third part was what the patrolman telling the story called “a city drive.” He was a hurried hard-pressed man—or he thought he was—who always followed the car ahead by as close as 5 to 10 feet.

    Taken separately, each man, each part of the accident to come would have excused himself as not so bad.

    The man who never signaled could say, “But they can see my tail lights go on”. The man who had no tail light could say, “But I seldom drive at night.” The man who followed too closely could say, “I’ve got good brakes.”

    Then came the day and the moment. The man who would not signal stopped in the middle of the highway to make a left turn. Right behind him, the man who had no tail light jammed on his brakes. Right behind him, the man who followed too closely had no warning, no chance to use his good brakes

    He crashed into the car ahead and his three-year-old son, riding in the front seat, was thrown through the windshield. His life was lost before he could be taken to a hospital.

    A far-fetched and improbable story? The patrolmen who were there swear it is true.