The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1891-05-14
AN EXCITING RIDE.
DESCENDING THE SIERRA NEVADA
MOUNTAINS AT NIGHT.
Unmanageabie Horses Das!,inG Down the
Steep Slope of the Mountain at the
Height of their Speed.

Unmanageabie Horses Dashins Down the
Steep Slope of the Mountain at the
/ Height of their Speed.
One night | was crossing the Sierra
| Nevada in Il stage, says Il writer III the
| Detroit Free Press. | was the only
passenger aboard. and hence had
lonely and dreary night of it. The
long, slow pull of the ascent has con-
sumed all of the fore part of the night
and much of the early morn.
! 1t was about o'clock when the sum-
nit was reached, all unawares to eith
er myself or the driver in front-for
| in the tediousuess of the long climb
and the silence aud solitariness of the
surroundings We had fallen fast asleep.
Suddenly there was a sharp rolling
of the wheels. violent jostling of the
seats. and we both awoke to the terri
| bic consciousness that we were going
down the mountain at a most frightful
| gait-a runaway team i'll front.
When the down grade had been
struck the driver-usually Il careful
and tigilant man-was so fast asleep
that brakes were not applied as prompt
" rs was necessary. and the horses,
finding that they were not under con-
troll, with the heavy stage rushing up
on them, became at once frightened
and fed down the steep descent.
!. When the driver first awoke and re-
| allied the situation he was in midair,
having been violently thrown from his
seat. He had had the lines wrapped
around his hands and wrists, and, hold
ing fast unconsciously, he was jerked
forward III the furious leaps of the
team.
| Yet it was but moment or two un-
| til he struck the ragged ledge below
the roadway. and | discovered my Sit
uation, as heard him utter horrible
shrek and then Il low moan as one in
the death agony.
By this time the lower wheels of the
stage were off the roadway; the stage
! itself was on the edge of the fearful
! precipicc, and the axle Of the vehicle
being dragged along over the stone
vail that supported the lower side of
the roadbed.
The scream of borrow piercing my
ears emphasized the frightful situation,
| for tke driver was not only dashed to
his death, rs | supposed in the dark
ness below, bat there was the awful
| possibility that in the next m2ment
| the stage and horses would 90 over
| the brink and land in the dismal un-
known abyss of canyon beneath. The
| driver was pulling with all his weight
in the direction of that abyss.
The half-upset stage and the vigor-
I,,.l- ,,e !. .,,.i,t
| front brought additional horror to me;
nevertheless determined to make an
effort 10 save my life, if possible in
| leap upward. So | sprang out of the
stage in desperate jump from the
| higher side. reached the ground in
safety, but not a moment too soon.
The stars were bright overhead, and
through IN opening in the forest trees
around on either hand saw the lead
ers" of the team making desperate
| effort to avoid being pulled over the
| precipice, the lines still i'll the grasp of
| the driver below, the man clinging to
| the ribbons with the clutch of death.
and the rough stone edges of the lower
wall of the roadway having broken
the speed. since the axle had to be
dragged forcibly over the uneven sur
face.
With swift decision Of mind saw
what must be done to stay the tragedy.
so jumped to the front, seized the
leader by the bride-rcin, and at once
pulled his face square to the upper
bank. | thus stopped the horses and
kept the stage still on the road.
But where was the driver? This
was the narrowing thought now on
my mind, for the mans cries were
hushed. | cried aloud for him, but no
answering voice came in reply; no
souGd was heard save the echo from
the opposite SIDE of the canyon beyond
and The Irightful painting OF the trem-
bling horses now we'll in my hands,
Again and again | cried-louder and
wilder and deeper III my distress. But
heard nothing in response save
the mocking echoes and the heaving
sound of the restless horses. 1t was
the most terrible moment of my life
terrible beyond expression.
Alone in the dismal Sierras them
selves the picture and inspiration of
gloom!-alone in tie deadness of the
night, with Il frightened team knew
out of its pathway. and Il supposed
dead companion to find and guard till
nelp or the morn or the grizzly bear
should come. No pen can ever portray
the sensations of soul in such a crisis.
Again | cried with a wall of misery
and despair. | knew not how long,
how loud, nor TO whom the waiIin9
note went, but my cry was answered
BY low moan, the moan of a man
seemingly in the agonies of death.
Nv driver was not dead and so thank
fulness sprang into my soul.
1t was some consolation even to hear
the sound of the mans agony, for with
it came the hope that the poor fellow.
after all. would survive.
Hope grew stronger, for the next
moment came another and. still an
other groan. this time from a man
evidently with vital energy and Il raj
lying struggle. Soon the driver crawl
ed. half dead. up the bank, but the
only thing he seemed to be thankful
for, and the only fact he appeared to
appreciate was his courage in holding
on to the lines while lie was being
dashed and dragged on the rocks be-
low.
Iu the darkness the first thing he
wanted seen was the manner in which
he had performed the fearful feat of
holding the reins! |. still trembling.
held the frightened horses against the
upper bank, doing all | could to quiet
the fears OF the painting beasts.
BIZ the aid of matches we soon had
good light and the situation was full
" revealed. The poor driver was
frightfully mangled and torn as he
struck the sharp edge of the rocks be-
low.
| tied up the man rs best | could,
we mended the broken stage and got
it back into the road. aad then came
The slow and cautious and painful de-
scent to the next station at the foot of
the range.
But poor Henry was never again
able to 90 upon the road behind his
team in the long months during which.