The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1883-02-12
A PROJECTION VERIFIED.
A VenturesOme Hack Driver Loses Team.
and Sleigh in the River.

| be Eeedlessly sacrificed Several days ago
the ARGUS warned hackmen generally of
the great risk they were running in driving
| onto the ice from this side of the river and
closed with the prediction that if this
1 warning were disregarded serious trouble.
perhaps loss of life, might ensue. One
| hackman did refuse TO heed this advice
| Yesterday and as a result thereof team
and sleigh are to-day floating down
| latitude.
| Yesterday afternoon man known as
| Jim Grumpy (who has been in jail. it is
said most of the winter,) in charge of a
team and orea two seated sleigh
BELONGING TO GEORGE F. READ,
a Davenport iveryman, came over to ROCK
Island to solicit passengers. On the jour
ney hither his head seemed decidedly level
as he came by way of the government
bridge Up town through Second avenue
he drove and near the intersection of
Seventeenth street and Second avenue he
found two young women anxious to go
across, who took seats in his sleigh. They
were Amelia Goettsch and Miss DietZe,
domestics in the employ of Judge Lynde,
who were going to Davenport for an after
moons visit with the family of a Mr.. OFT.
Unfortunately Grumpy concluded to go
back on the ice and still more unfortu-
natelv decided TO drive onto it at point
several feet above the regular drive way,
(the latter being sufficiently dangerous,
but the former being veritable death
trap
just before Crummy's appearance on the
ice, Billy Graham. another hackman, had
driven down with load but went upon
the ice with his
HORSES At A WALK
The hackmen standing upon the other side
of the dangerous passageway, who pre-
ferred to solicit passengers there rather
than to run the risk of going through into
the warm current" noticed that even
with this precaution of going upon the
ice slowly there was pelcepuble trembling |
of the ice all about them and q crack |
opened, extending out several rods from |
the shore. When. therefore, Grumpy ap- |
peared, his team coming at sharp trot, |
with the intention of following Graham's |
course, the hackmen held up their arms |
and shouted warning to him not to at |
tempt it. He either did not see or hear |
them or was bent on performing a fool
hardy act, because the instant be left the /
levee he whipped up his horses and drove
Y,aYl ha no mt he
struck the treacherous icy covering of the
warm current there was a crash and team
and sleigh
PLUNGED HEADLoNG INTO THE DARK
DEPTHS. |
Fortunately the abrupt descent threw
Miss Dietze and Grumpy out and they |
went with such force as to fall upon firm
ice some distance away from the break.
M ISIS Goettsch, not so fortunate. being
partly enveloped with heavy robe. fell
forward and rested apparently upon
one of the horses. She was quickly sur
rounded by scores of willing hands and
just when it seemed as if she must share
The fate of the horses she was reached and
Drawn out in safety, but nothing more
vas seen of either the horses or sleigh |
The persons most directly instrumental
n rescuing the young woman were Major Il
J. NJ Beardsley of this city, and III
George r. Marvin of Davenport and to i
hem most of the credit belongs. For
! time the excitement was so great and
he crowd pressed so closely about the z
freak, that there was a perceptible set
ling of the ice and the more timid ones !
withdrew to place of safety.
After the rescue the young women were
ak en- up to the avenue when most provi-
Ientially. Judge Lynde's business partner. !
Ir. 2. L, Mitchell, was deserted with his :
cam and having been informed of the oe-
urrence took the young women to their
'ome where, after giving them some re
toratives they were soon themselves again s
nut considerably reduced in strength be- Il
ause of their dangerous experience.
The actual value of the outfit which is G
low going down stream, was not much
ess than 1900 which Mr.. Read can illy
ford to lose The groans of the poor
nimals as they were drawn under the ice
we're almost human and touched the heart
f every bystander. :,
UPSET. n
a