Eagle River Democrat. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1893-1896, 1896-07-20
MATHEWSON'S RIDE.
A True Tale of the Old West De
scribing a Memorable Stage
Coach Adventure.

In May, 1857, John Mathewson, a pio-
neer in hydraulic mining, to whom be-
longs the credit of building the first
water derrick in California, had both
legs broken while erecting a derrick at
Washington, on the north fork of the
Yuga river, twenty-five miles north OF
Nevada City. He was taken out, from
the ruins of his derrick, and word sent
to Nevada City for an ambulance.
O. S. Olin was the driver of the daily
stage between Washington and Nevada
City, and he at once placed bed III
Concord coach and drove over to Nevada
City. Next morning the injured man
was placed tenderl;y in the coach and
At the Cold Spring house, six miles
from town, Olin pulled up to water his
horses, winding the ribbons around the
brake before leaving the box.
A dog ran a drove of hogs under the
horses feet, and in a flash the spirited
Someone at Nevada City happened to
be scanning the road through held
glass, and suddenly shouted: THE stage
is coming hell bent for lection, an Oin
amt on the box"
The news spread through the town like
Wildfire, and in an incredibly short time
the whole town turned out and all who
ing the swaying stage in its mad career
along the ridge towards the steep grade
leading into town. 1t was still some
four miles distant.
The excitement was intense. Every
one knew that Mathewson, helpless and
weak lay inside at the mercy of the
four blooded animals. The Wheelers es-
pecially were splendid pair OF mettle-
some stations, and the leaders carefully
selected. No power on earth could have
stopped them on that ridge. Down the
grade they plunged. The speed was ter
ror, expecting from moment to moment
that the stage would go crashing into the
canyon below.
Half the distance toward town had
been accomplished in safety when a
hoarse cry broke from the watching mui.
titude. "The stump! the bowlder!,,
Three miles from town the stage road
led between a stump on the lower side
and bowlder on the upper side OF the
grade.
With long, plunging strides the ami
mails approached the danger point,
The crowd was too Mortified to shout.
Only stified ,groan,, more eloquent than
words. could have been heard.
"a few more rods, and God help poor
Mathewson," reverently murmured a
grizzled miner as the tears rolled down
his wrinkled face. Many handbook
ing but tender-hearted man around him
murmured ""Amen."
Gaining increased momentum at every
bound, the stage ran into a cloud Of
dust just before reaching the stump and
bowlder. Awed, pallid, upturned faces
gaZed with fascinated lntentnesS at that
little cloud of dust.
They've done it, whispered man
in front, with his eyes glued to his glass.
With only fourteen inches to spare on
of
through it safely. But the danger was
not vet over. The steepest and rough
est part of the road was yet to come.
AS the stage reached town, the people
gave way on either side, none dreaming
of trying to stop the foam-c covered stall
Along Coyote street they whirled, then.
making a fat-iron turn, they entered
Main Still on they flashed, whirling
into Commercial, then up into Pine, and
still at full speed to Broad, heading
for the destination Of the stage i'll front
Of the National or Persons hotel, in the
middle of the block.
Arthur Hagadorn, the owner OF the
stage line, was standing. pale with ex-
element close to where the stage usual
ly reined in. None can ever know how
it came about, but at the sight of the
familiar figure the four intelligent ami
mails slowed uD and came to stop with
in o foot of where they would have been
driven had DIN been on the box.
Stepping up to the lead horse, Haga-
dorm stroked his wet neck, and said:
''Noble fellow, you've done your last
days work"
Mathewson was unhurt. and feebly
thanked friends and acquaintances who
crowded around the stage to congratu
late him on his miraculous escape
Such is the record of one Of the widest
stage rides ever taken by man.
One of the wheelers on the stage was
the stallion ST. Clair, the sire Of Sena-
tor Stanford's famous Occident. 1t is
not generally known that the late sena-
tor deserves much of the credit of help
ing to perfect the instantaneous process
in photography.
Occident was said to have the finest
action of any trotter of his day, and
Stanford spent two years and 100000
before he finally succeeded in obtaining
satisfactory photograph of Occident
at his best by means of the instantane-
Gus process.-Overland Monthly.