Wallace Libbey Hardison of South Pasadena, vice-president of the Columbia Oil Producing Company, with offices in the Tajo building, and former owner of the Los Angeles Herald, was instantly killed yesterday morning, while going in his automobile across the Southern Pacific tracks at Monte Vista road, near Roscoe, a station a few miles this side of San Fernando.
Hardison was on his way from his ranch at Monte Vista to San Fernando to purchase supplies. He was driving at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, and as he approached the tracks, did not take the precaution to reduce speed, according to the statements of the trainmen.
Heavy brush on both sides of the road prevented the engineer of a rapidly-moving light locomotive from seeing the approaching automobile, and Hardison did not see the engine. As the machine ran on the tracks the engineer applied the emergency brake, but it was too late.
Hardison, when he realized his danger, tried to turn his car to one side, but failed. The engine struck the auto squarely, and it was scattered along the track for fifty feet. The driver was carried a short distance and thrown to one side, and was dead when the engine crew reached him. His face was cut by flying glass, and his body terribly bruised. He also sustained a fracture of the skull and both legs were broken and crushed.
The engine proceeded to Burbank, where the crew notified the Coroner, who sent a deputy to Roscoe station. Bresee Bros. sent out a wagon to bring in the remains.
According to the statements of relatives, Hardison divided his time between his home in South Pasadena and his ranch at Monte Vista. Yesterday morning, he left home early and reached the ranch-house at 9 o'clock. He made up a list of supplies needed and started for San Fernando. He knew there is no regular train on the line at that hour.
The engineer stated yesterday that the locomotive was going about twenty miles an hour at the time of the accident. "The brush hid the road from view and I did not see the automobile until it was not more than twenty-five feet ahead," said he. "I should say it was going at fifteen miles an hour. I jammed on the emergency brakes and the engine came to a stop within 100 feet. The automobile was lifted on the cowcatcher and splintered. Mr. Hardison was tossed to one side and tangled up in the wreckage of the machine. When we reached him, he was dead. When he saw the engine, he made a desperate effort to avoid the collision."
Mr. Hardison was 58 years old. He made a fortune in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, and then came to Southern California. He was one of the pioneers in the oil industry in this section. He tried for oil in the Santa Paula fields and spent over $100,000 in experimenting before finding what he sought.
He became interested in a number of oil companies throughout the Southwest, and made money. He bought the Los Angeles Herald in 1900 and kept it for four years, losing most of his money in the venture. When he left the newspaper business he again took to the oil fields, and had met with some success.
Hardison had resided in South Pasadena for five years. He had remodeled his adobe house and made it a modern residence. In addition to this property his estate includes realty in Los Angeles, oil interests, a lemon ranch in Ventura county and the Monte Vista ranch.
His Peruvian mining properties were disposed of years ago, as were other mining and oil interests.
He leaves a widow, and a son, Guy L. Hardison, by a former marriage. An inquest will be held at the Bresee morgue tomorrow afternoon at which the engineer and fireman, the only witnesses of the accident, will be present.
Los Angeles Times | Sunday, April 11, 1909, pg 5. Submitted by contributor: Searcher (47964701)
Hardison was on his way from his ranch at Monte Vista to San Fernando to purchase supplies. He was driving at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, and as he approached the tracks, did not take the precaution to reduce speed, according to the statements of the trainmen.
Heavy brush on both sides of the road prevented the engineer of a rapidly-moving light locomotive from seeing the approaching automobile, and Hardison did not see the engine. As the machine ran on the tracks the engineer applied the emergency brake, but it was too late.
Hardison, when he realized his danger, tried to turn his car to one side, but failed. The engine struck the auto squarely, and it was scattered along the track for fifty feet. The driver was carried a short distance and thrown to one side, and was dead when the engine crew reached him. His face was cut by flying glass, and his body terribly bruised. He also sustained a fracture of the skull and both legs were broken and crushed.
The engine proceeded to Burbank, where the crew notified the Coroner, who sent a deputy to Roscoe station. Bresee Bros. sent out a wagon to bring in the remains.
