1914-08-07rvo

“But for the splendid condition of the Barton township road near Red Hill, which was recently repaired under the supervision of County Road Superintendent Allison, a serious automobile accident might have occurred this morning.”

Hamilton Spectator.   August 7, 1914.

The main road, from Stoney Creek to Hamilton in the summer of 1914 (now Queenston Road), was thankfully not the scene of a fatality during the morning of August 7.

As the road crossed the Red Hill valley, there was a substantial hill for overland traffic heading west:

“While making the turn of the hill a short way this side of the Red Hill bridge, and travelling on high speed, a even passenger touring car, driven by F. A. Cunningham, of Buffalo, and containing his wife and three children, suddenly stalled and started to back down the incline.”¹

¹ “Car Stalled : Good Condition of Road Prevented Serious Auto Accident”

Hamilton Spectator.   August 7, 1914.

The frantic driver and his frightened family could only hold on and hoe for the best as their vehicle rolled backward :

“Despite every effort, Mr. Cunningham could not make the brakes work, and, but for the manner in which the road bed had been graded, the machine, together with its human cargo, would have assuredly been precipitated over the embankment bordering the road.”¹

The driver, later interviewed by a Spectator reporter, said :

“The county of Wentworth should certainly congratulate itself on having such a capable man supervising its road repairs. To him I will always attribute our escape from death.”

The Spectator man gave a detailed overview of the location of the incident and what happened after the crisis had passed:

“The point at which the near-accident occurred is situated just a short distance this side of the Red Hill creek. It is rather a steep hill and winds in a snake-like manner before the bridge is reached.

“When the car had stopped, Mr. Cunningham and the other members of his family soon stepped out, and the trouble being located, the party proceeded to Hamilton.

“Mr. Cunningham and family are on a tour of Ontario, having left this city for Brantford and London shortly afternoon.”1