Democratic Leader no. 126 May 25, 1884, page 3
BATTLING FOR LIFE.
A Father and His Three Children Cast Adrift in the Swift Currents of Crow Creek.
One Little Girl Goes to a Watery Grave.
Friday [May 23] evening about 9 o'clock a little child of William Pittman named Sarah, but familiarly called "Daughty," was drowned in Crow creek about eleven miles above the city. The particulars of the sad event as learned yesterday are as follows: Mr. Pittman was formerly a conductor on the Union Pacific, but for the past three years has made his home at the ranch known as Demmon ranch. He has two little boys who attend school in Cheyenne, and it has been his practice ever since they commenced going to school here to come down every Friday afternoon and take them to spend the Sabbath. On Friday afternoon he came down as usual after them and brought along his little six-year-old daughter who wanted to take a ride and also see the circus procession as it marched along the streets. Toward evening, without having attended the circus, Mr. Pittman started home with his three children, but on account of the bad condition of the roads, occasioned by the heavy rains that afternoon, his progress was delayed very much. Not very far from the ranch where Mr. Pittman resides the road crosses Crow creek, which is very high at present and its current is very strong. In crossing the stream the current proved too much for the team and the wagon was partially turned over. Mr. Pittman, the two boys and the little girl were plunged into the seething current, while the horses lost their footing at the same time and commenced to half float and half swim down with the current of the raging stream. Mr. Pittman did not lose his presence of mind, however, and as soon as he could get a footing he caught the little boy, which was nearest to him, and threw him to the shore. With a desperate effort he the succeeded in reaching the youngest boy, but it was too late to throw this little fellow to the shore. Trusting somewhat to the sagacity of the boy he threw him toward the horses, which were plunging around terribly and all the time being drifted down the stream. The little fellow fell directly between the two animals, which were still attached to the vehicle, and catching hold of the wagon tongue was carried in this perilous situation more than one hundred yards down the stream. At this point, as good fortune would have it, the horses got a foothold and reached the shore with the boy, who was unharmed. But the poor little girl, who had been the father's first thought when the wagon overturned and whom he sought but could not find nor see, had been carried under by the raging waters and never came, once ever, in sight of the father, although the work of saving the two little boys did not take over a minute. The lifeless body was afterward found nearly two hundred yards below where the accident first happened. When found the body was yet warm, but although every effort was made to restore the child to life it was all in vain. Yesterday when the news reached this city, Mr. William Phillips, proprietor of the Western hotel, who is an old friend of Pittman's, sent out his team to the ranch and last evening brought Mr. Pittman and his family, together with the remains of the drowned child, to Cheyenne.
All of the personal effects in the wagon at the time of the accident, including a small satchel containing quite a sum of money, were lost. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Methodist church.
Submitted by Jerry (#47207041), Jan 2014
BATTLING FOR LIFE.
A Father and His Three Children Cast Adrift in the Swift Currents of Crow Creek.
One Little Girl Goes to a Watery Grave.
Friday [May 23] evening about 9 o'clock a little child of William Pittman named Sarah, but familiarly called "Daughty," was drowned in Crow creek about eleven miles above the city. The particulars of the sad event as learned yesterday are as follows: Mr. Pittman was formerly a conductor on the Union Pacific, but for the past three years has made his home at the ranch known as Demmon ranch. He has two little boys who attend school in Cheyenne, and it has been his practice ever since they commenced going to school here to come down every Friday afternoon and take them to spend the Sabbath. On Friday afternoon he came down as usual after them and brought along his little six-year-old daughter who wanted to take a ride and also see the circus procession as it marched along the streets. Toward evening, without having attended the circus, Mr. Pittman started home with his three children, but on account of the bad condition of the roads, occasioned by the heavy rains that afternoon, his progress was delayed very much. Not very far from the ranch where Mr. Pittman resides the road crosses Crow creek, which is very high at present and its current is very strong. In crossing the stream the current proved too much for the team and the wagon was partially turned over. Mr. Pittman, the two boys and the little girl were plunged into the seething current, while the horses lost their footing at the same time and commenced to half float and half swim down with the current of the raging stream. Mr. Pittman did not lose his presence of mind, however, and as soon as he could get a footing he caught the little boy, which was nearest to him, and threw him to the shore. With a desperate effort he the succeeded in reaching the youngest boy, but it was too late to throw this little fellow to the shore. Trusting somewhat to the sagacity of the boy he threw him toward the horses, which were plunging around terribly and all the time being drifted down the stream. The little fellow fell directly between the two animals, which were still attached to the vehicle, and catching hold of the wagon tongue was carried in this perilous situation more than one hundred yards down the stream. At this point, as good fortune would have it, the horses got a foothold and reached the shore with the boy, who was unharmed. But the poor little girl, who had been the father's first thought when the wagon overturned and whom he sought but could not find nor see, had been carried under by the raging waters and never came, once ever, in sight of the father, although the work of saving the two little boys did not take over a minute. The lifeless body was afterward found nearly two hundred yards below where the accident first happened. When found the body was yet warm, but although every effort was made to restore the child to life it was all in vain. Yesterday when the news reached this city, Mr. William Phillips, proprietor of the Western hotel, who is an old friend of Pittman's, sent out his team to the ranch and last evening brought Mr. Pittman and his family, together with the remains of the drowned child, to Cheyenne.
