Our Yesterdays

Fire, of still undetermined origin, caused heavy loss Tuesday morning at the M. Luther McCracken farm, five miles southeast of Richland. Blaze destroyed a 26x36 barn, double corncrib, machine shed, and a number of new fence posts. Blaze also seriously damaged the garage and also burned paint from a nearly new Chevrolet car before it could be pushed to safety. Exploding gasoline, near the corncrib, spread flames in a matter of seconds and the intense heat hampered volunteer firemen who arrived quickly on the scene. It was but a matter of minutes before all the buildings on the farm were ablaze. Richland fire department arrived in time to save a 20x30 cattle barn. Radio summons also brought help from the Fairfield fire department. Mr. McCracken, while estimating his damage as excessive, had some insurance on the buildings and contents. The blaze destroyed some 175 bushels of oats, 100 bushels of old corn and over three tons of hay. Saved were several young calves. The fire also threatened complete destruction of the farm buildings but a strong northwest wind carried the flames away from the home. All of the machinery in the machine shed was totally destroyed. The corncrib was a double affair and roofed with corrugated sheeting.

Fire on Friday afternoon at the Phil Lucas farm, four miles north of Ollie, resulted in extensive damage. Lost in the blaze was a large barn, machine shed, corncrib and 30 small pigs. Also lost in the blaze was 1200 bushels of sealed corn and 1079 bushels of soybeans, half of the beans being insured. The fire also threatened pasture land on the Raymond Pitch farm but quick action by Vance Curtis, who was doing bulldozer work on an adjoining farm, prevented that blaze.

Glen Reighard, local manager of the Iowa-Illinois Telephone company, suffered painful injuries Monday while working at Hedrick. He fell from a pole on which he was working, to the top of a building, and from there to the ground. When he started to fall, he grasped the pole with his hands, tearing the flesh from the ends of three fingers on one hand and two on the other. He then grasped the pole with his arms, causing severe abrasions on his arms. Glen’s son, John Everett, suffered severe bruises on his leg from an accident the week before when he fell while getting away from a tractor.

Tragedy struck Wednesday of last week when Lonzo Wells, in training at Camp Riley, Kansas, was fatally injured by a hand grenade explosion. The popular Richland athlete died of the injuries Monday after more that 50 blood transfusions had been given in a valiant effort to save his life. Surgeons amputated one leg which was shattered by the grenade blast, which also tore off his right arm and resulted in extensive abdominal injuries. Lonzo was buried at Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Wednesday. Lonzo, a star athlete at Richland, was graduated in 1951 and attended Parsons college at Fairfield for two years before he entered the armed services this summer. He made his home in Richland. He was a grandson of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Wells of Richland.

Eilleen Dickenson, four-year-old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dickinson sustained injuries last Thursday while riding on the tractor with her father. Mr. Dickinson was pulling a tank of water on a drag-behind on the tractor. Eilleen fell off the tractor in front of the drag. Mr. Dickinson stopped the tractor before the drag ran over her, but she did suffer severe bruises. Dr. and Mrs. G. Swinney were the first ones along, and took them in to Fairfield, where x-rays showed no bones broken. She is recovering at home.

Charles Reed suffered a badly lacerated hand last weekend when extracting a cornstalk from the picker. He shut the picker off, fortunately, but in pulling the cornstalk out, a sharp place on the stalk cut his hand very badly. His father-in-law, Tony Peck, was with him in the field and brought him in to Richland, where he received a number of stitches to close the wound.

Carol Walker, second daughter of Rev. and Mrs. R.G. Walker was injured during physical training at school on Monday. In diving for the ball, Carol and Connie Ulin collided and Carol fell to the floor with such force that she suffered a bad gash over her eye. She was taken to a physician where stitches were taken. Her face is badly bruised, and the eye completely closed. She returned to school on Tuesday but was quite uncomfortable.