The Fort Dodge  Messenger: June 15, 1903

Sunday’s Chapter of Accidents

Heroism of Sister Saves Two Year Old Daughter of Mrs. Anna Svaleson from Death.

Child’s Clothing Was on Fire.

Katie Hanson Falls Eight Inches and Breaks Her Collar Bone – Sylvester Worley Has Hand Pierced by Blow From Pick.

A painful accident which came very near resulting in the death of a child, occurred on Sunday morning. The little two-year old daughter of Mrs. Anna Svaleson while playing alone in an upstairs room of her home on Eleventh avenue south, in some way lit some matches which set the child’s dress on fire. In a moment the little girl’s garments were ablaze and her pitiful screams could be heard for blocks away. The little one’s sister, who was down stairs came to the rescue and smothered the flames which would soon have caused the child’s death and probably set the house on fire.

The little girl was badly burned about the abdomen and thighs but will recover within two weeks.

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Katie Hanson, the thirteen year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Nels Hanson, living at 1026 Eleventh avenue south, fell a distance of not over eight inches from a hammock on Sunday, and broke her collar bone. The child was lying in the hammock which was almost touching the ground when the rope broke, letting her fall. She struck on her shoulder, in such a manner as to break the bone.

The injury was given prompt medical attention, and is not regarded as serious.

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While attempting to move a dummy coal car in the Illinois Central coal shed, Sylvester D. Worley had his hand pierced thru by a pickax which was being wielded on some coal by Isaac Hedgecock at four o’clock Sunday afternoon. The pick went clear thru Mr. Worley’s hand, causing the wound to bleed copiously and giving Mr. Worley intense pain. Medical attendance was immediately summoned but the wound was not dressed without considerable loss of blood. The injury was purely accidental.  Mr. Worley will recover without permanent inconvenience.

Tags: 1903, Hanson, Hedgecock, Svaleson, Worley