News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-02-21
COASTING In COLORADO.
AN ACCIDENT WHICH BEFELL A
PARTY TWENTY YEARS AGO.
Dashing Down Hill Four Miles Long, the
sled Dem 0Iishes store, Killing Several
Persons.

- Dashing Down Hill Four Miles Long, Il
y sled Dem oIishes a store, Killing Sewers
l. Persons.
- The coasting accidents recorded thi
winter recall one that occurred in th
early days OF the settlement of Colorado
and which probably has no equal, a
7 least in this country.
O In 1865 there had developed a con
siderable population in Central, Blacl
, Hawk, and Nevada three mining centre
in Colorado, some 80 or 40 miles from
! Denver, about the Clear Creek Forks
in Galpin County. From Nevada tc
Black Hawk, via Centrai-Gity, there was
but one main roadway, up and dowr
which every day in the year there were
two unending professions of quartz
wagons. 1t was something like foul
miles from Nevada to the lower part OF
Black Hawk by this road. 1t was nearly
a straight line from Nevada to Central
along the road, but at one point the
thoroughfare DETECTED to the right
acutely, and passing on down and over
Clear Creek entered Black Hawk
on the right hand Of that stream.
The grade descends in this
downward journey perhaps $50 feet to
the mile, and at some points is perilously
steep for vehicles, while at others for a
short distance there may be compara-
lively level stretch, only to be broken
again by sudden falling away of the
rocks. OF course, the necessities of the
time had developed very fair road-bed
so far as its surface was concerned. Con
slant teaming had worn away the rough.
uneven places, and the gullies and
ragged parts had been filed in, so that
ore wagons, with their strings of mules
steadily pulling at the heavy loads, could
be hauled with comparative ease or by
strong brakes kept steady in descending
the heavy grade.
it was Just after New Years, in 1865,
that a party was made up to take a
sleigh ride over this course. The night
chosen for the great coasting party was
very cold, the thermometer showing
registry of about zero, but this gave
crispiness to the snow, and lent an ex-
hilaration to the light air that sent the
blood dancing through The veins. The
managers of the coasting party-the
event had been looked forward to with a
great deal of interest-had arranged by
conference with teamsters and others to
have the road clear about IL o'clock that
night, which was easily accomplished, |
there being but little traffic at that hour. |
An immense ''pung" had been secured
a rough sleigh, or runners, rather, about !
twelve feet long, which was calculated |
would hold fully twenty-five people. |
For the purpose of directing the |
course of this sleigh : steering con-
triyance was placed in tl4e rear, anIs TINS, |
it believed, would enable the occu-
pants to turn the angle in the road, in |
Central, where the stretch to Black |
Hawk began. 1t was not found difficult |
to secure enough to make up the party,
and five ladies even bravely, if not fool
hardy, insisted on being counted in. At |
the time agreed upon all had congre-
gated at Nevada and were soon crowded |
upon the pung, and, stout fellow at
the tiller. the send-off was given. The
first half-mile was a comparatively light |
grade, the sleigh sped along at a splendid
rate, and all on board were joyous in the
prospect of successful run to the
bottom of the long hill. The sleigh |
soon showed signs of increasing speed as
the grade increased, and those who were
at all inclined to manifest timidity
earnestly grasped the side of the pung
or cIung closely to one another. There
being danger of too great speed, a
peculiar lever-like brake had been pro-
vided. 1t reached under the pung and
was easily worked. With this to check
the mad career of the sleigh it was be-
ieved no danger could arise that could
not be promptly met.
Down the hill they flew. Once, as
Central was neared, collision with a
belated miners team seemed imminent,
but vociferous warnings enabled them
to pass in safety. Down, down. down
they flew, and Central's main street was
entered. This thoroughfare, hardly wide
enough for two teams to pass each
other, and which, in y-time, presented
a busy and noisy scene, was now desert
ed by vehicles but the sidewalks were
thronged with people who had congre-
gated to witness the great coasting
event of the season. AS the sleigh
rushed down in its wild course loud,
long shout went up, in which the pleas
ure party joined. By this time the
sleigh was sweeping on at most terrific
speed, which fairly took away the breath
of those who stood by gazing at the
strange spectacle. It seemed as though
the sleigh had no sooner appeared upon
the scene than it had shot out of sight
and into space it was ono sudden dash
and then gone.
AS the bend in the road was reached,
chose who had the management of the
sleigh bent all their energies to the evo-
luton that was to carry them past all
obstacles. The slightest miscalcnlation
mlSSnb prove Idtdl, IL uuOhAOho . NSA"J
might jeopardize their lives; failure OF
their brake or steering apparatus might
send them all to heaven.
One of the participants in that awful
ride said afterward, that none appeared
to realize the danger that beset them
until the turn in the road was ap-
preached. The sled had gathered such
momentum that it seemed impossible to
stop it, and the steadiest head and
the strongest hand appeared to be OF
little avail. The shouts of merrlment
instantly died out. All was still as death.
Men clutched each other in frantic
grasp, and the ladies, SO brave before,
looked despairingly for help. AT the
turn on the lower right-hand side was
drug store. Like nearly all the build
ngs OF those days, it was constructed OF
light material. 1t stood close to the
sidewalk, which was slightly higher than
its floor. The rear of the store was,
perhaps, twenty-five feet from the
ground or rocks, and was supported
there by large timbers. The gulch fell
away very precipitously from the road
on the right-hand side ON the way to
Black Hawk.