The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-04-08
"a, Load Of a. vile e,
Ono Of the stral ngest of accidents

A Gar Gcucsc Falls
Ono of the stra ngest OF aceldenls
.o,rrod YESTERDAY afternoon on the
''o;lroad ooT bridge ne' T the brink oi the
f"ne M About half past one O'Clock :
ia,.Sr Loorv freight TT ain. ladened with
hoaI5 ~ Cor Eastern markets. passed
tbrouch the depot One car, sl'uareu ol
ohont sI the middle of the tram was
aoon 20 hound about in the most re-
seen so"toble manner, and on observing
!. :, n,ore - closely it was observed tha'
y ganre f of a wheel was broken: I'M
,nediatelv on reaching the bridge ~ II
ine. ,bo track and bounded along tlli
obont midway of the stream, wnen II
smashed the railing and plunged lnto :.
tbo river turning upon its side as II
san A partv ofrailroad men lower
"a "a ,bomselvcs. and in short time
,,recked the car sufficiently 10 ailoW
+ba animals to escape. Ihe current
at this bridge is very strong ana lhe
- - from three to four feet deep.
cororal of the animals were badly
;nipred by the fell. Five OF the most
severely injured were soon carrieu
o,or tho falls The other twelve re-
,,,oined crowded together at the
br;dge apparently too much frlghten-
al "a move. A consultation arose
omonr the officials as to what should
be done with them, and Depot Mas
TOR Knapp. knowing that the compa-
nv would have to make the owners
Good determined to sell them for
what thew would bring $3.50 was
.be amount obtained for the lot. The
next question was bow to get posses
sion Of the cattle, and it was finally
determined to drag them to the east
side of the river, where the current
was strongest and let them go over
the falls. where the current would
carry their bodies to the shore. Sew
eral ropes were obtained for this
purpose. and one was attached to
each COW and they were led to the
east side, where the current soon car
ried them off their legs and swept
them over, but FIVE were rescued
alive the rest being killed by the fall
Several butchers were assembled
along the shore below the falls, and
as soon as a cal cass appeared 1t was
hauled ashore and subjected to the
butchers instruments. Those who
came out alive were greeted with
loud cheers from the immense crowd
that had assembled by this sine
Old men and young men, ladies and
children, all gathered to see the grea
sight. Over twelve thousand people
were collected at the various points
before the last animal had gone ovel
the falls There were some curiou:
incidents connected with the event
which deserve mention. Foremosr
among these is the action of one noble
animal that came out alive. He
struggled very hard to breast the
current, but slipped and was on the
very edge Of the precipice when hC
regained his footing. He turned
and to the -surpriese of all, forced hi'
way up against the stream. WheI
turning around at the brink, his hinC
legs were seen TO fall over, but the
great strong Fellow made an effor
and succeeded, while the crowds
around cheered him Justify. Wher
he had gone up about fifteen feet, ht
again slipped and was carried bacl
to the edge. He stood there in Dol,
relief for some time, a noble-looking
large animal. Every movement wa
watched with intense interest by tht
breathless crowd, above around anC
below him When be turned hi:
head from side to side, and gazed or
the waters that roared around, and
the gulf that yawned below him
there was a murmer OF sympathy in
the immense crowd. He made one
or two strong efforts TO turn and
again fight the current, bat seemed
too near the edge TO get around
without being swept over He stooC
a few minutes with his head erect
and gazing down at the valley before
him. Then there was a sad looking,
Low shaking of the head, as though
he recognized the fact that he must
fall He made one step, and in a
moment more was seen in the rapid
torrent. Thousands Of eyes turned
upon the water below, expecting
him to float out a dead body, for he
lad gone down head first to the rocks
below. But no such fate was his
In moment that thick head was
seen to shoot up through whirling
water. and the bull moved rapidly
shoreward. Then there arose a wild
cry of applause that rung and echoed
down the rocky banks as it never
did before. As the outside men of a
crowd caught sight of him, the ready
finger pointed bim out, up came the
cry, There he is,n and up went the
cheers which always rang out loud
and clear upon the performance of
great feats. The other animals
which had escaped death were taken
out and dragged away but this brave
fellow climbed the banks and went
off among the rocks in a way that
caused every one to give him room.
lie attracted great attention as he
moved away, and crowds collected,
gazed at him, and made a hero of
him.
Dairy Soils.