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Old wreck photos


adam1982

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Just goes to show how lightly built cars were at that time, although looking at the tyres on the Packard it is no wonder it skated off the road into something immoveable. Most are barely recognisable, although the first two are Ford Ts, the next one is a 1928 Pontiac, next maybe a Nash??, a '34 Chrysler, a big series 1928 (?) Packard, a 1929 Studebaker, the coupe with ornament in the trunk might also be a Nash and the last one is another Studebaker (or is it another Nash?). Whatever hit the last one was big - maybe a train?

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  • 2 weeks later...

No. 4 down is a 1928 Chrysler "72" Royal sedan.......................You didn't stand a chance in most cars of this era even in a minor accident; with plate glass windows and composite bodies' no seat belts or padded dashes even a quick stop could kill or disfigure.

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Hi Mike, the first photo of Dr. Kemble's accident in Rifton, NY occurred on Oct 7, 1910. He was driving a "big" Allen-Kingston manufactured nearby in Kingston, NY. The car couldn't have been too old as that make was only in business 1908-1910. Dr. William Kemble was 54 years old and returning to Kingston from a medical call with his nurse/aide Miss Bessie Carter, age 24. Tragically, Bessie was pinned under the car and was killed. Dr. Kemble suffered broken ribs but was able to extricate himself.

That area of Dashville - Rifton is still quite rural and undeveloped even today and in 1910 I am sure it was just a muddy, dirt road. A newspaper account of the accident said it had been raining and when approaching the top of a steep hill, Dr. Kemble tried to downshift and the car rolled back and over the cliff (no guide rails only a log that went over with the car). Some accounts claim he told witnesses he accidentally shifted into reverse but he later denied that saying there was a "pin" that prevented the car from being shifted into reverse under those circumstances. Interesting article found at FultonHistory.com.

A few years later Dr. Kemble went trout fishing up in the mountains in his "big Franklin" and found upon return the car had caught fire and burned to the ground. I guess he had bad luck with cars.

Are there any dates or locations on the other photos?

Good stuff. Thanks all for sharing.

JIM

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Guest mikeburch
Hi Mike, the first photo of Dr. Kemble's accident in Rifton, NY occurred on Oct 7, 1910. He was driving a "big" Allen-Kingston manufactured nearby in Kingston, NY. The car couldn't have been too old as that make was only in business 1908-1910. Dr. William Kemble was 54 years old and returning to Kingston from a medical call with his nurse/aide Miss Bessie Carter, age 24. Tragically, Bessie was pinned under the car and was killed. Dr. Kemble suffered broken ribs but was able to extricate himself.

That area of Dashville - Rifton is still quite rural and undeveloped even today and in 1910 I am sure it was just a muddy, dirt road. A newspaper account of the accident said it had been raining and when approaching the top of a steep hill, Dr. Kemble tried to downshift and the car rolled back and over the cliff (no guide rails only a log that went over with the car). Some accounts claim he told witnesses he accidentally shifted into reverse but he later denied that saying there was a "pin" that prevented the car from being shifted into reverse under those circumstances. Interesting article found at FultonHistory.com.

A few years later Dr. Kemble went trout fishing up in the mountains in his "big Franklin" and found upon return the car had caught fire and burned to the ground. I guess he had bad luck with cars.

Are there any dates or locations on the other photos?

Good stuff. Thanks all for sharing.

JIM

JIM ........................

I think that it is amazing that you can come up with the complete history of this, over one hundred year old, automobile wreck.

Did you have, or had seen this photo, before ? Feel free to use it, anyway you want.

mikeburch

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  • 3 months later...
Guest mikeburch

Sorry to be so late in answering, but I have been recovering from a broken back and taking rehab.

No, I did not live in New York or know anything else about these photos. I used to scour antique shops, etc. for original photos. These are original photos, coming from real photo post cards.

mikeburch

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