Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1911-08-11
A MOMENT OF TERROR
ON FISH CREEK HILL
PHOENIX CITIZENS oPPoRTUN.
ITY TO BE A HERO.
He Embraced 1t and Saved Com panions
From Horrible Death.

Many thrilling adventures have beer
experienced, especially by autoists. OF
the scenic Roosevelt route. some O.
tnem ending in tragedies. But there
mas been recorded none so filled with
wide-eyed horror as one which ended
fortunately, thanks to the GOODNESS and
! quickness of the hero of the moment
whose modesty has prevented a pub
lication of the incident until now and
has delayed the tribute due one who,e
promptness to act and whose courage
to execute prevented waste of human
life.
In speaking of the affair. the hero
Henry l.. George, with not false modesty
said ii was nothing. The feat was one
which any man would naturally per-
form when brought face to face with
necessity
About a month ago Mr.. George took
his wife and a party of friends to
Roosevelt. 1t was his first long drive
over road fringed with grandeur and
so beset with peril Yet he manipu-
lated his machine with such consum-
dangerous passages with such adroit-
ness that he earned the admiration of
his companions.
so enjoyable had the journey been
that few days later. Mr.. George pro-
posed another and the party set out one
morning, little thinking that an event
would intervene before their return.
calculated to blanch the hair of the
participants.
Mr.. George and his friends arrived
safely at Roosevelt and did not leave
until nightfall as they desired to gaze
from the top Of Fish Creek Hill upon
the country below, bathed in the light
of a full moon
Arriving at the tortuous path that
leads to the summit OF Fish Creek hill
Mr.. George proceeded carefully over
the most dangerous stretch of the
road, rocky wall on one side and on
the other precipice of many hun
dreds of feet whose depths the moon
light could not pierce
Turning sharp shoulder of the
road, Mr.. George was Mortified to see
the glare of two headlights and hear
the fierce and rapid exhaust of an au-
approaching at a speed no
sane man had ever attained on the
Roosevelt road. Either the driver was
1 lunatic or was drunk; or. he might |
nave lost control
But there was no time to speculate,
'nly for action. On one side was the
ofty wall of rock, and on the other the
lbysmal depth. The road lay like a
harrow ribbon between. Not more
hopeless seemed the fate of the Ath-
nien- youth as they awaited in the
'retan Labyrinth the coming of the
Iinotaur
There was only one thing to be done
nd how barren its promise of result
ir. George stopped the mach
ne, threw himself into the road
n front of it. His companions
ad given way to paroxysms of terror
was his purpose TO await the coming
( the runaway and at the exact mo-
lent or rather at the exact infinitesmal
raction of the moment. strike the fly
ng. front wheels with the soles of his
eet and shove the machine aside into
pace
All transpired as he had calculated
he impact Of the soles of his feet
gainst the tires of the oncoming ma
hine was not seemingly violent but
! was sufficient to cause the auto
Mobile to swerve and plunge over the
dye. Mr.. George heard the horrifying
hriek of woman and then, the clat-
ering of the machine as it bounded
own and down against the slightly ;
rocks below. Then a strange
uiet succeeded to the roar and rush,
he cry of the dying woman and the
rash far down on the rocks below
The strain had been too great and
Ir. George sank into a semi-uncon-
cious state from which he was arous-
d by the voice of his wife
why, Henry, what's the matter?
he cried.
l ,