La Grande, Union County, Oregon
Auto Plunge Fatal To La Grande Man
O. G. Hamilton Dies Following Wrecking of Machine
O. G. Hamilton, 55 an O.W.R.& N. conductor with a railroad record of nearly 35 years standing, died at 4 o’clock Tuesday morning and his wife, who is a few years young, lies in a grave condition at the hospital in La Grande as the result of injuries they sustained when their car dropped over a 100-foot embankment into a pile of blasted rock, about eight miles west of La Grande on the Old Oregon Trail highway about 6 o’clock Monday night.
Mrs. Hamilton states she had no warning whatever before the car plunged over the grade. It is evident that the driver became confused by a gap in the white guard fence, mistaking it for a continuation of the highway and drove his car straight for the ledge.
A tourist camping on a nearby hill, heard the crash and ran to the rescue. Seeing he could do nothing alone, he hurried to the Five Point filling station, for assistance. The nearest telephone was at Hillgard, and from there help from La Grande was summoned and a doctor and ambulance were soon on the scene. Mr. and Mrs. Richardson, were both of large stature, and it was necessary to lift them onto stretchers, and carry them up an almost perpendicular bank.
The Hamilton’s have been residents of La Grande since 1910. The death of Mr. Hamilton leaves the widow quite alone. She was an only child of parents who are now dead. Funeral arrangements are held waiting word from relatives of Mr. Hamilton in the east.
(In the article it does say Mr. and Mrs. Richardson – Janine)
North Powder News
Saturday, November 28, 1925
Mrs. O.G. Hamilton, whose serious injuries received in an auto accident the first of last week was reported in last week’s News, died Thursday of last week. Mr. Hamilton was killed instantly at the time of the accident, when their car plunged over a 100 foot embankment near Hilgard. The bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Hamilton were shipped to Hamilton, Mo. for interment.
North Powder News
Saturday, December 5, 1925