The daily morning journal and courier., 1896-07-01
MArH EWS0N,s RIDE.
A True Tale of the old West.

(Ffom the Overland Montnly.l
 In May, 1857, John Mathewsor, 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 derrick at Washington, on the north fork of the Yuba 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 Neva- da City, and he at once placed bed in Nevada City. Next morning the in- jured man was tenderly placed in the coach and made as comfortable as pos- sible
 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 0 flash the spirited animals were tearing down the ridge.
 Some one at Nevada City happened to be scanning the road through a fieldglass, and suddenly shouted, The stage is coming hell bent for lection an Olin ain't 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 had fieldglasses were anxiously watching the swaying stage in it's mad career along the ridge toward the steep grade leading into town It was still some four miles distant.
 The excitement was intense Every one knew that Mathewson, helpless and weak, lay inside, at the mercy If the four blooded animals. The wheel CTS especially were a splendid pair of mettlesome stallions and the leaders carefully selected, No power on earth could have stopped them on that ridge. Down the grade they plunged, The speed was terrific Strong men turned away in horror 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 q
  multitude. "The stump! the powder" Three miles from town the stage road led between stump on the lower side and a powder on the upper side of the grade.
 With long plunging strides the ani- mals approached this danger point, The crowd was too mortified to shout. Only a stified groan, more eloquent than words could have been heard.
 "A few rods more and God help poor Mathewson," reverently murmured a grizzled miner as the tears flowed down his wrinkled face. Many hard looking but tender-hearted man around him murmured Amen" Gaining increased momentum at eve- ry bound, the stage ran into cloud of dust just before reaching the stump and powder. Awed, pallid, upturned faces gazed with fascinated intentness at that little cloud of dust.
 They've done it" whispered a man in front, with eyes still glued to his glass.
 Withonly fourteen inches to spare on either siie of the stage it had passed l througrI it safely. But the danger was not yet 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 dream ing of trying to stop the foam-covered stallions in their wild run.
 Along Coyote street they whiried l then making fiat-iron turn entered