Spencer Heath Archive

Item 1207

Carbon of letter from Heath at 420 West 116th Street, New York City, to Mr. John Coar, c/o The Farm Bureau Automobile Insurance Co., Ellicott City, Maryland

January 21, 1935

Dear Mr. Coar,

I arrived here for a visit in New York last Wednesday having excellent weather all the way. Friday night at six o’clock I started to drive my car around to the garage to have the chains put on since it had been snowing Friday. I drove North on Morningside Drive to where it curves west and down grade into Amsterdam Avenue on the other side of which it becomes West 122nd Street. About two hundred feet before reaching Amsterdam Avenue and where Morningside Drive is rather steep, I came upon a glassy place and started to slide down towards the rather congested traffic of Amster­dam Avenue. Noticing that the roadway was snowy and not so glassy nearer to the right curb I tried to steer my car closer to the curb to get the benefit of this. I think the brakes were effective on the right side and the left side continued to slide. Whatever the reason, the right front wheel went up over the low curbstone and the car came to a stop against a small tree which pushed the front bumper and part of the front fender back against the right front wheel with enough force to bend the front axle somewhat in that portion which extends between the chassis frame and the wheel. The tree was about one hundred twenty-five feet from Amsterdam Avenue. My car was the only traffic on Morningside. I had the New Enterprise Garage People come around and get my car and they are straightening the front bumper and mudguard at an estimated cost of seven dollars and straightening the front axle and lining up front wheels at an estimated cost of ten dollars.

I am sorry I have to put in another claim for collision damage at this time. It was kind of the Insurance Co. to write me for the bill for the little damage I had in Baltimore, but as it cost only one-seventy-five to have my rear right mudguard put in shape again I thought I would not trouble them about that. I thought the same about a collision I had with a chicken which considerably distorted the grill work in front of the radiator. The garage people said this could not be repaired and that a new grill would cost twelve-fifty so I straightened it up the best I could and carried on with the old grill.

In all the above I have been referring to my Pontiac 4D sedan, motor number 1043228, serial number 891149, policy number 661-868.

Very truly yours,

I am enclosing receipted bill from New Enterprise Garage,

637 West 135th Street for the above mentioned repairs to

the amount of seventeen dollars.