New-York tribune., 1908-10-25
NARROW ESCAPES
FROM DEATH
SLIDE FROM ROOF TO E6-
PRESS TRAIN.
Bicyclist, Throscn Over Mountains
Pdrapet, Catches GTder Chain
IN Falling and Hangs on.

Narrow escapes from death are always intsrsss-
Ing 10 read about 70 che stage Trey ara
not so satisfactory 10 the persons who experiences
them. especially. 1t is said. because they hsDpsn
too quickly Dramatic art assigns sutaois
period OF suspense. which enables the spectator
TO develop and enjoy ali the thrills due TO situs-
tion. but reality is generally abrupt and hUrs the
fated individual into catastrophe before he
arouse his emotions OF this view Is o.
posed to the theory Of oId-fashionsd fiction. thas
one instant in crisis unroHs the map OF sx-
tensive career and performs bleaching operatioa
on the hair that would keep cotfeuse busy foy
hour.
A Swiss workman was busy repa!rfag -he rooE
Of small railroad station. says The straue Naga-
zine. when the cieat against which he rest
ing gave way, and he began 70 slide over the
edge OF the roof To avoid spiked IRON railing
below he made desperate Jump Into space An
express train was rushing by. and the landed
on the roof Of HIS outhunz hands found
and cIutched ventator chimney. He car
ried on four miles 70 the next station and de-
scended unhurt More tragic the occurrences
on a Rocky Mountain railroad -Four employees
or the Great Northern were speeding down pre-
clpitous grade on a handcar az thirty miles an
nour' when special train confronted them around
a curve There was no avoidance of a collision
Two Of the men Jumped TO death the rocks BE-
low The others stuck the car, and one Ea1
crushed by the wheels OF the advancing engina.
but the other man was tossed uninIursd into q
cluHp OF bushes which grew projecting rock
twenty feet below the edge Of the cliff II was
the only safe place where he could have fallen
Dr. Bach was cycling down the pass near
Goschenen. in Switzerland. when his brake snapped
and the machine darted forward at terrific speed
At the foot Of the mountain Is a bridge spanning
a deep river gorge TIE physician tried TO guide
his flying machine the bridge. but the rrone
wheel struck a side wall and he was aung over
the parapet While falling through the air 10
caught chain hanging from g1rder. The mo-
mentum OF his body. suddenly arrested. nearly
wrenched his grip loose. bu. he was strong
and kept his hold While swinging IN mid
air. suspended the raging river and unabIs
to improve his pertloUs position autornobils
came chugging down the pass. The hapless man
shouted for help but he could not be from
the bridge, and his cries were drowned BY tbs
noise Of the motor and the sound Of the river h
few minutes after the automobile had passed .
carriage drove across the bridge Again he cried
out for help. but In vain The awful strain oE
arms and fingers was becoming intoIerabIs. ana
the doctor about 70 drop into the torrent 20
inevitable death when two peasants came by
and him They flung a moose him an4
pulled him up He tainted and fl for long
time
A father travelling with his young an
English railroad last year had narrowing fvD
minutes. The child leaning against the COM
rertment door when the door few open and ths
youngster disappeared The father franticaIly
jerked the safety rope, which stopped the train
and jumped out He was astonlshed and de-
lighted to the boy his feet. running up tnS
track. But at that moment express On the
other track came roaring By ard the engine
knocked the boy down and passed over him The
father groansd with horror. He could not believs
his eyes when the train passed on and the htrls
fellow Jumped up and came piuckly toddling back
The boy had injuries. except a few cuts
About two years ago a small steam yacht win
a pleasure party aboard was OF the outer naroor
Of New York when II run down and capsiSed
BY string Of garbage scOvs O1 the eight aOoaES
the yacht four cIung 70 the keel of their vessel
and wera picked up; the others sank and varisned'
from sight Among the latter was young woman
Miss Fanny Day. She was reported drowned ana
her family mourning the tragic event Vneo
she walked IN very much alive and well der
escape was extraordinary. When the yacht turnso
o,a- the girl was drawn By suction under oargas
and came UP In a dark space A chain Srruc<
against her face. she grasped TO- and as soon an
she could get breath screamed for help Ia
above was lifted and two pulled her Up into'
daylight 1t happened that a load OF garbage nAE
been dumped through the bottom OF the oarss
the moment OF collision, and the young "ornaa
fortunately rose through the open trap INTO tno
chamber The trap Immediately closed again
leaving her In the hold Of the scoW irnprisoneo Il
darkness and hlth. but safe
A,o+hAr narrow escape from drowning occurTso
In Dublin It was foggy night and q CAP con-
tanning four persons drove straight into the Ale1-
andra Basin The cab happened 20 fail e&acIT
across the raooring cable Of a ship, the horse oS
M sserzars were up 10 their waists IN chilly water
and boxed ike rats a trap, they were safe ana
uere soon rescued BY rope ar the hands of rns
zbt--s ura.chrnan. Only the horse lost rs uts
Automobile periIs becoming commonplace
so-,A years ago the car OF Mr.. Co1kiin. a Ne%
York LAWYER was smashed 70 splintsrs BY an e1-
r-ass train bl.r he himself carried along ca
~. front Of the engine above the coTcatcher only
few ribs were broken. and he recovered Sew
araI cases Of horses and carriages going over high
GIFTS in England without serious damage ars re-
corded A Parfsic7 woman doctor once went 20 ean
on a patient al q private hotel and. snterf1s q
wong door which hac patent catch. found her
self trapped in an elevator we'll with the elevator
slowly descending her. No one was IN ths Az
She shreked for help. and finally sank dowE On
her knees awaiting Ceath- The concierss heard
the cries rushed out and stopped the machinery
when the floor OF the was within foot or
favorite situation OF msEodraatic authors was that
Of a Ccrnecticur farmer who was cutting wood
with a buzz saw operated by wind power he
slipped and geu on the carriage He could not re-
lease himself. and the relentless machinery drew
,rn ever closer 10 the until the teeth were
slicfng through his clothes. He would have been
savn in two IN another moment II the motor Fad
not ceased working owing 20 sudden fall N tho
breeze He threw himself on the carrtage with q
desperate effort Just the wind freshensd anS
tha saw once more made us swift revolutions.
BIG MONTANA NUGGET.