Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1884-06-27
THE srAGE.DRIyER.s STORY.
How General Scottss Life was saved
and How His Driver Twice
EScaped Death

The traveller OF the present day, as he
Is hurried along by the lightning ex-
press, in its buffet cars and palace SLEEP
ers, seldom reyertS in thought to the
time wher the stage coach and packet
were the only means of communication
between distant points. 1t is rare that
one of the real old-time stage drivers is
met with row -a-dsys. and when the
writer recently ran across Fayette Has
kell, of Lockport, n. Y. he felt like
photographer over the discovery of some
rare volume of forgotten lore" Mr..
Haskell, although one CT the pioneers in
stage driving the formerly ran from
Lewiston to Niagara Falls and Buffalo,,
is hale and hearty and bids fair to live
for many years. TIE strange stories of
his early adventures would fill vol
ume. At one time when going down a
mountain near Lewiston with no less a
parsonage than General Scott as pas
senger, the brakes gave way and the
coach came on the heels of the wheel
hsrseS. The only remedy was to whip
the leaders to gallop. Gaining a2dl-
tlonal momentum with each revolution
OF the wheels the coach swaye6 and
pitched down the mountain side and
into the streets of Lewiston Straight
ahead at the foot of the hill flowed the
Niagara river, towards which the four
horses dashed, apparently to certain
death. Yet the firm hand never relaxed
its hold nor the clear brain its concep-
ton of what must be done in the emer-
gency. On dashed the horses until the
narrow dock was reached on the river
bank, when by mastery exhibition of
nerve and daring, the coach was turned
in scarce its own length and the horses
brought to stand still before the pale
lookerS-on could realize what occurred.
Apurse was raised by General Scott and
pre:ented TO Wr. Haskell with high COM
plimcnts for his skill and bravery.
Notwithstanding all his strength and
his robust constitution the strain of con-
tinuous work and exposure proved too
much for Mr.. Haskells constitution. The
constant jolting of the coach and the
necessarily cramped positions in which
he was Obliged to sit, contributed to this
end, and at times he was obliged to
ABANDON driving altogether.
Speaking of this period he said:
Il found it almost impossible to sleep
at night; my appetite left me entirely
aud ad tired feeling which | never
knew before and could not account
for"
Did you give up driving entirely?"
No. l tried to keep up but it was
OILY with the greatest effort. This state
of things continued for nearly twenty
years until last Octoker when went all
to pieces"
''Iu what way
90, 1 doubled all up; could not walk
without 9 cane and was incapable of
! g1f,N Nf I bod 4
desire to urinate both day and night
every ten minutes only few drops
could escape and they thick with sedi-
mInt. Finally it ceased to flow entirely
and thought death was very near"
"What did you do them"
''What l should have done long be-
fore; listen to my wife. Under her
advice began a new treatment
"And with what RESULT"
"Wenderful. 1t unstopped the closed
passage and what was still more won
derful regulat ed the flow. The sedi.
ment vanished; my appetite returned
and am Row we'll and good for twenty
more years wholly through the aid OF
! Warmers Safe Cure that has done
wonders for me as well as fer so many
Others"
Mr.. Haskelrs experience is repeated
every day in the lives of thousands OF
American men and women. An un
known evil is undermining tie exist
ance of an innunIerable number who dc
not realize the danger they are in until
health has entirely departed and deatE
perhaps stares them in the face. Tc
neglect such important matters is Ike
drifting in the current of Niagara above
! the Falls.