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E. W. MATHEWSON

The Everett Daily Herald, July 22, 1911

E. W. MATHEWSON KILLED BY AUTO
An Everett Party's Pleasure Jaunt to Rainier National Park Ends in Tragedy

CAR LEAVE THE ROAD AND OVERTURNS
Mathewson Is Pinned Beneath It and Almost Instantly Killed; Others Are Injured

E. W. Mathewson, member of the Everett board of public works, president of the Standard Railway & Timber company and of the Sultan Logging & Railroad company, was almost instantly killed last night when the touring car owned by H. H. White, general manager of the Everett Gas company, sprang over a bluff on the Mount Rainier road. Alexander Thompson, president of the Everett Construction company, suffered a fracture of one arm, and Dan Currie, of the real estate firm of Currie & Stanford, received a number of bad bruises. Mr. White, whose car plunged over the bluff, and the auto's chauffeur, were uninjured. The fatal accident occurred early late evening.

CAR TURNS OVER
Just as Mr. White's car was about to ...the big gate into the park jumped a new embankment giving no warning to the Everett men. The touring auto turned a complete summersault (sic) coming down on Mathewson. Help was quickly secured and Mathewson was taken out in a dying condition. An auto, carrying Currie and Thompson, was rushed to the Long hospital in Ashford. It is understood that the remainder of the party pressed on to Longmire Springs because of a lack of accommodations in Ashford.

In the car belonging to H. H. White there traveled, besides the owner, Ted Mathewson, Dan Currie, Alex Thompson and the chauffeur; in the car owned by A. S. Taylor there was H. C. Glamace, A. D. Seeman, uncles of A. S. Taylor, who are here from Milwaukee, V. J. Pearce, C. E. White, Howard Hathaway and his son, in a third touring car was T. L. Grant, J. E. Horan, Joseph Irving -- partner of Ted Mathewson -- Fred K. Baker of Bellingham, and Frank C. Owings, of Olympia. A. S. Taylor bade the party goodbye at the Arctic club yesterday afternoon, laughingly resisting their attempts to compel him to join the expedition. Secretary Patton, of the Chamber of Commerce, intended forming one of the party in H. H. White's car, but changed hismind and did not go.

Not a Danger Place.
The road where the fatal accident occurred is not considered dangerous. In some manner the car became unmanageable and flew the road. The chauffeur makes the statement that his steering gear was at fault, although an examination of the car after the accident is said to have refuted this.

Good friends and willing in Everett this morning assumed the responsibility of making arrangements to bring the body of Ted Mathewson home. It is expected that the remains will reach this city late today. Funeral arrangements are delayed to hear from a brother and sister of the deceased who live in Minneapolis and Milwaukee. A widow and four young children survive Mr. Mathewson. The dead member of the board of public works had many friends in Everett and the state of Washington.

It is expected that Dan Currie and Sandy Thompson will reach home this afternoon. Last night Currie called up A. S. Taylor by telephone, stating that he was not seriously hurt and requesting Mr. Taylor to tell Mrs. Currie that he had talked with him.

"It came as a great shock to us in the city hall", was the sorrowful expression of Mayor Hartley this morning.

Over the city hall there flies at half mast a brand new flag in honor of the departed city official. The county officials have placed the courthouse flag at half mast out of respect to the dead member of the board of public works.

It is believed that a change was made in chauffeurs in the White car when the party arrived in Seattle, and that Mr. White caused his negro driver to relinquish his seat at the wheel to another pilot named Taro.

Injured Men Home
The injured autoists arrived in Everett on the 2:50 interurban. Dan Currie was allowed to alight in front of his house on Colby avenue and appeared to walk without great pain. Sandy Thompson had his left arm in a sling. Both men were scratched and bruised. Tom Grant, bruised, though with no bones broken, accompanied his friends. Physicians in automobiles attended and conducted the sufferers to their homes.

Automobile Fell About 12 Feet
Special to the Daily Herald.

TACOMA July 22 -- The car which overturned and caused the death of E. W. Mathewson of Everett at the entrance to Rainier park fell about twelve feet. It was the last car of the party entering the park, and Mathewson was abroad (sic), itis reported here, because he had asked to be let out one of the forward cars and boarded the rear one, as it was going slower than the others. According to first reports, Taro, the driver, attempted to guide the car out of the ruts, became enmeshed in the volcanic ash at the roadside, lost control of the car and went over the bank. Thompson's arm was broken, also Currie's wrist. C. E. White and H. H. White were bruised.

Later investigation, however, shows no apparent attempt on the part of the machine to round a sharp turn. The car simply ran straight into the ravine.

Until just before the accident the entire party had been driving fast to get into the park before the closing hour.

Some of the members of the party were so dazed by the shock that it was some time before they realized the full extent of the accident.

Please send correspondence to Nancy Hewitt Spaeth, who is researching this Spaeth family. Return to Index Page