Our Past Is Present September 20, 2017

September 20, 2017

            This is “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.

            On September 12 of 1923, two Geary County citizens were hospitalized, two automobiles badly wrecked and a buggy smashed to firewood as a result of three weekend accidents.  Mrs. Ed Moritz was taken to the city hospital after the car driven by her husband had crashed into one of the heavy posts used to barricade the section of the Milford Road, which was cut through by the Republican River several months earlier.  Lack of light was said to have caused the accident.  Mr. and Mrs. Moritz had traveled to town to do their trading and at Fifteenth Street, both globes in the cars headlights burnt out.  The Moritz’s went back to town to get new globes, but shortly after beginning their trip home, the new globes stopped working.  Mr. Moritz was familiar with the road and decided to make the rest of the journey to their home in Milford without the lights.  He said he was on the lookout for the barricade, but was on it before he could stop the car.  Mrs. Moritz was thrown through the windshield sustaining cuts to her face and wrists.  She also had severed arteries, which caused her to lose a great deal of blood.  Mr. Moritz improvised a bandage and they set out on foot for the James Dixon place one and half miles up the road.  A passing car failed to stop, despite Mr. Moritz’s frantic waving of his wife’s bandaged wrist. Mr. Dixon took the Moritz’s to the hospital where a physician worked for several hours to repair the injuries. During that same night a large quantity of groceries and tools were stolen from the Moritz car by thieves. 

Charles Miller of Chapman was also taken to the hospital with a broken leg after his Ford had wrapped itself around a Cottonwood Tree on Grant Avenue. 

            A horse owned by a teamster named Paggett, had to be shot after an automobile collision broke the horses leg and the buggy… was smashed beyond repair. 

            September 12, 1923 was a busy day for accidents in Junction City.  Fortunately, everyone except the poor horse survived. 

            And… those are today’s stories on “Our Past Is Present” from the Geary County Historical Society.