The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1902-11-21
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4 / DIdek
7 I1 AdNentdre.
Thrown Down a Canyon.


Thrown Down a Canyon.
X. and Mrs. s. s. Porter, for
merly Of this city, but now
OF Marietta. Ohio. have been
in ST. Louis for few days
past visiting their son, V. Mott Porter,
n well-knOwn attorney and clubman'
en- route 10 their home from Colorado,
where they spent the summer. While
at small mountain camp in the Rock
les called Twin Lakes. about eighteen
miles from Leadyille, they had won
derful escape from instant death.
our friends tell US" said Mrs Por-
ter at the home Of her son, that when
the chances against death were one in
a thousand for us, we ought 10 feel
I predIstlned for some good In the world
We had spent a few days at Twin
Lakes enjoying the splendid fishing
and, before starting home decided 10
pay visit 10 an old miner up in the
mOuisaalns who had repeatedly urged
/ the doctor 10 examine a gold claim he
had. We inquired OF the only livery
man in Twin Lakes II he had a sure
/ footed horse, as the winding mountain
road was dangerous one, so narrow
/ In places that two vehicles could not
pass, and extending along the edge Of
prccipitous canyon 200 feet deep. II
was absolutely necessary 10 have
/ sure-footed animal, as a mlsstep on his
part would throw us headlong over
the precipice.
"Hc assured us that he had, and sent
over 20 the hotel next morning a single
top buggy and lean. wiry-looking
horse, whose only trouble, the owner
said. was short wind
1T was a beautiful bright morning
As we began TO ascend the mountain
we noticed that the horse wheezed and
painted. and | suggested that we drive
slowly. So we stopped every now and
then 10 rest him, then continued slowly
on thoroughly enjoying the invigOr-
ating mountain air The great scraggy
mountain sides 10 our left were COW
cred with dwarf pines and vegetation
Of different kinds, while down the
sides Of the canyon were massive
lodges Of rock, huge boulders, as If
thrown by giant hands. There were
also mountain ferns. flowers and
bushes sprlnginG from every crevice.
Rising from the depths OF the canyon
were frs ana pines. whose lean and
lofty tops easily reached our level.
1--WE were admirlng the rugged wild
ness Of everything when suddenly, and
without an inStant's warming our
horse shook violently from head TO
foot. staggered and fell dead over the
edge OF the cliff OF course. the doe
tor and | were thrown I'm the air. |
closed my eyes and said to myself,
This is deathr Well, ii seems almost
too wonderful 10 be true. but DR.. POr-
ter and | caught on a ledge of rock
thirty-fve feet down, and there we
hung. the doctor some five feet away
from me. When | opened my eyes
ana found ! was still alive it seemed
impossible TO realize. | looked over
and saw the doctor lying still, with
blood streaming from n wound in his
forehead oh, he's dead or else ter
ribly injured | thought instantly, but
he called to me that it was only
scratch and no bones were broken.
Below us the dead horse and the
buggy. upside down, had landed in the
branches OF an immense pine growing
out of the side of the cliff
I'VE lay there helpless until some
time later, when 2 man came down
the mountain. He heard our cries and
went rs quickly rs he could to the
nearest cabin for help. With assist
ancc we were able 10 crawl up the
sides of the canyon and were taken to
miners cabin. where the only thing
we could get was coffee; there was
no such thing as aruica or lotion of
any kind. and il was several days be-
fore we had proper care.
when the mining men heard that
the livcryman had given Us that loco
horse they were ready TO lynch him,
for IL seems that every one Of them
knew the animal had what Is called
out there the loco or disease
brought on 10y eating the loco plant;
II produces short breath. staggering.
wheeling and finally fits, ending in
death We were the innocent victims
of this mans carcleSSncSS. hut as we
escaped 50 miraculously without any
very serious injuries we are too thank
full to bear any malice against him, rs
possibly ne did not realize the true
condition of the horse st Louis
Elnhp- democrat