Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-29
A Marvellous Escape.
Denver fColl Trihnua

As much interest as there may be
attached to the wal. between the con.
tending railroads in the Grand Canon
Of the Arkansas, no occurrence has
transpired in that locality which has
attracted so much attention and sym.
pathy rs an accident which recently
happened to Mrs. f. j. Mallett, OF
Canon City. Mrs. Mallett is an ex-
ceilent horsewoman, and having great
confidence in her riding skill, started
out last Sunday afternoon with her
husband and other friends, on horse
back to Welt the scene of operations
in the canon. Of all the wonderful
canons in Colorado, the Grand Canon
Of the Arkansas is the most awe-in-
spring. The walls are 1900 feet
high at places, and almost perpendic-
ular. Before operations were begun
within them by the railroad men no
one ever attempted to pass through
the gorge except during the winter,
and then on ice. The laborers have,
however, made paths in the very sides
Of the immense precipices, aud it was
along one sof these that Mrs. Mallett
and her friends we're travelling. She
rode . trusty horse, and was as COM
posed as any of her party. They had
proceeded to q point beyond the
horse-trall, and were descending q
steep hill. The path was a narrow
one, the walls Of the canon shooting
far up toward the blue, clear sky, and
down for hundreds of feet until they
dipped into the disturbed water OF
the rapid, rolling Arkansas. 1t was
at this dang erous spot that Mrs. NAL
lett's horse stumbled and fell There
was no room for the least falter. This
was, therefore, fatal step. Mrs.
Mallet, with almost incredible pres
ence of mind, disentangled herself
from her horse. Below her, ten feet,
was shelving rock, about fifteen
inches wide. This she struck and
caught with her hands. With nerve
that would have made the sterner sex
proud of manhood, the lady held on to
the end of the rock, dangling in the
air.. gripping It with desperation.
Had she let 60, her next lodgment
would have been on another shelf
fifty feet below. To hold on, there
fore, was her only resort. With all
the dispatch possible, Mr.. Mallett and
others came to her rescue, and sue
ceeded in taking her from her peri.
lous situation, almost uninjured. bu,
of course very much exhausted from
fright.
Now comes the strangest part of
the story. The horse fell also and
lodged on the same shelf to which his
mistress was clinging. In falling he
had turned completely around. but
there he stood on the narrow ledge
of stone, hugging the wall, and evi.
IDENTIFY realizing his position, ifever a
horse realized anything. He did at
move a muscle, hardly breathed for
an hour or more, until ropes strong
enough to take him out were sent for
and obtained at camp mile dis
tant. BY the time these arrived, fifty
men or more who were engaged in
the canon had gathered along the
trail, and as many as could make
themselves useful assisted in lifting
the animal up. He seemed to realize
fully that steps were being taken for
his relief, and he did not move to
make resistance until he was placed
upon sure footing in the path.
The escape Of Mrs. Mallest, under
the circumstances, is very little less
than miraculous, and that the horse
should have been saved is almost in
credible. The accident and the res
cue have proved prolific themes OF
conversation in Canon, and the fret
report caused corresponding excite
ment. Mrs. Mallett is the wife OF
Prof Mallett, who is the proprietor
of the reduction works at Canon.