The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1882-02-03

- NtAHO VV1tH ,. TWILL n
Frank Ensign, considered one 81 tho
best stage coach drivers In The Becky
mountains, while on . trip from 0unnf-
son, COL, 10 the Elk mountains, was
asked by . passenger: r.a sst ~ b
Did you ever meet with an upset
on these mountain roadsY' f ~, !
"No; but had . terribly close call
near Grand Canon year ago the 10th
OF August" ,sr-f "a, Il 100,
Here Frank Rrasped the butt Of his
whip and curved the tip OF the lash
over the leaders heads. The handle
Of the whip was highly ornsmented.
There were about dozen silver bands
on ii. On the broad band At the bptt
there was an inscription Of several
lines. gettga ffresia .ssgcr
al seldom handle this whip without
thinking Of that ride" said Frank.
Seeing that ! was interested, he oon-
1--WE had load Of nineteen passen-
gers inside and outside the coach, and
ten heavy trunks in the boot We
were going from Silver OH ~ Canon
City. I had the best six horse outdt
on the line, and felt pride in driving,
although I knew the, load was too heavy
for the coach in some places. Al my
side sat pretty little lady, and on the
end Of the seat was the vile Of enc Of
directors. The director SET behind his
wife. All went we'll until We Dame %
the top Of Greenhorn range. The drive
down the range for two miles and, {
half Is one Of the most perilous u, he
Rockies. In places there Il sOsroely
six inches TO spare 10 keep You from
going over the .precipice, and on The
other side Il . wall Of rock. About hall
way down IL . point called Cape Horn.
The road has been built out around
l this rocky point, and the turn n %
| sharp that when the leaders Of . III
horse team have rounded the rock they
| are out OF the drivers sight. Thil
place L. the dread OF all the drivers end
| tesmstef8 on the road. The descent 4
| about geo feet to the mile, and WhsG
once you start thsre Il no stopplpl
until you reach the bottom. u o.'l b.
| "Cf course I fell : little spxieuiI
when the leaders went over tbs hseW q
the range but my vhealefs were pqH
erful and game. and trained 70 obs.
every word Of, command and touch q
the whip, while the others were gtead,
and last enough TO keep ont Of harm
way. A. the coech begin the descen
/ placed my foot on tho btake With [
hrm hold. The heeyyt load requires
extra pressure, and gave II steadily
We hadn't gone more than twenty yard
when the brake broke In an instan
the coach Wal ON the wheelers; and
they were ON their launches, snorttnl
and using their forslees Ike ploys. 4
was no use. The leaders went N thu
Air like wild horses, and 10 save them
selves from being crushed che wheslefs
sprang to their feet and Joined ~ the
race. One yell came nom the nan on
the coach, pierced by y Simultaneous
shrek from the women. Amer that
they remained still ras death. The
little woman grasped me round the
waist NJ the first jump Of the horses,
holding my arms ~ II in . visa For
Gods sake. woman I exclaimed, let
20 Of me and take hold Of The rods BY
your side. Our only hops Of saSety
lies in my being able 10 guido "
horsea.' T. She unwuund her axms, and ]
handled the reius - best Icould. tstF
."Down ~ plunged, the coach swing
ing and rocking Hike o Wy. Thste
wasn't . place Wide enough - dg1Ae,
10 break the velocity. IL deseed1 Se'1
turned my head for IN instant toward
the directos. His wife had ,fAintedj
and he had all he could attend 10 tin
holding hsf In her ssst.o There vera
places whore the 0dtss edge o. the
roadway bad bssn ground Of. md IN
hugeing the bank the wheelsgs nearly
caused . collision several times, fhixly
bouncing and balancing The stage on
two wheals., At Inst fhS horses dashed
around OAps Horulan tAses Z gave up
de stage ss.losk. These stAeo0 are %
built that whom thsy ovsgt11n . pin
drops out thai connects the polo and
horses to the coach, and the driver has
. chance 10 ssve hfnSelf by being drawn
off by the horses. When the leaders
we're out Of sight around the rock u
flashed through mo that might save
the little woman. 30 ! took fymer
grasp on the lines With my right hand,
and was ready TO wing my LETT around
her body. The Stage swirled andssotu-
ally msde the turn on the Two outside
wheels. Thea, thAnk God. abe settled
down again and went on bonn6i4g down
tho range. II seemed IN ~ before
We reached The levpi, where The hessss
ran two or three hundred ynsds before
I could stop them. When ! id 9naIly
get ct thsar hsads 70 cares sHd en-
courage them 81 Bringing u d6Wn
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ilated tkA ln6iAs4ts ~ - 49, - 49,
ms kabess - - s1g1r131 - - !!
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him . oheef ios el00. sepl1ed ths @teo
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vhip. which Z shKn caxxf = loqf 81