Concrete, Washington Newspaper Article from August 22, 1932

Concrete Pioneer is Instantly Killed in Auto Accident

D. D. Dillard Goes Over Bank At Rock Cut - Was First Mayor of The City in 1909

The residents of Concrete were greatly shocked yesterday afternoon by news that D. D. Dillard, a resident of this community for the past thirty years had lost his life in an auto accident on the rock cut about three miles west of town. His car had gone over the bank near the west end of the cut and had landed a mass wreckage on the Great Northern track.

Discovered By Train Crew

The accident was first reported by the crew of the Great Northern train due here about 1 o'clock. The train rounded the sharp curve at the west end of the cut and was almost on the wrecked car when it was first seen by the fireman. Brakes were slammed on but, the train struck the car and pushed it about fifteen feet up the track before the train stopped. The body of Mr. Dillard was then found lying alongside the track, having been thrown from the car as it struck. The conductor of the train then ran to the Ebhig farm, where he reported the accident to this city and also notified the coroner. It was over an hour before the car could be removed from the track and the train allowed to proceed.

Tracks of the car in the road just before he went over the bank indicate that he either had trouble with the steering gear or had fainted or fallen asleep at the wheel. The car had swung almost into the rocks on the upper side of the road and then made a sharp turn directly across the road, the car running directly down the sixty-foot drop. Indications are that Mr. Dillard was instantly killed, as his back was broken. He was returning to Concrete from a business trip to Skylou. It is believed he went over the bank only a few minutes before the train arrived.

Undertaker Dunham, as acting coroner, made an investigation at the scene of the accident and found the death was clearly accidental, so no inquest will be required.

Funeral This Afternoon

Funeral services are being held in the Presbyterian church here this afternoon with the Sedro Woolley lodge of Masons, of which he was a member. In charge of the graveside services. Burial will be made in the Forest Park cemetery at Grasmere.

Mr. Dillard was 76 years old and had been a resident of Concrete for 30 years. When this town was Incorporated in 1909, he was elected as the first mayor of the new town. a few years ago was again chosen to serve in this office. A full obituary is not available at this time, but will be published next week. He is survived by his widow and six children who have the sympathy of the community in their bereavement.

This picture was on a postcard sent back home to the friends in Washington after the wedding of Hettie Phillips and Daniel Dillard.

Dan had gone back to Alabama to marry Hettie (Henrietta Phillips) and bring her back to Washington.

Dan was 55 years old when he married a young Hettie who was only in her twenties.

Quite a handsome couple. Hettie only lived about nine months after Dan's death in 1932.

They were the parents of six children, Mary Fannie, Daniel Jr., June, Lillie, John and Cecil. Most of whom are still alive.

Dan was one of the Founders of Concrete, WA. The first mayor of the city and the richest man in the town.

He had been an adventurer, traveling to South America, across the western US and ended up in Washington state.

Source: His great granddaughter Andria Grill.