The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-01-23
Runaway Team PlunSeS Into River With Car
TiaSe and Occupants
MOTHER AND Daughter SAVED
AHd'the Cause Of the Thrilling nci-
dent, a Little Pug Dog, Sis Sc
reneIy on His Cushioned Perch and
Views the Spectacle with Scarcely
SILVER Unpleasant Ending of
Pleasantly Planned Afternoon Ex-
cursion.

IN IA lND. II I ~ LIN WV ANANH IL
IMA had her little daughter Laura
IlWIl and her mother out riding
uUu about so p. IN. today, driving
her favorite sorrel aud new gray
horse, Little pug dog Towser trotted
serenely along under the single seat,
open spring wagon, and was followed
by number Of dogs, both large and
small, that had gathered from various
quarters.
Ga West street, near the cornero Of
Fifteenth, Mrs. Cortright stopped and
took her dog in the wagon, at tine same
time asking bystander to drive the
ether dogs buck, hut as she started the
dogs followed. Two or three Of the
larger dogs sprang at the horses head.
The sorrel horse jumped and kicked.
Mrs. Cortright used her whip on the
dogs but they repeated their antics.
This time the frightened sorrel
plunged, and the team got beyond the
control Of Mrs. Cortright. She was
thown out, dragged q long distance,
the wheel passed over her arm and she
was forced to relax her hold on the
reins.
olhAluAlA TIN lIlL NJ
W. A. Gaylord lives at the corner of
Main and Sixteenth street. His diuing-
room window faces Sixteenth street.
He was sitting in the window writing
when he heard n woman scream. Look
ing out ne saw a maddeued team of
horses dashiug past. Mr.. Gaylord,
when interviewed by a TRIBUNE re-
porter said; Il have seen many runa-
ways, out | have never seen such a
layingright down to it as if they wanted
TO see which could beat They fairly
flew. In the wagon was Mrs G. A
Cortright, clasping her little grand.
daughter tight In her arms. Her bon
net was flying. She was moaning
aloud l had my slippers on, but l
knew where the team WAS going just as
well as | do now" At the terminus Of
Sixteenth street, one block from Main,
flows the Dyberry river.
Mr.. Gaylord said Il knew they
would jump into the river and unless
some one was there they would drown.
/ grabbed my shoes and in an instant
was running to the river. "
Charles Irwin lives at the end of Six
teenth street. He too was in the din.
ing room. When he saw the horses dash
by he ran to the door, A stone wall ten
or twelve feet fronts the bank of the
river at this place and is used for
place to pump water from by the fire
department in case Of a fire. Going at
their made pace the team never stopped
but cleared the wall aud landed in the
center of the stream at least fifteen
feet from the shore. The water was
about four feet deep Mrs. Cortright
and the baby were thrown ont.
RESCUED JUST IN TINE.
Irwin jumped into the river and was
soon followed by Gaylord. Mrs. Cort-
right was lying on her back, still
clasping the child to her bosom. Both
were under water. Mr. Irwin raised
her up out of the water and Mr.. Gay
lord took the child from her grasp and
handed it up to the women en- the
bank, The child was nearly exhausted
and gasped for breath, being nearly
drowned. Mrs. Cortright WAS com.
pletely exhausted. By this time J. w.
Ridd, butcher from Girdland, had
appeared and jumped into the water.
Andrew Hanson, carpenter, and
"Bob, an all around negro empl Dyed
by Richard Brown in building cot
tage near by, were in the water by this
time looking after the horses
Mrs. Cortright was lifted from the
water and with the child were taken
into the home Of Joe Menner. where
warm clothing was given them.
TowsER KEEPS HIS THRONE.
When the team jumped into the
river the sorrel horse was thrown on
its side, one foot caught in the harness
and it floundered about with only its
nose out of water, the gray horse
dragging ii down stream Shivering
on the seat of the wagon sat dog Tow.
ser, the cause Of all the mischief. The
horses were finally rightel by the men.
A little incident occurred here that is
worth noticing. When the horses
were set on their feet and were safe
the sorrsl whinnsd, Towser leaped into
the water and swan TO the horse.
Mrs. Z. A. Cortright received an ugly
cut over her eye, but it is not danger
ous. Mrs. Eugene COrtright was com
pletely covered with mud, but is appa.
rently unbarmed Little Laura was
not bruised in any way. The horses
were unharmed and the wagon dam
aged but little.
Mr.. Gaylord and others who saw the
terrible accident say that their escape
was miraculous, as another minute
more in the water would have surely
ended in drowning, No less remarka-
bic was the escape from injury from
the runaway team.