After the recent columns about East Side Lake, reader Marilyn Halverson brought in a photo postcard to me. The postcard shows a plane crashed into a body of water with a crowd formed behind the plane. The caption reads “Wright Plane Crash, Austin Minn Oct 4, 31, Nelson Photo.”

An article from the Monday, Oct. 5, 1931 Austin Herald tells the story:

“Two persons are dead, one is seriously injured and Austin’s first home built airplane is buried deep in the mud and water of the Cedar River north of the Hormel packing plant today as a result of the city’s first major aviation accident yesterday afternoon.

Miss Vera McKee, seventeen, of Chester, Iowa, who was attending school here and Edwin Schwake, twenty, of Elma, Iowa, were fatally injured when the biplane piloted by Arthur Wright of this city went into a tailspin about four o’clock Sunday and plunged to earth. Mr. Wright is in St. Olaf Hospital here suffering a compound fracture of the left leg, a skull fracture and lacerations about the body.”

The article goes on to say that McKee and Schwake engaged Wright to provide an airplane ride for their entertainment. The plane went into a tailspin over the Herman Baudler farm and plunged into the Cedar River.

The water was only about three feet deep and the plane, leaking gasoline, was stuck in about three feet of mud under the water. Volunteer rescuers struggled to extricate the victims and several suffered burns. Wright and McKee left the scene via ambulance. McKee died en route to the hospital. Schwake was dead at the scene.

The article also notes that a large number of spectators deterred authorities from reaching the scene and the public continued to visit until 3 a.m., causing considerable damage to the Baudler farm.

Monday: Summer Games Event, 1 p.m.

Thursday: Model T Ford Club of America tour, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Lost and Found

We have many items left at the HHH over the last several months. If you left one of these items, please come pick it up at the HHH office. Size L Tek Gear coat, size XL London Fog jacket, Thinsulate gloves, size L fleece jacket, size L Eddie Bauer jacket, size 14-16 cardigan sweater, two stocking caps, thermal mug, umbrella, bracelet, camera case, cake pan, sunglasses, iPod, reading glasses, memory stick, St. Anthony medal.