The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1897-10-22
DOWN THE EXCAVATION.
A. e. Hopkins Horse Loses its Life in
the Fourth Street Ditch.
Will Present a Claim to the City
for Rec0mpenSe.

A. e. Hopkins and Agent @. e.
Johnson were driving up Hickory
street at about ten minutes before
seven last evening, with the former, IS
horse and buggy, when the horse
went into the excavation for the
Fourth street water mains The ex-
cavation is eight feet deep and
twenty inches wide, and at first only
the horses fore feet went in. The
horse was then cut loose from the
buggy. and in trying to get out went
bodily into the excavation. ID. +.
Brewer leant his assistance. and W.
r. Hammett was sent for. The horse
was so badly injured in trying to get
| it out that it died. 1t was removed
this morning. A thill of the buggy
was broken and the harness was
ruined.
Mr.. Hopkins states that he will
present claim to the city for the
value of the horse and harness, injury
to the buggy and the services of Mr..
Hammett. He states that the horse
was eleven years old and that he paid
S45 for the animal. The harness was
worth 81.
The question of the city's liability
rests upon whether or not due pre-
cautions to warn and protect the
public from injury were taken. The
testimony on this differs. Mr..
Hopkins states that he saw but two
lights on the waterworks excavation
and that they were placed where they
were Of no, service in warning the
public Of the danger at the particular
place where he went down. In this
he is substantiated by Messrs John
son and Brewer.
On the other hand Thos. Keohoe
claims that he placed seven lighted
lanterns on the Hickory street cross
ing, within space Of sixty feet, just
before dark. These lanterns were
there this morning, he says. He
further states that he constructed
fences to protect the excavations, and
says that the public was amply pro
tected. Mr.. Hopkins says that there
was no fence where he drove in.
1t sreported that two parties called
to Mr.. Hopkins just before he reached
the excavation, saying that he should
stop, as he could not get through. HI
states that he did not hear any sucf
words spoken. He says that he wa:
, driving at slow walk. He had no
been over the street before. since thu
excavations had been begun, and dit
, not know in what condition it wa
: there.
The excavation for the water mains
where it crosses the street, is partl!
tunneled, leaving the sidewalks and
space in the center of the street TO
q teams to cross. The excavation is Of
the east side of the street. West O
this, an excavation has been com
menced for the sewers, and manhol
u is being dug in the center of the street
: opposite the place where teams cal
: cross the water main excavation. L
turning out for the sewer excavation
a person will drive into the waite
s mains excavation as Mr.. Hopkins did
S unless he turns abruptly to the right
J. This is where mistake seems to hay
: been made. Had the places for cross
4 ing the sewer and water mains eXcavS
? tions been exactly opposite eac
s other, there would have been no az
cident.
The Fourth street water mains ar
being put in by Ed. Halstead, unde
, the direction of the board of publ
works, by the acquiescence of til
- aldermen.
- City Attorney Pau states that
=. there was any liability for damage
,, anywhere it would be the city tia
= was liable, but he understands tht
the crossing was properly lighted.
Col. Johnson states that the e
~ cavation into which the horse fell W;
not lighted, and that there was
fence. D. f. Brewer states that the
ne were but three lights on the wat
M mains excavations and no fence, ar
as no lights where the horse went dow
ma He saw the fence built there thrt
1y hours later.
re- Messrs. Hopkins and Johnson sto
I'D ped their horse and looked ahea
"a after passing the sewer excavation
ire but as there was no light ahead TIT
re- thought it safe.
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