According to the statements of relatives, Hardison divided his time between his home in South Pasadena and his ranch at Monte Vista. Yesterday morning, he left home early and reached the ranch-house at 9 o'clock. He made up a list of supplies needed and started for San Fernando. He knew there is no regular train on the line at that hour.
The engineer stated yesterday that the locomotive was going about twenty miles an hour at the time of the accident. "The brush hid the road from view and I did not see the automobile until it was not more than twenty-five feet ahead," said he. "I should say it was going at fifteen miles an hour. I jammed on the emergency brakes and the engine came to a stop within 100 feet. The automobile was lifted on the cowcatcher and splintered. Mr. Hardison was tossed to one side and tangled up in the wreckage of the machine. When we reached him, he was dead. When he saw the engine, he made a desperate effort to avoid the collision."
Mr. Hardison was 58 years old. He made a fortune in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, and then came to Southern California. He was one of the pioneers in the oil industry in this section. He tried for oil in the Santa Paula fields and spent over $100,000 in experimenting before finding what he sought.
He became interested in a number of oil companies throughout the Southwest, and made money. He bought the Los Angeles Herald in 1900 and kept it for four years, losing most of his money in the venture. When he left the newspaper business he again took to the oil fields, and had met with some success.
Hardison had resided in South Pasadena for five years. He had remodeled his adobe house and made it a modern residence. In addition to this property his estate includes realty in Los Angeles, oil interests, a lemon ranch in Ventura county and the Monte Vista ranch.
His Peruvian mining properties were disposed of years ago, as were other mining and oil interests.
He leaves a widow, and a son, Guy L. Hardison, by a former marriage. An inquest will be held at the Bresee morgue tomorrow afternoon at which the engineer and fireman, the only witnesses of the accident, will be present.
Los Angeles Times | Sunday, April 11, 1909, pg 5. Submitted by contributor: Searcher (47964701)
Wallace Libbey Hardison of South Pasadena, vice-president of the Columbia Oil Producing Company, with offices in the Tajo building, and former owner of the Los Angeles Herald, was instantly killed yesterday morning, while going in his automobile across the Southern Pacific tracks at Monte Vista road, near Roscoe, a station a few miles this side of San Fernando.
Hardison was on his way from his ranch at Monte Vista to San Fernando to purchase supplies. He was driving at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, and as he approached the tracks, did not take the precaution to reduce speed, according to the statements of the trainmen.
Heavy brush on both sides of the road prevented the engineer of a rapidly-moving light locomotive from seeing the approaching automobile, and Hardison did not see the engine. As the machine ran on the tracks the engineer applied the emergency brake, but it was too late.
Hardison, when he realized his danger, tried to turn his car to one side, but failed. The engine struck the auto squarely, and it was scattered along the track for fifty feet. The driver was carried a short distance and thrown to one side, and was dead when the engine crew reached him. His face was cut by flying glass, and his body terribly bruised. He also sustained a fracture of the skull and both legs were broken and crushed.
The engine proceeded to Burbank, where the crew notified the Coroner, who sent a deputy to Roscoe station. Bresee Bros. sent out a wagon to bring in the remains.
According to the statements of relatives, Hardison divided his time between his home in South Pasadena and his ranch at Monte Vista. Yesterday morning, he left home early and reached the ranch-house at 9 o'clock. He made up a list of supplies needed and started for San Fernando. He knew there is no regular train on the line at that hour.
The engineer stated yesterday that the locomotive was going about twenty miles an hour at the time of the accident. "The brush hid the road from view and I did not see the automobile until it was not more than twenty-five feet ahead," said he. "I should say it was going at fifteen miles an hour. I jammed on the emergency brakes and the engine came to a stop within 100 feet. The automobile was lifted on the cowcatcher and splintered. Mr. Hardison was tossed to one side and tangled up in the wreckage of the machine. When we reached him, he was dead. When he saw the engine, he made a desperate effort to avoid the collision."
