The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1884-06-27
The Stage Drlverla Story.
now GENERAL sCorrsIIEE WAS SAVED
AND now ms DRIVER TWICE
M ESCAPED DEATH.

The traveller of the present day, as
he is hurried along by the lightning
express, IN its buffet cars and palace
slecpers, seldom reverts In thought TO
the time when the stage coach and
packet were the only means of commu-
nication between distant points. 1t is
rare that one of the real oldltime stage
drivers is met with nowadays aud
when the writer recently ran across
Fayette Haskell, of Lockport, N. Y,
he felt like photographer over the
discovery of some rare volume of ''for-
gotten lore Mr. Haskell, although
one of the pioneers in stage driving
Che formerly ran from Lewiston to Mia
CARA falls and Buffalo), is hale aud
hearty and bids fair to live for many
years. The strange stories OF his early
adventures would fill volume At
one time when going down a mountain
near Lewiston with no less parsonage
than General Scott as a passenger, the
brakes gave way and the coach came on
the heels of the wheel horses. The only
remedy wasItoc whip the leaders to a
gallop Gaining additional momen-
tum with each revolution of the wheels
the coach swayed and pitched down
the mountain side and into the streets
of Lewistown. Straight ahead at the
foot Ct the steep hill flowed the Niaga-
ra river, towards which the four horses
dashed, apparently to certain death.
Yet the firm hand never relaxed its
held nor the clear brain its conception
of what must be done in the emergen-
cy. On dashed the horses until the
narrow dock was reached on the river
bank, when by masterly exhibition
of nerve and daring, the coach was
turned in scarce its own length and the
horses brought to stand still before
the pale lockers on could realize what
had occurred. A purse was raised by
General Scott and presented to Mr..
Haskell with high compliments for his
skill and bravery.
Notwithstanding all his strength and
his robust constitution the strain of
continuous work and exposure proved
too much for Mr.. Haskells constitu-
ton. The constant jolting of the coach
and the necessarily cramped position
in which he was obliged to sit, contri-
buted to this end, and at times he was
obliged to abandon driving altogeth-
er.
Speaking of this period he said
81 found it almost impossible to sleep
at night my appetite left me entirely
and / had tired feeling which never
knew before aud could not account
for" lae ial u, a,el ,,.... ...',...
"Did you give up driving entire
ly y slL4 (I.I' .D
"No. tried to keep up but it was
only with the greatest effort. This
state of things continued for nearly
twentyyears until last October when |
went all to pieces" ,s
''In what way ?" ''-'f
"Oh, / doubled all up could not
walk without cane and was incapable
of any effort or exertion. n had a
constant desire to urinate both day and
night and although ! felt like passing
gallon every ten minutes only a few
drops could escace and they thick with
sediment. Finally it ceased to flow
entirely and l thought death was very
near"
"What did You do then?" I'd
"What / should have done long be
fore; listen to my wife. Under hel
advice l began a new treatment
"And with what result ~
"Wonderful. 1t nnstopped the clos
ed passages and what was still more
wonderful regulated the flow. The
sediment vanished my appetite re
turned and / am now well and good
for twenty more years wholly through
the aid of Warmers Safe Cure that has
done wonders for me as well as for SC
many others"
Mr. Haskell's experience is repeated
every day in the lives of thousands Of
American men and women. An un
known evil is undermining the exis
tence of an innumerable number who
do not realize the danger they are until
health has entirely departed and death
perhaps stares them in the face. Tc
neglect such important matters is like
drifting in the current of Niagars
above the Falls.