The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-08-05
THE TWO DID NOT MEET.

Yesterday evening shortly before six an
accident happened at the west end of the
Second street bridge in which a span of
horses was lost The news ran across the
Second street bridge to Main and thence
south to Douglas. 1t also spread south
along the west side of the river and then
east across the Douglas avenue bridge and
it is not strange to relate that the two ends
did not meet and the one affair assumed
such different shapes in that
short distance that it seemed as
if two accidents had happened instead
of one The report coming down Main
street was that a man had been drowned
at the Second street bridge and the report
via the Douglas avenue bridge was that
man had been thrown out of buggy and
killed at the corner of Seneca and Dong
las. Neither of the reports were true and
the bare facts in the case are as follows:
Walter Chapman was driving east intend
ing to cross the Second street bridge and
on his wagon was Edward Robinson who
has been recently sick and this was
first dav out Arriving at the
river Chapman drove his team in
intending to water his horses and allow
his fellowes to swell. 1t is safe to drive
into the river at almost any other point
than that chosen by Chapman. The sand
pump has been working at that point for
several weeks and there is probably thirty
feet of water there. The pump and barge
were moved yesterday several hundred
feet further down, of which fact Chapman
was ignorant. He judged his position by
that of the pump, which he supposed was
unchanged, and thus drove right into the
center of this deep water.
As soon as Robinton saw the difficulty
and being too weak to render any assist
ance he jumped out of the rear end OF the
wagon and only got wet to his waist He
managed to crawl up on the bank and was
unable to get further. In he meantime
Chapman was trying to save his horses
who got tangled up in the harness and
were drowned. He was so much exhausted
by his efforts and having been drawn under
bv the horses several times, that he would
have drowned if assistance had not been
rendered him The excitement was so great
that no one seemed able to act intelli-
gently except a young colOred boy who
got plank. swan out to Chapman and
helped him ashore As soon as this was
scene and his name could not be learned.
The drowned animals were then hauled
out of the river and the wagon was after
wards rescued.
While all this was going on, the space
of only few minutes time, Robinson was
| living on the bank on his face unable to
move. He was noticed by the driver of an
ice wagon. who went over to see if he was
hurt. and who found him III almost a dy-
/ ing condition. No one knew what was
the matter, for it was evident he had not
/ been in the water TO any great depth. Al
/ this iuncture Mr. Martinson came along
/ in buggy and very wisely had the man
/ lifted in and started for doctor DIR. Da
/ Wis. Oh the West Side. in his judgment was
/ the nearest, and he made all possible haste
/ to get there, not arriving moment too
soon. At glance the doctor pronounced
/ it a congestive chill and applied the proper
remedies In the course of an hour Rob
! inson was able to be sent in a hack K
/ his home on Grove street near Oak
! He said he had felt so much better in the
J forenoon that he had left home for a walk
! telling his wife he would be back in Al
hour. and although ne would be severa
hours late he was thankful that he wa
/ getting home alive.