Mr. Hardison was 58 years old. He made a fortune in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, and then came to Southern California. He was one of the pioneers in the oil industry in this section. He tried for oil in the Santa Paula fields and spent over $100,000 in experimenting before finding what he sought.
He became interested in a number of oil companies throughout the Southwest, and made money. He bought the Los Angeles Herald in 1900 and kept it for four years, losing most of his money in the venture. When he left the newspaper business he again took to the oil fields, and had met with some success.
Hardison had resided in South Pasadena for five years. He had remodeled his adobe house and made it a modern residence. In addition to this property his estate includes realty in Los Angeles, oil interests, a lemon ranch in Ventura county and the Monte Vista ranch.
His Peruvian mining properties were disposed of years ago, as were other mining and oil interests.
He leaves a widow, and a son, Guy L. Hardison, by a former marriage. An inquest will be held at the Bresee morgue tomorrow afternoon at which the engineer and fireman, the only witnesses of the accident, will be present.
Los Angeles Times | Sunday, April 11, 1909, pg 5. Submitted by contributor: Searcher (47964701)
Hardison was on his way from his ranch at Monte Vista to San Fernando to purchase supplies. He was driving at the rate of fifteen miles an hour, and as he approached the tracks, did not take the precaution to reduce speed, according to the statements of the trainmen.
Heavy brush on both sides of the road prevented the engineer of a rapidly-moving light locomotive from seeing the approaching automobile, and Hardison did not see the engine. As the machine ran on the tracks the engineer applied the emergency brake, but it was too late.
Hardison, when he realized his danger, tried to turn his car to one side, but failed. The engine struck the auto squarely, and it was scattered along the track for fifty feet. The driver was carried a short distance and thrown to one side, and was dead when the engine crew reached him. His face was cut by flying glass, and his body terribly bruised. He also sustained a fracture of the skull and both legs were broken and crushed.
The engine proceeded to Burbank, where the crew notified the Coroner, who sent a deputy to Roscoe station. Bresee Bros. sent out a wagon to bring in the remains.
According to the statements of relatives, Hardison divided his time between his home in South Pasadena and his ranch at Monte Vista. Yesterday morning, he left home early and reached the ranch-house at 9 o'clock. He made up a list of supplies needed and started for San Fernando. He knew there is no regular train on the line at that hour.
The engineer stated yesterday that the locomotive was going about twenty miles an hour at the time of the accident. "The brush hid the road from view and I did not see the automobile until it was not more than twenty-five feet ahead," said he. "I should say it was going at fifteen miles an hour. I jammed on the emergency brakes and the engine came to a stop within 100 feet. The automobile was lifted on the cowcatcher and splintered. Mr. Hardison was tossed to one side and tangled up in the wreckage of the machine. When we reached him, he was dead. When he saw the engine, he made a desperate effort to avoid the collision."
Mr. Hardison was 58 years old. He made a fortune in the oil fields of Pennsylvania, and then came to Southern California. He was one of the pioneers in the oil industry in this section. He tried for oil in the Santa Paula fields and spent over $100,000 in experimenting before finding what he sought.
He became interested in a number of oil companies throughout the Southwest, and made money. He bought the Los Angeles Herald in 1900 and kept it for four years, losing most of his money in the venture. When he left the newspaper business he again took to the oil fields, and had met with some success.
Hardison had resided in South Pasadena for five years. He had remodeled his adobe house and made it a modern residence. In addition to this property his estate includes realty in Los Angeles, oil interests, a lemon ranch in Ventura county and the Monte Vista ranch.
His Peruvian mining properties were disposed of years ago, as were other mining and oil interests.
He leaves a widow, and a son, Guy L. Hardison, by a former marriage. An inquest will be held at the Bresee morgue tomorrow afternoon at which the engineer and fireman, the only witnesses of the accident, will be present.
Los Angeles Times | Sunday, April 11, 1909, pg 5. Submitted by contributor: Searcher (47964701)
Family Members
Siblings
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
