Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-07
DOWN THE EMBANKMENT.
Shocking Accident ana Marvellous
Escape nj the Bridge Last Even-

Shocking Accident and Marvellous
Escape nj the Bridge Last Even
ing.
A most remarkable accident--remarka
BILE as much for the escape Of the persons
concerned as well as the nature of the
casualty-occurred at the approach To
the government bridge last evening
shortly after Z o'clock. Considerable
switching had been done, and among the
vehicles detained on the south side of the
tracks was a carriage and a buggy. As
soon as the clearing was made. the two
vehicles started across the tracks. The
single buggy contained Mrs. Chas. Meyer
and child, of Davenport. driven by one of
the employees of Prick & Hsnsgen's livery
barn in this city, the lady having spent
the day In Rock Island and was being
driven home. As the vehicle described
approached the bridge, the horse. with a
audiences that was indescribable, turned
to the right and dashed down tie twenty
ive>foot embank ment into the slough.
The carriage following the buggy cons
tanned Maj. II. G. Connolly. Mr.. Ben
Hall. Mr.. W. s. Knowlton and Mr.. p. l..
Mitchell, of this city and these
gentlemen alighted. and with Guard
Montgomery. who had witnessed the
horses queer caper. hurried to the scene,
expecting to behold terrible sight. In
agine their establishment when they be-
held at the foot of the high embankment
the buggy right side up, the occupants
uninjured-but all terribly frightened -
the horse without a scratch and the buggy
only slightly damaged. Mrs. Meyer and
child were taken to the guards shelter
house, while the horse was unhitched and
brought up. the buggy hauled out, and
in few minutes everything was in read
mess for resuming the trip to Davenport.
Neither the driver nor Mrs. Meyer were
able to describe the meaning of the |
horses conduct. The latter only said |
don't blaEe the driver, he did the best |
he could, but the whole thing happened |
so suddenly and so without warning that
nobody could have prevented it," The
horse ia known to be a gentle one, and
he only theory is that either the lines
became crossed without the drivers
or that the hitching rein got
over the end of the shaft and misguided
he horse.
The wonder is that the vehicle was not
lashed to pieces and the occupants, as
veil as the horse. either killed or main
d. AS it is, .S2 will cover all damages.
Those who were on the ground. attribute
he escape to the great bank of snow into
which the rig was precipita,ed. Col
taylor, when informed of the accident,
tated that rail would be placed on the
asst side of approach to the bridge SINH =.
lr to that on the west side erected a lit,
e over a year ago, when Mrs. Lundy
nd her sister were hurled down the EN-.
ankment on the other side with less for
mate results. I
The chief need there now-and an i'm i
erative necessity it isis a light. The C
ghts on the water works have long since L
'ased to illuminate that dangerous pas. =
lge, and the city would find it to its adj I
lntages to provide an electric light at e
nee. 1t is always dark there when the
Don is not shining, and had the driver
zen able to see, he might in time have
reverted the accident last night.