The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1884-11-06

l
Did you ever meet with an upset on
these mountain roads?
No. but had terrible close call near
Grand Cannon year ago the 10th oil
August.
Here Frank grasped the butt ef his
whip and curved the tip OF the lash over
the leaders heads, The handle OF tho
whip was highly ornamented. On the
broad band at the bntt there was an in
scription OF several lines.
seldom handle this whip without
thinking OF that ride, said Frank.
Seeing that | was interested he con.
tinucd:
| We had load Of nineteen passengers
inside and outside Of the coach, and ten
heavy trunks ia tho boot We were go.
ing from Silver Cliff to Cannon City.
had the best six horse outfit on the liue
and felt pride in driving although
knew the load was too heavy for the coach
in some places. At my side sat a pretty
little lady, and on the end OF tho seat was
the wife Of one of our directors The di.
rotor sat behind his wife. All wen. well
until We came to the top Of Greenhorn
Range. The drive down the range for
two and half miles is one Of the most
perilous in the Rockies. In places there
Is scarcely six inches to spare TO keep you
from going over tho precipce, and on
the ether side is wall OF rocks. About
halfway down is point called Cape Horn.
The road has been built out around this
rocky point and the turn is so sharp that
when the leaders OF six.horse team have
rounded the rock they are ont of the driy
er's sight. This place is tho dread Of all
the drivers and teamsters on the road
The descent is about 200 feet tothe mile
and when once you start there is no stop.
ping until you reach the bottom.
OF course i felt little anxious when
the leaders went over the brow OF the
range; but my wheelers were powerful and
game, aud trained to obey every word OF
command and touch OF the whip, while
the others were steady aud fast enough to
keep me out of harms way. As the coach
began the descent, / placed my foot on
the brake with firm hold The heavy
load required extra pressure, and ! gave
it steadily. We hadn't got more that
twenty yards when the brake broke. 10
al instant the coach was on tho wheelers,
and they we're on their launches, snorting
and using their fore legs like plows. II
was no use. The leaders went into the
air like wild horses, and to save thsselves
from being crushed the wheelers sprang
TO their feet and joined in the race, One
yell from the men on tho coach, pierced
by simultaneous shrek from the women.
After that they remained as still as death.
The little woman grasped me round the
waist at the first Jump Of the horses, hold
ing my arms as il in vice. For Gods
sake, womanl ! exclaimed, let GO OF mo
and take hold Of the rods by your side.
Our only hope Of safety lies in my being
able to guide the horses. She unwound
her arms, and handled the reins as best
| could.
Down we plunged, the coach swinging
and rocking like n toy, There wasn't
a place wide enough TO zigzag or break
the velocity Of the descent. | turned my
head for an instant toward the director,
His wife had faintsd and he had all heI
could attend to ia holding her 10 her seat
There were places whore the outer edge Of
the roadway had been ground of, and in
hugging the baak the wheelers nearly
caused collision several times, fairly
bouncing aud balancing the stage on two
wheels. At last the horses dashed around
Cape Horn, and there gave up the stage
as lost. These stages are so built that
when they overturn pin drops ont that
connects the pole and horses to the coach,
aud the driver has chance OF saving him
sell by being drawn oil by the horses.
When the leaders were out Of sight around
the rock il flashed through me that might
save tho little woman. So / took frmer
grasp on the lines with my right hand and
was ready to swing my left around her
bedy. The stage swirled and actually
made the turn on the two outside wheels
! Then thank God, she settled down again
aad went on bouncing down the range
It seemed an age before we reached the
level, where the horses ran two or three
hundred yards before coald stop them.
When did finally get at their heads 10
caress aud encourage them for bringing
us down safely, the perspiration was pour
ing out Of every pore Of my body, sl
though !. was cold day in the noun.
tains
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