Evening star., 1897-06-04
DROVE INTO QUICksANDs.

The Horses Were Rescued, but the
Wagon Sank Slowly Out of Sight.
From the Denver Times a.
A team of horses belonging to George w.
Snyder, a contractor, and driven by N.
Roach. were caught in the quicksands of
Cherry Creek. beneath the 18th street
bridge, al o'clock this morning, and were
only rescued after two hours of heroic
work. The sand wagon which they were
hauling sank almost out of sight, and is
still in the creek.
Roach attempted to ford the creek at a
point where the water had risen and en-
tirely hid the quicksands from view His
team was recalcitrant, and even after he
himself had discovered his danger, failed
to respond with needful celerity to his urg-
iLgs. Accordingly. before the stream was
nall forded. the animals were caught in
the treacherous footing and began to sink
Too late, Roach realized that it would be
In possible to turn and retrace his way to
the bank from which he had entered Also
he. saw that 1t would be impossible with
any amount of urging or effort, to FORGE
the brutes through to the further shore
Ther efore, he had to adopt another course
This course was fraught with imminent
danger to himself as well as to the horses.
II consisted In alighting from his wagon in
the midst of the stream, and in the very
bed of the quicksand itself, cutting the tugs
from the singie-trees ard then walking in
tho water to the Shore where helm nigh
be obtained. notwithstanding the evident
peru OF this proceeding Mr.. Roach adopted
1t was necessary for him to aIight in
water up to his middle. He clung tightly to
the wagon while he. severed the tugs. but
When he struck out for land he soon real
lied what his danger really was. At every
step. taken with the utmost difficulty, the
false sands seized d his limbs, dragging him
n. IN his Tx
was only by good fortune, and by the ex-
penditure of almost superhuman strength.
that he finally set foot on solid earth and
was safe.
But in the meantime the poor horses he
had been driving wer, sr"wly but surely
succumbfng to the dreadful sands After
being freed from their traces they strug.
eied valiantly to free themselves from their
precarious predicament, but In time were
compelled to give up. Thus becoming ex-
hausted and stationary, they began to sink
steadily and perceptibly.
Seeing that delay meant the loss of his
employers horses, Roach gave the alarm to
the neighborhood and steps were quickly
inaugurated looking to the rescue From
every direction came men, women and chill
dren, teams. wagons. ropes. planks. sugges-
tions. In thirty minutes fully 500 people
were gathered on the South fremont street
car bridge and on the banks of the stream
watching the strange spectacle of the dy-
Ing horses and the efforts at their rescue.
After infinite labor and peril, a rope was
at length tied about the neck Of one Of the
animals. the other end being hitched to the
mind axle OF lumber wagon on the bank
Four stout horses were attached to this
wagon, and at the word of command they
pushed slowly forward. The strain on the
imprisoned animals neck threatened to
break 1t or strangle him, but he was at last
safely dragged ashore.
In the interim a telephone message was
Sc mt to police headquarters for help, and
Herders. Hunter and Hauser responded
with block. tackle and rope. With these
the second animal was finally hosted, more
dead than alive, from the creek and landed
on shore. The wagon could not be budged,
and slowly sank out of sight.
When the spectators saw the rescue of
the horses they raised their voices in pro-
longed shout of rejoicing.