In a message dated 11/21/2002 7:17:41 PM Eastern Standard Time, [email protected] writes: > >>>Ira SCHURTZ of Swan township, had his automobile considerably wrecked > while attempting to cross the railroad near Orland on Monday. Seeing that > the locomotive would probably strike his machine, Mr. SCHURTZ jumped out of > it and was not injured.<<< Ira Schurtz passed away in the mid 1960's, I went with my parents to an auction at his residence in Eastern Swan Twp during that period. A recent visit earlier this Fall revealed that the house and barn have been destroyed within recent years and the land is marked property of Mead Corporation. A wooden shoe maker's box with Ira's name written in pencil is stored in my late Father's work shop. While I was at that auction, a man jumped from the back of a truck, caught his ring on a tail-gate chain and lost his finger. I always wondered what happened to that man. > >