NARROWLY ESCAPE DEATH

Urbana Courier-Herald January 20, 1904

Passengers on Street Car Have Close Call

Motorman Turns on Full Power and Breaks Though Gates Just in Front of Train

Passengers on an east bound streetcar that left Champaign for Urbana at 9:20 Monday night narrowly escaped death at the crossing of the Illinois Central with University avenue. Their lives were only saved by nervy action of the motorman who drove his car headlong through the gates that protect this crossing, much to of the damage of the gates, but to the relief of the passengers.

The car was conveying the usual load of late homeward bound passengers from Champaign, and had just passed the first gate of the crossing when the gates on both sides were lowered. The gates are supposed to be lowered when tram is approaching and as one was at that time coming onward rapidly, they should have been in position before the car attempted to cross the tracks. When the east gate was reached the engine was but a few feet away and coming on with unslackened speed. The car was lying across the track that train was on and every second increased the danger. There would have been no time to either lift the gate or back-up and, with all power turned on, the motorman. drove straight through it. The gate snapped like glass and fell clear Of the car track leaving the, car free to proceed on its journey with its load of precious human freight, that had come so near being sacrificed.

Man dragged to death in stalk rake

Urbana Courier-Herald April 14, 1934

Newol Curtis, age 34, a tenant on  the E. C. Bowser farm, a quarter of a mile north of Deers station, was dragged to death beneath a corn stalk rake at 10:30 o'clock this morning.

Curtis was standing in front of a team hitched to the rake as it left the  barn yard and when the horse took  fright at something and started to run, he attempted to seize the bridle. He was knocked down and caught in the rake, being dragged a considerable distance before the team was stopped. He was dead when extricated from the rake

The body was removed to the Renner Funeral Home in this city and Coroner Shurtz notified. The inquest probably will be held sometime today. Funeral services will be conducted at three o'clock tomorrow afternoon from the home and the body will be taken overland to Columbus Ind. for  burial, leaving Monday morning.

Mr. Curtis was born in Nashville, Indiana, October 21, 1899 and came to the vicinity of Deers station 12 years ago. He was married 13 years ago to Miss Mary Raush, who with two children,. Keith, 12, and Gleridale, three, survives. His parents live at Columbus, Ind., and one brother, Perry, farms in the vicinity of Deers station.

TWO ACCIDENTS OCCUR

T. J. Somers of Somer Township Injured.

Thrown from Wagon and Collar Bone Broken and Shoulder Dislocated - Runaway on East Main Street.

T. J. Somer of Somer township received an injury yesterday that came near proving very serious if not fatal. As it is Mr. Somers is suffering from a broken bone and although it has been set and the patient appears to be doing nicely, the full extent of-his injuries cannot be fully determined. It is possible that he may have sustained internal Injuries that have not yet made themselves apparent. Mr. Somers was hauling a big load of rails on his farm and drlving a pair of horses to the wagon that were "feeling their oats." They preceded along in orderly fashion for a short-ways and then stopped suddenly. Mr. Somers was thrown to the ground violently and rendered unconscious. When he was picked up it was found that his collar bone was broken and his shoulder dislocated. A physician from this city was summoned, who set the broken bone and left the injured man in a comfortable condition.

Another accident that resulted less seriously was the runaway yesterday afternoon on Bast Main street in which Rufus and Tod Smith and their young sister figured. Just off the pavement on East Main street one of the shafts became loose. This frightened the horse, which began to run. The buggy was overturned into a ditch at the roadside, the three occupants thrown out and the vehicle reduced to splinters. None of those figuring in the accident sustained any injury.

Thrown from Wagon and Collar Bone Broken and Shoulder Dislocated - Runaway on East Main Street.

Urbana Courier-Herald January 12, 1904

T. J. Somer of Somer township received an injury yesterday that came near proving very serious if not fatal. As it is Mr. Somers is suffering from a broken bone and although it has been set and the patient appears to be doing nicely, the full extent of-his injuries cannot be fully determined. It is possible that he may have sustained internal Injuries that have not yet made themselves apparent. Mr. Somers was hauling a big load of rails on his farm and drlving a pair of horses to the wagon that were "feeling their oats." They preceded along in orderly fashion for a short-ways and then stopped suddenly. Mr. Somers was thrown to the ground violently and rendered unconscious. When he was picked up it was found that his collar bone was broken and his shoulder dislocated. A physician from this city was summoned, who set the broken bone and left the injured man in a comfortable condition.

Another accident that resulted less seriously was the runaway yesterday afternoon on Bast Main street in which Rufus and Tod Smith and their young sister figured. Just off the pavement on East Main street one of the shafts became loose. This frightened the horse, which began to run. The buggy was overturned into a ditch at the roadside, the three occupants thrown out and the vehicle reduced to splinters. None of those figuring in the accident sustained any injury.

Driver Misses Turn Takes Short Cut on Urbana Golf Course

May 1, 1935 from the Urbana Courier-Herald

They're turning the fairways at the Urbana country club into a race track. Traveling north on Broadway at an increasing rate of speed, an automobile carrying a party of four Saturday night came io the turn with the driver unaware of its existence. He veered to the right, the car leaped a two foot ditch and continuing on between two telephone poles stationed so closely together a truck could not get through. The car broke off a guy wire leading to the pole, bounded on across No. 5 fairway and was brought to a halt in front of the club house. "No use taking the long way around." spoke the driver as he and the other shaken but, uninjured occupants stepped out of the car.

Was Run Down By Speeding Auto

Maybe an early version of Superman was seen in Urbana? From the August 9, 1909 Courier-Herald.

Machine Backs Off Unknown's Body and Victim Runs to Catch a Street Car — Miraculous Escape.

A large Overland touring car, speeding around the corner of Main and Race streets at 7:30 o'clock Saturday night, struck a man, knocked him down and rolled upon his body. While a large crowd stood horrified, the machine backed off its victim and sped on its way before anyone could take its number, and the man scampered for an outgoing street car as fast as his legs could carry him. Apparently he was uninjured. Neither the name of the man who had the narrow escape, nor the names of the parties in the auto could be learned. Among those who witnessed the accident were Edwin Phillips, Clyde Thomas, Edward Snyder, Officer Jeffers and many others.