The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-08-25
A PgRlLous RIDE.
Frightened stage Horses Dash Down
Mountain side.

Frightened stage Horses Dash Down
Mountain side. ;
The stage passengers On the return
trip from Julian two days ago expert
enced an exciting adventure in the
shape of . runaway down mountain
road. in which the driver was thrown.
from his seal. three of the passengers
injured, and ali had . narrow escape
from death on the rocks. Outside with
the driver sat Marion Thresher. little
blue-syed girl Of 10 years old. and in
side were five passengers, all men. As.
the stage was coming down the steep
road on stones Hill between Ramona
and Ballena torty-tw miles Distant
from San Diego, the brakes gave way
apd the horses started on jump down
the precipitous mountain path. The
driver realised the danger. and knew
that unless the horses could be stopped
within . quarter of q mile the stage
and all its occupants would be dashed
to death down the side Of the cliff
whore the road entered narrow nouns
tain pasa He exerted every effort but
the frightened horses, with the heavy
stage pressing upon them. almost tore.
the reins from his hands. They had:
not run far before the wheels struck a.
reef on the side of the road. and tho,
stage almost went over en- its side.
The driver was thrown from his scat.
and dashed upon the rocky road. The
little girl chung with both hands to the
seat rail and kept her place upon the,
careening stage, but as she looked down
upon the maddened horses tearngI
down the steep path to the cl # and
chasm below, she lost all hope. Soon
another reef was struck. again the
stage almost went over, and this time
the strength of child was not sufficient
to withstand the shock. She was DASH
ed out upon the stony roadbed, and lay
there bruised and senseless while tho
horses went tearing on.
At the start the inside passengers
had not suspected anything wrong. and
1t was not until they saw the driver fail
upon the roadside that they knew their
danger. Then they sprang to the open.
ing to save themselves if possible One
OF them, Sam NJ. Pearce. as he viewed
the fearful prospect below, and real
lied that il the cliff was reached all
would be doomed to death, resolved To-
risk his life BY dangerous jump The
Ainty roadbed made it almost certain
that this step involved at least broken
limb, but as the stage flew past q clumpI
of bushes he threw himself into it. The
force OF his fall was broken, and, al
though badly bruised. he was not seri-
ously injured. Mr.. Rich. another pas
senger. followed, but did not escape so
easily. for he sustained n broken
ankel.
On the other side of the stage the
other three passengers were clinging
and looking for an opportunity to leap.
but on that side of ths>ruad, and al
most grazing the horsSs and stage as
t tore along. was a barbed wire fence.
All gave themselves up for lost unless,
The stage should pass the wire fence
before the cliff was reached. Suddenly
there was crash and shock which
threw some of the passengers violently
against the front of the stage, and ono
Of them to the ground, One of tho
horses had fallen, and the stage had
been stopped within few rods Of tho
errible cliff. w..
The passengers In the stage al
hough badly frightened. were unin-
ured, and returning up the road they
rave assistance to tue wounded. Mr.
'earco, who jumped into the bushes,
lad already limpod back TO tho little
.irl and picked her I'D. He fonnd her
wing senseless. terribly bruised. and
With q broken arm. She soon re-
urned to consciousness, and opening
Ter blue eyes gave pIteous little
moan, and then clinching her teeth re-
used to give any further signs of her
offering. The driver. although badly
'ruised, was not disabled, and the
tage was rugged up to proceed On the
Quincy. The injured child was ten
erly cared for by the passengers and
rought to her friends in San Diego
0 whom she was returning from o
isit to the country. The thrilling adj
enture of that terrible stage ride is
N experience which will never be for
often by those who came dashing
own the rocky road.-San Diego (CaL)
Jnton.