The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-08-28
INTO A TRENCH.
A Peculiar Driving Accident ON Helena
Avenue.

"A Peculiar Driving Acciuent ON Helena
Avenue.
Tho city is digging a trench on Helena
avenue, near Main street, right in front of
the Steamboat block. One part of II, that
nearest tho car track, is about ten feet deep.
There 10 a bank of earth on either side the
excavation. About half past nine O'Clock
last night a double team containing two
women and a man from Marysville came ur
Helena avenue. and not noticing the open.
ing sent the horses squarely into the bank
of earth. They had a pretty good gait on,
and went over ths embankment and down
the ditch, one over the other. Tn first to
go down landed partly on his side and his
mate o II top Of him. b ocou :
pants of the carriage we're thrown
but escaped with a shaking up and . few
scratches. A lot OF rocks N dirt fell in
the hole On tho horses. In a few minutes a
large crowd had collected and the work of
getting the horses out was commenced.
The one on top was released without much
trouble, and apparently very little hurt.
The other poor beast. however, was tightly
wedged in at the lower part of the opening.
A rope was fastened to his foralegs and the
crowd worked manfully with the hope of
getting him loose and on his feet. It was
an almost hopeless undertaking from the
start, and after over al hours work the
horse died.
Twice he was hoisted up near the surface,
the rope breaking each time and letting
the horse fall back into the trench with
great force on his back. After the first at
tempt to raise the animal a derrick was
placed over the trench. 1t was some time
before the taokling could be arranged. A
mar got on top of the derrick to fix the
ropes. About 100 people who crowded
around yelled out orders and began pulling
caused the three legs of the derrick to
spread just as an electric motor came along
loaded with people returning from the cir
GUS. One man was nearly run over. After
the car got by the derrick was Strengthened
Up. It caught on the trolley wire, which
was a few feet to one side Of the trench.
The wire fastsnines dangling around the
pulley on the derrick came in contact with
was loud Yelling and s shouts 'D0 Of
warning from the crowd. The noise and
lights brought upon the scene more people,
into each others way. Women were as
as the men, almost. They scram-
bled over the earth and rocks at the edge of !
the trench, crowded and elbowed their way |
in attempts to get a look at the horse. BY
this time the derrick was braced and the pull
the rope. This was fastened to a light
tackle which ran down into the hole and
fast to other ropes binding the legs
of the horse together. The pulley creaked,
and in few seconds the form of
the animal became palmer as it
rose to a level with the lanterns
held by two men who we're partly in the
guiding the ropes. just
rs the crowd yelled, "Here he
comes' the light rope on the
tackle broke. The body of the
horse was now wedged in tighter than ever.
Billy Smith, Of the cab stables near by,
h rescued the first horse, was engineer
ing the operations. He sent for a large
MANILA rope which was run through the
pulley and fastened below. This took con-
time. Everyone wanted to help
and in their eaQerness got the rope into a
When the tackling was in working
order again the GROVE pulled on the rope
and once more the horse's hoofs were seen
.nd again a rope snapped and the horse
dropped back. Blood was running out of
nose. Smith got down into the trench
examined the animal. He asked if
The owner was present. No one answered.
said the horse was dead.
The horse that was saved was taken to
md bruised. The stable men said he would be
all right in a few days. At McLean's stable
he men said Tom Farrell hired the team of
pays at a livery stable in Marysville. 4 They
laid Farrell told them that he loaned the
and team to a friend Of his last night
ust before the accident. There was no
light on the side where the horses ran over
he dirt heap. Officer Bach who helped get
tut the horse SAYS there was a lantern on
he other side of the trench but there was
10 light in it.