The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-07-08
DEATH OF
JOHN SCHOBERG.
Drowned i'll Belt Creek. Three
Miles below Town.
Drives off a Bridge in the Night, and
Man and Team Are Lost.

most popular young men of this city
was accidentally drowned in Belt
creek last Tuesday, July 4. Mr..
Schoberg, in company with Magnus
Bjork. had been at Kibbey to see
the celebration. They returned as
far as Monarch, when they fed the
team and took supper.
About 8 o'clock p. m. they started
toward Neihart, intending to resume
work at the mine next day. The
night grew very dark and clouds in
dense masses rolled over the canyon
obscuring the faintest ray of light.
Mr.. Bjork says that as they sat in
the buggy they could not even see
the horses, much less the road. At
one time the buggy ran up a cut
bank and was near overturning,
when Mr.. Bjork alighted on the
ground, and preferred to walk rath-
er than take chances with the team.
This gentleman owes his escapes
from death to this precaution. He
walked on the road somtimes ahead
and sometimes behind the buggy.
At about 1920 p. M, when three
miles out Of Neihart, they reached
the bridge by the big gray rock, a
flash of lightning revealed the
bridge. Mr.. Schoberg stopped the
team to wait for a second flash Of
lightning, and then started on the
bridge, Magnus holding to the rear
of the buggy box and walking.
None of the bridges on Belt creek
have guards at their approaches. A
railing at the ends Of these struct-
ures would cost little and save much
trouble; in the present case it would
have saved a life. The rig had not
gone more than Is feet when the
horses rolled over the lower side in
to the creek, pulling the vehicle and
its load headlong after it. Holding
to the rear, Mr.. Bjork came neal be-
ing thrown in with it.
The creek, at this point about 81
feet deep, is a raging torrent, and
no life could exist in it or escape
from its surging hold. The brave
but unfortunate driver made no
sound. Bjork called to him, but
received no answer that could be
heard. The companion then rushed
below to follow the creek bank, il
possible to lend what assistance he
could, but he could see not the
slightest ray of light from the
plunging vortex. He shouted al
up and down the creek but coulC
gain no response. AT last abandon
t ing hope of Schoberg's safety, ant
half frenzied with the fright and
grief of the moment, he ran to Jeri
cho, and called up L. LUX who tool
, a lantern and returned with Bjork
They searched the creek for a
| long ways below, but to no avail ex
cept to find one of the horses dead
about 500 yards below. The team
: belonged to II, NJ. Wilson. After
/ two hours of laundering in almos
Egyptian darkness they came bacl
Y to Neihart and gave the alarm. Ev
en- that night a great many walke'
down the creek to search. Among
those thus engaged were Charlie
and Albert Schoberg, brothers c
g the deceased, Emil and Carl Roser
his cousins, Gust Widell, Arvi
Anderson and Roland Williams
n About ) a. m. as it began to daw
c more people followed. There wer
Fred Danilson, Matt Sand, Fran
Kempfer, Jim Gilmore, Andre,
q Anderson, ]. 7. Taylor, VIM. Shad
vile, John Haggerty, John Drir
vile, K. p. Collard, Matt Dahl, Gus
Ogrin, Emil Anderson, Tho.
Bowes, g. w. Brown, Adolph Hello
enreich, Thos. Carr, aid many otl
ers.
e The buggy was found about 30
q yards below the bridge, bottom uI
ward, with the top smashed to piec
k es. One horse was found as abov
cited. The other horse was about
mile and a half from the scene {
the accident, and when at 10 a. n
of Wednesday the man was foun
he was lodged among the piles {
the railroad bridge at the Odd Fee
lows cemetery fully a mile belo'
the place where he fell. Fred Dan
e ilson found the body and he, assist
If ed by John DrinvilIe and Ole Gren