John Wright, now of Keyser, WV and grandson of Emma May Wright, provided this wonderful story behind the picture taken at the bridge on Graniteville Road. 

On June 17, 1921, Emma May Wright, who lived at 40 North Street, was a passenger in her 1920 Model-T Ford being driven by her nurse-companion, Mrs. Emma Weeks.  Coming easterly on Broadway, Mrs. Weeks attempted to make a right-hand turn onto Graniteville Road and the bridge over the Boston and Maine railroad tracks.  Somehow she failed to straighten out the wheels, which resulted in an apparent U-turn almost over the edge, while the undercarriage of the car catching on the side of the bridge prevented its fall to the tracks below.

Family tradition says that they were trapped in this vehicle for a considerable period while they watched two Boston and Maine fast freights pass beneath them.  [It looks empty by the time this event was photographed.]

The car was eventually hauled across River Street to Furbush's Garage, where repairs totaling $47.20 were made.  Mrs. Wright also received a bill from the Boston and Maine Railroad for $71.56 for "…repairs to fence on Bridge at Graniteville, Mass., broken by your automobile…"

Expenses recorded in Emma Wright's journal for June 23 read:  "Paid Mrs. Weeks final payment, - 2 weeks, $12.00."  On the same day she paid out $2.00 to obtain her own Massachusetts driver's license.  Emma Wright would not drive it many years as on November 23, 1926, the car was loaded on a rail car and transported to Washington, D.C., to the home of her son, Clarence D. Wright, where it remained, undriven, until it died.  The freight cost was $42.00 for its final trip. 

You may have seen an original of this photograph hanging in the waiting room of North Street Automotive.  Many thanks to John H. Wright for sharing this photograph and the story behind the picture.