The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1897-04-29


Their Hair Is Standing Straight Up ans
They Are Praying for . Mountain Top
In Fordins Rivers Their Horses Die
appear and They just Stand Up ans
Yell l. Railroad Travel Very slow Bu
Safe.
Joe Winton Of Guthrie adds thrilling
tale % Oklahoma's weeks record o
foods. He was in the city yesterda,
drying out, and ne told the following o
an overland drive from Pawnee 10 Ferr.
Tuesday.
Pawnse is a prosperous inland city
lying thirty miles east of Perry. Tn:
stage has suspended operations during
the nigh waters and the only way L
travel between the Two towns il by pr
vate conveyance.
Mr.. vinton said:
Mr. Nicholson. a commercial traveller
from Guthrie, and 1, started from Paw.
nee al 11:30 Tuesday morning We wer,
warned not 10 follow the stage road
which crosses Bear Creek at Dolph's
crossing, but 10 drop south Of Pawnet
and get out Of the country by fordins
Pepper creek
We started n binding rain. The
hills smoked in the mist and spray OF
the dsiuge and the lightning kept up a
frightfuI incessant glare. We had not
gone far before We found we were in a
terrible situation. The low clouds were
scudding rapidly a few feet above US.
vomiting sheets Of water and cascades OF
electric fire. The rims Of the wheels
we're spouting mud and before We were
prepared for i We We're On Pepper
creek. This stream was out OF its banks
and eddying and curling on the prairie.
We resolved 20 try il, AMI moment Ia
ter We were m the stream The water
ploughed up into the buggy and grab
o;ng our grips we crawied UP on the
seat. The water poured over the bed Of
the buggy and we then had the awful
experience Of feeling the wheels lift from
the bottom. The heavens parted with a
flare and the earth trenbled under a
rocking blast Of tremendous thunder.
The horses were struggling in the water,
everything but their heads under, and
their names floating on the boiling
stream. We both yelled and just looked
at each other helpIessly. One OF the
horses struck land and we were out o,
& almost as soon as be begun TO get good
and scared We drove on in the rain,
soaked and sorry. can tell you. 4 III
tie further on we met P. B. Dilday and
Frank Niles Of Wichita They were a.
the little station called Morrison. We
told them about Pepper creek and they
CONCLUDED not % try il.
Then we pushed on for Perry. The
rain seemed 70 increase in volume mo-
nentarily ana the lightning and thunder
followed like close rife fusiiades. We
were pretty sick. I can tell you. Upon
the hills the water was raging down the
g1llies ana washing out the listed corn
and down in the ravines we're wide sheets
Of water. We would proceed YEARLY
down the hill and dash in The horses
would begin TO sink and we would just
hold the lines and yell at them Some
times they would go clean under and
we would think we were gone again.
This kept up with discouraging frequsn-
cy. We would think that We had pass
ed the last ravine and be thanking our
Stars when another canyon, usually as
dry as a bone, would appear, and down
we would 60
The down-pour was binding, the
thunder desfening and the lightning
s.ckenins. We were vet through and
through We would have gone back
now. but going hack was impossible W.
had to kepe on. And keep on We did
with our heads duoked and our eyes
shut an1 the horses going just about
where they pleased. as We believed they
knew more about the road than we pos
sIbly could The excitement ot being
about drowned every fifteen minutes IN
nerved US and when We reached Perry
attic in the evening We were the two
weariest men ever seen. too tired 20
think what narrow escape the life in
sur2nce companies had had.
Il took the Santa F. north 10 Wichita
Everywhe-e Il was raining. The exca-
vatsons ct the sides Of the track were
everlasting lakes while the horizon on
either side was lost in the fog OF the
flood At Arkansas City the railroad
men were considerably worried. and tae
engineer was nervous The track be-
tween Arkansas City and Hackney : one
chat crosses innumerable culverts and
bridges over draws II was sin raining
fearfully. The section men got on
han dear aud preceded the engine,
sounding each culvert 70 see II K would
hold the train. Then sudden w.ni
came up. blowing out rwo ventilator WI
dows in tns smoking car and making ths
hand car usless. The section men noH
had to walk and the train Just crept
along az q snails psce-just about ss
fas: as YOU could walk against hard
wind AT Hackney we were turne1
over 70 another section crowd and they
con iuc.ed the big iron locomotive along
a. walk Il took Us just two hours
and half 10 go from Arkansas City 20
Winfield"
Mr. win,on vas in the Chandler cy--
clone. bat as between wind and water he
says he prefers wind.
ON THE WAR PATH