Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-01-17
SLE|GH|NG IN
UTAH CANYONS.
Its Dangers Clearly ExempIfied
BY an Accident in Big
Cottonwood.
DRIVER HURT, HORSES KILLED
Was Hauling Eviction Water Wheel
From Upper Power Plant When
IL Occurred.

Bobsleighing in Utah canyons never
was exactly rafe occupation owing
to the fact that a heavily loaded sleigh
constantly gathers momentum and
once It gets the team IN front of II on
the run, there Is no stopping It, except
In a smashup or a lucky change Of
grade.
The steep pitches Of the big Cotton
wood canyon road between the upper
and the lower power houses, were the
cause Monday afternoon of noun
tain tragedy that resulted In the de-
molition of a sleigh. the serious in
jury OF the driver and the death OF
one OF the four horses hitched to 1t.
The driver. John II. Walker, was
brought down TO Murray yesterday al
ternoon. suffering from IA badly wrench
ed back and an injured hip bone. from
which a small chip was spllntered off.
Ills CONDITION HOPEFUL.
Dr. 4. a. Bird, who made a rapid
drive from Murray to the scene Of the
accident Monday afternoon, and Dress
Cd the wounds, and who Is caring for
the patient now at the Murray hospital,
stated this afternoon that Walker was
progressing nicely. and that his condi-
ton was hopeful. II is feared. however.
he said. that internal injuries may have
been inflicted. as his back Is severely
wrenched. SO far the only trouble
with his hip bone IL that a small piece
has been Clipped of, aud 1t hoped that
no further symptoms viii develop,
~ al Ia ~
Union. and has been engaged In haul
ing ore in the canyon for some time,
HAD HEAVY LOAD.
Monday afternoon, however. he was
not hauling ore, but was trying to
bring down d hve-ton water wheel
from the upper power plant With u
companion named Mat Ellison, Walker
got the big wheel on his bob-sleign. and
the two started down the canyon,
Walker driving the four horses, and
Ellison sitting on the rear. Things went
smoothly TIL the Smoot dugway was
reached. well along towards the lower
power house.
Here the steep pitch seemed danger
Gus to the drivers, and they halted to
'rough-lock' the runnera This was
done by wrapping two heavy chains
chains had only held. the trip would
have been successful. However, half
way down one chain broke, and the
sleigh leaped forward under It's five-ton
weight crowding the horses into ~
run. Walker, who was an experienced
driver on mountain roads, still stayed
with his sleigh. and attempted TO steer
his leaders. now going mt u mad gallop
down the road.
LEAD HORSE FALLS.
He could have done this too, as many
a mountaineer has, when his load has
forced the team off walk but near the
bottom OF the dugway leader STUN
bed and fell. The wheel horse behind
him was baked, and the tongue plung-
ed itself into the snow and ice, snap
ping off like stick Of kindling, and
releasing the leaders. They rushed on
ahead, bulling the broken tongue and
lead relns after them, and then Eli
son jumped from the rear. Eye Wit
nesses state that the lurch Of the sleigh,
which occurred at the same moment,
threw him Is feet in the air but he lit
on his shoulder and face In the snow,
and was not severely injured.
PINNED IN wRECKAGE,
Walker Jared less luckily when he at
tempted TO jump. The huge iron wheel
was driven forward by the sudden Jolt
to the sleigh as the tongue broke, and
as he leaped for the ground II caught
and pinhed him In the wreckage.
Horses sleigh and driver were then
carried in a heap to the foot of the dug
way. where the Tree rear runners forced
the front runners to ~hicn the horses
anta AkGt 49, A.
'Jack-knifed" and was wrecked.
party OF workmen who were re-
turning up the canyon. and witnessed
the scene. ran to the sleigh, where they
found Walker trying to crawl out OF
the wreekage. He was thrown under
the wheel, but luckily only a small
maple sprout held him 10 the ground,
and on pulling this up he was able 10
crawl out. His wheel horses were dis
entangled and one was found TO be
dead, while the other was badly in
jured.
MEMS WOUNDS DRESSED.
Walker was carried down TO the lower
power house BY his companions, and
there medical assistance was summoned
from Murray. DR.. Bird responded and
dressed the wounds OF both Walker and
Ellison. later removing Walker to the
Murray hospital to make further ex-
aminations as TO his condition.
AS IL usual IN such cases, men who
are engaged In the sleighing business.
know how the accident could have been
avoided. one OF them states that four
locking chains would have done
the trick, and that the mistake OF
Walker was to use ,nly two. Others
suggested the hanging of green tree,
with all Its branches intact. on the
rear, little end foremost, 10 break the
speed IN case Of runaway, and still
others favored the tree method, except
they would place the but end foremost,
The lead horses were found a mile
down the canyon In n snow bank, and
badly tangled up but unhurt. The
wheel from the power plant VIII be
placed on another sleigh and brought TO
Salt Lake tOday