The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-02-21
4 DOG RAN DOWN 10 THE RIVER AND
BARXED.

DOG RAN DOWN 10 THE RIVER AND
BARKED.
moved to the home Of c. s. Mosby, two
miles south Of Loring, Kan, where he
was given stimulants. He said:
'I believe that it was my position on
the window seat that saved my Ife,"
said Dortch. "Just before we got to
the bridge I shoveled in some COAL and
then I got up on the seat on my knees
and leaned out Of the window on my
elbows. When the engine went down
the lurch threw me out Of the window.
The brakeman was sitting in front Of
me, but his window was not up, and he
did not have time to get out.
when I struck the water it seemed
as II went down fifteen or twenty
feet. They say that the engine ex-
ploded, but I did not hear it. All !
heard was the crash as it went through
the bridge. The boiler must have e1-
ploded while was under the water.
When came up was about thirty
yards from the shore. I tried to swim
to the bank, but the current was 50
strong I could not make 1t. It was
hard work swimming. wore heavy
shoes and did not think to take on
my gives, or, In fact I did not have
time to remove them. A piece OF tm-
Der went by, and I grabbed hold OF it
and foated down the stream.
"At the mouth Of Kill creek, where it
flows into the Kaw river, ] lodged on
small sand bar. But when tried to
stand up the sand sank under my feet
Just then a piece Of box car foated by.
II looked as Il It would make a good
raft, and so got aboard and was on
in hurry.
sThe wreck happened little before
Z o'clock. It was cloudy and raining
and. was still dark. The water was
full Of all kinds Of wreckage, but l
could not discern any Of the objects.
Half a mile below the bridge saw
something floating by the side Of my
raft. I thought it was the body OF 8
man, perhaps that Of the engineer OF
brakeman. When it came nearer
reached out and tried to get hold OF It.
I found that it was the body Of
dead steer. Only a part Of its back
was showing above the water. Two
carloads of steers just back Of the en-
CINE went through the bridge.
1.-TWO miles down the river passed
the first farmhouse. called at the top
Of my voice. A dog ran down to the
river and barked, but saw no human
being. Every time I passed a house
called ont. In fact, believe yelled
all the way down until toward the last
became so cold I couldn't keep 1t up.
Nv clothes were soaked through, and
a cold wind was blowing. I tore piece
Of sheet iron of the raft and held 1t
up In front Of me to break the wind.
"About seven miles down the river l
passed a rock crusher, and a man saw
me. It was r. ]. Bowers, the superin-
tendent He ran a few hundred yards
down the river bank to the home OF
C. s. Mosby. saw them dragging
rowboat toward the water. Mr.. Mosby
rowed out into the middle Of the
stream. The boat was 50 light that
he was afraid it would turn over If /
tried to get in. He threw me rope
and told me to tie it around my body,
80 that If I fell of the raft he would
have me. The bank was so high at that
point we could not go ashore, and we
were compelled to float nearly half a
mile farther down the river before we
could find a landing place. It was
a pretty tough experience, but when
think of those other two men feed
am lucky one"