A LETTER FROM MR. RUGE. 
Manchester Pastor Writes of His 
Sad Experiences on the Opening 
of His Month’s Vacation in 
New York City. 
We are printing below a letter 
from Rev. L. H. Ruge, pastor of the 
Congregational church in Manches- 
ter, which tells of the sad home- 
coming of Mr. Ruge and family last 
week when they went on to New 
York to spend a month’s vacation. 
The letter is self-explanatory : 
Jamaica, N. Y. 
Mr. Alex Lodge: 
Dear Sir: It is with deepest sor- 
row that I write you that upon the 
morning of our arrival here, Wed- 
nesday, Jan. 26, we found that a 
few minutes before, Mrs. Ruge’s 
elder brother, Mr. W. H. A. Was- 
mer, was instantly killed by an elec- 
tric train on the L. IL. R. R. at the 
-Dunton station near his home as 
he was on the way to his New York 
office in Wall st. 
A gentleman was breaking the 
news to Mrs. E. W. Sherman, Mrs. 
Ruge’s sister, as we entered ter 
home. Mrs. Wasmer, his wife, had 
not yet heard the news and to me 
was delegated the trying ordeal of 
breaking it to her. You can im- 
agine our home-coming. 
The funeral took place Friday at- 
ternoon, Jan. 28, from the M. HK. 
4 ehurch, Jamaica, N. Y., of which he 
was a member and an active worker. 
The church and community demani- 
ed a public funeral because he was 
so well known through all this sec- 
‘2 tion of the greater city. The peo- 
ple thronged the church and large 
numbers lined the streets and gath- 
ered around the church. Many 
eame from far and near because of 
his popularity in athletic meets and 
his interest in public affairs. The 
pallbearers were six of his associates 
in the Bible class of which he was a 
member. To the tolling of the bell 
they carried the casket on their 
shoulders through a long line of 
young men who composed the rest 
of the class. 
The Rev. Dr. Davidson, his pas- 
tor, dwelt in touching tribute upon 
his character as a model son, a 
model husband, a model friend and 
associate, but above all as a model 
christian young man. It was 
shown by his business associates 
that although his social and _ bus- 
iness ambitions and aims were high, 
that his higher religious ideals were 
the governing pirnciples of his life. 
A friend touchingly sang ‘‘Lead 
_ Kindly Light,’’ and ‘‘Some Day the 
Silver Chord Will Break.’’ During 
NORTH SHORE BREEZE 
SAFE ROADS AUTOMOBILE ASSOCIATION 
11 
Boston, Mass., Feb. 1, 1910. 
To Hditor of North Shore Breeze, 
Manchester, Mass. 
Dear Sir: The Safe Roads Auto- 
mobile association has had brought 
to its attention during the year 1909, 
1087 accidents, 896 serious injuries 
and 54 deaths, in connection with 
motoring in the state, as compared 
with 743 accidents, 624 serious in- 
juries and 33 deaths in 1908, in- 
creases of 46, 44 and 64 per cent., 
respectively. During the last half 
of 1909, the figures were 768, 623 
and 43, as compared with 509, 343 
and 17 for the same period of 1908, 
increases of 51, 81 and 153 per 
cent. In 1909, the greatest number 
of accidents occurred in July (151) 
and September (148) and in 1908 
the greatest number were in August 
(104) and September (102). 
increase in registration of motor ve- 
hicles in 1909 was about 30 per 
cent. 
During the past year the associa- 
tion took up cases with the police of 
48 cities and towns and with select- 
men and other officials, co-operating 
and advising when requested. It 
was represented at hearings before 
the Mass. Highway commission on 
special regulations made by 11 
towns under the new law; and on 
all hearings on automobile matters 
before legislative committees—advo- 
cating in practically all its provi- 
sions the law as it now stands, in- 
cluding several amendments offered 
by the association. 
The. 
the service over 100 young men filed 
past the remains and each one laid 
a half-opened rose on the casket. 
This was followed by a pause when 
an aged lady, the teacher of the 
large young men’s Bible class, 
came and laid a large bunch of vio- 
lets upon his breast as she took an 
affectionate farewell of oue of ner 
favorite scholars, touching the 
thronged church to tears. 
Mr. Wasmer’s nature was demo- 
eratic, unassuming and geniai to a 
marked degree to all from the least 
to the greatest, always speaking the 
kind and encouraging word so that 
all classses mourned his loss. 
He had marked ability in busi- 
ness and at his death at 26 years of 
age received a salary of over $3000, 
and leaves an estate of over $25,000, 
all won by his own honest efforts 
He held a position in one of ihe 
large Marine insurance companies 
of America, with offices in New 
York City. The head of the institu- 
The facts in 92 cases were report- 
ed to the commission and the asso- 
ciation’s information put at their 
disposal. In these cases a large 
number of which the commission 
would doubtless have investigated 
on its own account, there were five 
revocations, 20 suspensions and 
eight warnings ordered. The com- 
mission sent warnings at the asso- 
ciation’s request in 16 additional 
cases. The association itself sent 54 
warning letters and formally prose- 
cuted 14 complaints before the com- 
mission and two in the courts. 
It is believed that the work of the 
association aided materially in 
checking reckless and inconsiderate 
driving, but the figures above given 
would seem to show the need for 
increased efforts, especially in the 
summer months, on the part of all 
who wish to have travel on our 
highways safe and enjoyable. The 
association now has a large member- 
ship and proposes to increase its ac- 
tivity and do its full share in the 
present year. 
Will you not aid the work by 
calling the above facts to the atten- 
tion of your readers, suggesting that 
they report the facts in all cases of 
reckless or inconsiderate use of the 
highways by motorists or others to 
George McC. Sargent, secretary, 38 
Equitable Bldg., Boston. 
Very truly yours, 
G. McC. SARGENT. 
By order of the executive com- 
mittee. 
tion came from Philadelphia to at- 
tend the funeral and said he felt 
deeply not only the loss of a genial 
great-souled friend but the loss of 
a most valuable business associate. 
This death was the means of 
drawing scores of young then to the 
Sunday services last Sunday, and 
thus dead this young man’s life yet 
speaketh. 
He leaves a young wife and two 
small children to survive him, a 
father and mother, one brother and 
three sisters. 
N. 8. H. S. 
At the next meeting of the North 
Shore Horticultural society on Feb. 
18, Thomas H. Westwood of Jam- 
aica Plain will be the speaker. His 
subject will be ‘‘Plant Grouping.’’ 
The constitution and by-laws of the 
recently incorporated society have 
been printed and will be: forwarded 
within a few days to the members of 
the society. 
