The Portland daily press., 1899-08-15
A TERRIBLE EXPERIENCE.
Mr.. A. R. stubbs Broke
His Leg
In the Middle Of the Woods Near
StrOudWatcr
And Dragged Himself
Over Half a Mile
Before He Was X scued by Party
Of Canoeisis ON the River.

Spring street, Is an enthusiastic fotanist,
and his interest on this subJsc. came very
near costing him his life yesterday. Had
It not been for his courage and his good
fortune to be heard when he called for
help last night. he would have yet been
lying In the woods near Stroudvatsr.
with broken leg and the chances are
that this experience would hive cost him
his life.
Yesterday afternoon Mr.. Stubs, who
Is about SO years old, started OF on
botanizing expedition In the reighbor-
hood OF StroudwRter. At 4 'clcck he
was In the centre OF clearing in the
woods beyond Siroudwater. ahout mile
and laf from the Stroudwater river.
Mr.. Stubs Is very near sighted and IN
picking his war over the rough ground
he suddenly sterped into deep hole ami
fell come distance 10 the bottom. In the
tall Mr.. Stubs broke his right leg and
forsome time he laii at the bottom OF the
hcle hidden by the tangled shrubbery. -Hs
found that be could not get up for
time. He remained where he had fallen,
crying loudly for help, but he was so
far away from all dwellings that his cries
were rot hsard. He tainted away once
or twice from tire pain OF his broken leg
when he tried to move from the place
nhere he had fallen, but as the afternoon
sun began to disappear behind the tree
tops ard the darkness settled down over
the clearing MIR. Stubs began to realize
the fact that II he did not get out Of this
place where he was very soon. he would
probably never be able to leave 1t. His
leg had swollen tadly and as the hours
passed he found his strength leaving
him and his chance of rescue Ia that
lonely spot growing less.
Having cried for help until he was
hoarse with shouting. Mr. Stubs finally
essayed TO crawl out of the hole where be
had fallen. He found that by exercising
great care and pulling himself back
ward, he was able to maks some progress
and so started fer the river sitting as
nearly upright "a possible Mr. Stubs
hitched himself along backward towards
the river. His broken leg panied him q
great deal as he dsnggcd il along the |
uneven ground. but with "a courage few |
men would have possessed under the or |
cums.ances the man kept dogReily at IL. |
The sun set at last and the evening |
shadows settled down upon the woods |
making IL so dark that Mr. Stubbs could |
not see yard from him. Every once in |
"a while his strength LETT him and ha was |
forced to rest for awhile, bnt he kent IN |
his calls for help and continued to era vi |
slowly backwards to the river. The |
hours dragged slowly away but no help
came. The leg was by this time so badly
aErNC hE
the rough ground over which the man
passed, that every move took his breath
away with pain. But he kept at 1t and
at halt past eight O'Clock ta1 reached
point some distance from tho river bank,
and fully half mile from where the
accident had occurred.
About this tins Mr., Stubbs Thought he
heard the scurd Of voices far away down
the river. he redoubled his shouts for
help, but his voics WAS so hoarse that he
could hardly make sound. he essayed
to craw little further towards the riv-
er, but bis strength was fast leaving him.
MIR. Clifford Randall and a party OF
friends including two or three young
men and some young ladies. were canoe
irg on the stfoudwater They had prd
dlsd long distance up the winding
stream and at about haf past eight
o'clock were about to return to the land
ing place near the old mill at Stroud wat
er when they thought they heard voice
cal ling for help.
Help H-e-l-p-r came TIE cry, but 20
far away that II could hardly be heard.
The merry party we're considerably
startled Mt first, hut as soon S they made
out the cry, hurris dly paddIsd up the
river. AS they drew nearer the spot they
heard the cries More plainly and finally |
located them 30 they ram their canoes
along the bank and plunged through
the woods calling out to the unknown
voice that help WAS coming.
II The thick Of the WOODS they found
Mr.. Stubbs half unconcious. 1t was very
dark In the woods, but the young men |
as soon as they had found him promptly
started about to find some means to get |
MIN out OF the place. After searching
through the woods one of them found
an old building and from 1t wrenched the
door. With this they returned to the
suffering man and managed TO place him |
upon 1t. They then started to carry him
out OF the woods. They had to Garry |
their half unconscious burden for a mile |
through the woods-betore they reached |
the house of Andrew johnson. Here
they awoke the inmates and obtained |
wagon and splacing their charge on the |
bottom, started for the city.
MI, Stubbs reached the Maine General |
hospital at half past twelve O'Clock this |
morning Rud was at once attended by |
Drs. TSitchell and A. ID. Smith. Hel
has very bad fracture of the right leg,
hnt the doctors say that they think the
red Tired fer broken limbs to heal. |
Mr.. Stubbs vas suffering great pain at
the hospital this morning, but. was |
thanking bis lucky stars that his cries
for help had been heard aud that he wss |
not forced to remain all night in the |
woods. Mr.. Stubbs Is brother OF Mr.. |
Francis stubps.