The Sully County watchman. (Clifton, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1894, 1888-08-18
A MOUNTAIN RUNAWAY
Fearful Experience OF Pass ngers in n
Stage Coach.
The Driver Thrown From His Seat
and Three Of the Occupants
Injured.

Inc stage passengers on the return
trip from Julian. two days ago, saws tn.
San Diego Union, experienced an exciting
adventure In the shape of a runaway
down a mountain road, in which the driv.
e. was thrown from hls seat, three of tn.
passengers injured and all had a narrow
eccape from death on the rocks, Outside
with the driver sat Marion Thre-her 9
little blue-eyed girl 10 years old, and in.
side were five passengers, all men. A.
the stage was coming down a steep road
on Stone's Hill, between Ramops and
Brllena, fortytwo miles distant from San
Diego, the b. axes gave way and the horses
started on jump down the precipitops
mountain pain. The driver realized the
danger, and knew that unless the borses
could be stopped within quarter of n
mile the stage and all it's occupant.
would be dashed to death down the aide
of the cliff where the road entered q mar.
row mountain pass. He exerted every
effort, but the frightened horses, with the
heavy stage pressing upon them. almo.r
tore the reins from his hands. Thew : sd
not run far before the wheels strnck n
reef on the side of the road, and the
stage almost went over On its side.
The driver was thrown from his "seat
and dashed upop the rocky road. The
little girl clung with both hands to the
seat rail and Kept her place anon the
careening stage, but as she looked down
upon the madehed horses tearing down
the steep path TO the cliff and chasm be-
low she lost all hope. Soon another reef
was struck; again the stage almost went
over, anf this time the strength OF The
chlld was not sutti ,ient to- withstand the
shock. She was dashed out uuon the
stony roadbed aud lay there sepsel.ss
while the horses went tearing on.
AT the start the inside passfnpers bas
not suspected anything wroug. end il.
was not until the saw the driver fall unon
tho roadside that they knew their Gluyer
Then they sprang To the opening to save
the enselves If possible. Cue OF taerp
Sam NJ. Pearce, viewed the fearful
prospect below, and reali- d that if tn.
cliff was reached all would be doomed to
death, resolved to risk his life bv 8
dangerous jnmp. The hiuty road bed
made 1t almost certain that this stem in
volved at least a broken limb: but IA
The stage flew past n clump of bushes. h..
threw himself into it. The force IF hrs
fall WAS broken, and, although badIv
bruised, he was not seriously ininr.J
Mr.. Rich, another passenger, followed
but sustained broken ankle.
On the other side OF the stage the othsr
three passengers we're cling;ng and look
Ing tor an opportunity To- leap. but on
the side OF the road, and almost grazing
the horses and the stage as they tore
along, was barbed wire fence befors tha
cliff was reached. Suddenly there wss n
crash and shock which threw some of
the passengers violently against the front
or the stage, and one of rhern IN tho
ground. One of the horses had fallen.
aud the stage had bees stopped within a
few rods of the terrible cliff.
Ibe passengers in the stage. although
' diy frightened were unin jured, and re
ming mp the road they gave assistance
: , the wounded. Mr.. Pierce, who iumped
into the bushes, had already limped back
10 the little girl aud picked her up. He
found her lying senseless, terribly bruised
and with broken arm. She soon rerurn.
ed to consciousness, and opening her b'ue
eyes, gave plteons moan, and then
elinching her teeth refused to give any
fnrther signs of her suffering. The
river although badly bruised, was not
disabled, and the stage was r.gged up to
proceed on the journey. The injured
child was tenderly cared for by the pas-
senSeNs and brought to her friends in
San Diego, TO whom she was returning
rom sit to the country. The thrill
Ing adventure OF that terrible sta rid.
Is au experience taat will never be for
gotten by those who came dashing down
the rocky road.