The Heritage Corner, Springhill Record
September 10th, 2014
July 11, 1940 – Springhill Record – Charles Vickery Drowns While Bathing Monday
The first drowning accident of the season occurred at Austin’s ice dam about 2:15 Monday afternoon when Charles Corey Vickery 17 year old son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Vickery lost his life.
The ice dam has been a favourite place for swimming with the youngsters for many years and almost every day they are to be seen enjoying themselves there. On this occasion young Vickery had spent the morning at the dam as the day was extremely hot.
He returned home for lunch then went back to the dam for another dip. Little is known of just what happened to the boy, but it is thought he took a cramp in about five feet of water. It was first noticed that he was in difficulty when James Langille struck his head while he was swimming. At first he thought the boy was just trying to see how long he could stay under water as there was no cry for help. He noticed, however, that the body seemed to be twisted and reached down to touch Vickery who grabbed his hand. Afraid he would be pulled under Langille pulled his hand way, then reached down and tried to lift the boy by the hair, which he found he could not do. He called for help and Carl Cummings rushed to aid him. The boy was taken to shore and rushed to hospital in Charles Corkum’s car. Mr. Corkum was sitting on the bank at the time of the accident but heard no cry for help. First aid treatment was not attempted at the dam but enroute to the hospital, Elda Austin, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Fred Austin, tried to revive the boy without success.
At the hospital Doctors Simpson and Murray called for the Draeger crew and their pulmotor and worked for some two hours over the boy but failed to revive him. Among the Draeger Crew were John M. White; D.K. O’Rourke; John Spence; Brion McIsaac; William Jewkes; Constable Leo McDonald also assisted.
The funeral was held yesterday from the home, Herrett Rd., the service being conducted by Rev. F.S. Crossman, of the United Baptist Church, who in his address spoke words of hope and consolation to the sorrowing parents and family. The hymns by the Baptist Choir were “Does Jesus Care” and “Abide with Me”. The BYPU of which Corey was a member attended in a body and following the service formed a line of honor leading from the door; four of the members serving also as pallbearers – Caleb Rushton, Donald Martin, Ronald Betts and Joe Rushton.
There were many tributes of sympathy and esteem.
July 18, 1940 – Accidents Take Heavy Toll
Norma Harris, seven year old daughter of Mr. And Mrs. A.E. Harris, was struck by a bicycle last Wednesday and suffered a severe concussion. Though still in bed she is now making a good recovery. Dr. Simpson is in attendance.
Gerald Casey, 17, Wolsley St. struck the child as she was about to cross the street and apparently became confused. Unable to avoid a collision, both were severely injured, the boy being thrown for some distance, sustaining cuts and bruises. Norma was struck down receiving head injuries. Both required medical attention. No blame is attached to anyone. Investigation showed the bicycle brake in good order.
Eugene Ogden was fined $25 by an Amherst Magistrate Monday for failing to stop at the scene of an accident on the Rockley Road last Saturday night.
The accident happened when a car driven by Thomas Giles of Victoria crashed into the Ogden truck parked on the road without lights. Giles had just passed another car and was partially blinded when he struck the truck. Mrs. Andrew Davidson (nee Annie Archibald) was in the truck with Giles at the time of the crash and suffered severe injuries which include the possible loss of an eye, a broken leg and a severe cut. She was immediately rushed to Highland View Hospital at Amherst for treatment. Dr. Carson Murray was in attendance.
After being struck, Mr. Ogden left the scene of the accident. He was later tracked down by Cpl. Nillson of the Amherst R.C.M.P.
Millar Car Crashes with Truck
A head-on collision between Rev. J.R. Millar’s car and a truck occurred about six miles east of Antigonish Saturday afternoon, but injuries sustained were not serious. Rev. and Mrs. Millar with their daughter Jessie and Miss Margaret Millar, were proceeding toward Glace Bay for a visit with their son Rev. James Millar and Mrs. Millar, when they met the truck on a curve. The Millars were badly shaken up but no one sustained any serious injury. Rev. Millar immediately got in touch with his son, James, who motored from Cape Breton and picked them up while their car was undergoing repairs. Later Rev. Millar returned for his own car. The party is expected home on Monday. Jessie Millar was said to have been driving at the time of the accident.
Pinned Beneath the Props
Pinned between the props and the pans Wednesday evening with a piece of rock about eight feet long, four feet wide and two feet thick resting slightly on his body, Roy Belliveau escaped almost certain death when he was rescued by fellow workmen. Today he is resting easily in the hospital, not a great deal worse for his terrible experience.
Belliveau was top man on the 5100 wall, No. 4 mine, where the accident happened. In describing it, Ned Adams, a fellow workman, told The Record, that a “water slip” or chunk of rock fell from the roof tripped the props and fell crossways on the pans, which are about one and a half feet from the floor at this point. This held the weight of the rock from his body. When help arrived, Belliveau’s right leg was pinned, and it took six men to lift the rock and extricate him. “In all my mining experience” said Ned “I never saw a man escape from so dangerous a position with so few injuries.”
