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Show AUTD TUIS OH ID TAKES FIE Word that his wife had had a narrow nar-row escape from death in the wreck of an automobile in which was riding from Jacksonville. 111., where she Is the guest of relatives, a week ago Sunday, was received by Clinton G. Smith, assistant district forester In charge of silviculture, at Ogden headquarters head-quarters this morning. The information informa-tion was contained in a letter. Enclosed En-closed with the letter was a newspaper news-paper clipping describing the disaster. disast-er. The story follows: The McFarlan six automobile of Fletcher Hopper was completely destroyed by fire near Hannibal. Mo., Sunday afternoon about 1 o'clock. The car overturned on a piece of newly graded road and leaking gasoiine caused an explosion explo-sion which set the car on fire. Mr. Hopper with his wife and child and .Mrs. Hopper's mother, Mrs. Robert Young of Springfield, si nd Mrs. Young's sister, Mrs. C. n ?miVi nf no-ilon ITtrVi wrp I driving to Hannibal to spend the day A short distance this side of Hannibal they encountered a bad stretch of road, the only piece found on the trip. The road had recently been graded and Mr. Hopper turned out to avoid a mudhole. Pie followed the track which had been taken by other cars. However, the weight of the car pushed down the grading and the car went into the ditch and turned on Its side in the weeds. The occupants of the car were compelled to cut their way through the back curtain and all escaped without injury. After Mr. Hopper found everyone safe he turned back to shut off the engine en-gine which was still running. He then discovered smoke coining from the front end of the machine. ma-chine. He quickly turned off the engine but as he did so the escaping es-caping gasoline exploded. Mr. Hopper wan burned slightly. The explosion set the car on fire and in a few minutes it was totally destroyed with the exception ex-ception of the front wheels and they were damaged. Some clothing cloth-ing in the car also was destroyed. nn |