All of the personal effects in the wagon at the time of the accident, including a small satchel containing quite a sum of money, were lost. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Methodist church.
Submitted by Jerry (#47207041), Jan 2014
Democratic Leader no. 126 May 25, 1884, page 3
BATTLING FOR LIFE.
A Father and His Three Children Cast Adrift in the Swift Currents of Crow Creek.
One Little Girl Goes to a Watery Grave.
Friday [May 23] evening about 9 o'clock a little child of William Pittman named Sarah, but familiarly called "Daughty," was drowned in Crow creek about eleven miles above the city. The particulars of the sad event as learned yesterday are as follows: Mr. Pittman was formerly a conductor on the Union Pacific, but for the past three years has made his home at the ranch known as Demmon ranch. He has two little boys who attend school in Cheyenne, and it has been his practice ever since they commenced going to school here to come down every Friday afternoon and take them to spend the Sabbath. On Friday afternoon he came down as usual after them and brought along his little six-year-old daughter who wanted to take a ride and also see the circus procession as it marched along the streets. Toward evening, without having attended the circus, Mr. Pittman started home with his three children, but on account of the bad condition of the roads, occasioned by the heavy rains that afternoon, his progress was delayed very much. Not very far from the ranch where Mr. Pittman resides the road crosses Crow creek, which is very high at present and its current is very strong. In crossing the stream the current proved too much for the team and the wagon was partially turned over. Mr. Pittman, the two boys and the little girl were plunged into the seething current, while the horses lost their footing at the same time and commenced to half float and half swim down with the current of the raging stream. Mr. Pittman did not lose his presence of mind, however, and as soon as he could get a footing he caught the little boy, which was nearest to him, and threw him to the shore. With a desperate effort he the succeeded in reaching the youngest boy, but it was too late to throw this little fellow to the shore. Trusting somewhat to the sagacity of the boy he threw him toward the horses, which were plunging around terribly and all the time being drifted down the stream. The little fellow fell directly between the two animals, which were still attached to the vehicle, and catching hold of the wagon tongue was carried in this perilous situation more than one hundred yards down the stream. At this point, as good fortune would have it, the horses got a foothold and reached the shore with the boy, who was unharmed. But the poor little girl, who had been the father's first thought when the wagon overturned and whom he sought but could not find nor see, had been carried under by the raging waters and never came, once ever, in sight of the father, although the work of saving the two little boys did not take over a minute. The lifeless body was afterward found nearly two hundred yards below where the accident first happened. When found the body was yet warm, but although every effort was made to restore the child to life it was all in vain. Yesterday when the news reached this city, Mr. William Phillips, proprietor of the Western hotel, who is an old friend of Pittman's, sent out his team to the ranch and last evening brought Mr. Pittman and his family, together with the remains of the drowned child, to Cheyenne.
All of the personal effects in the wagon at the time of the accident, including a small satchel containing quite a sum of money, were lost. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Methodist church.
Submitted by Jerry (#47207041), Jan 2014
BATTLING FOR LIFE.
A Father and His Three Children Cast Adrift in the Swift Currents of Crow Creek.
One Little Girl Goes to a Watery Grave.
Friday [May 23] evening about 9 o'clock a little child of William Pittman named Sarah, but familiarly called "Daughty," was drowned in Crow creek about eleven miles above the city. The particulars of the sad event as learned yesterday are as follows: Mr. Pittman was formerly a conductor on the Union Pacific, but for the past three years has made his home at the ranch known as Demmon ranch. He has two little boys who attend school in Cheyenne, and it has been his practice ever since they commenced going to school here to come down every Friday afternoon and take them to spend the Sabbath. On Friday afternoon he came down as usual after them and brought along his little six-year-old daughter who wanted to take a ride and also see the circus procession as it marched along the streets. Toward evening, without having attended the circus, Mr. Pittman started home with his three children, but on account of the bad condition of the roads, occasioned by the heavy rains that afternoon, his progress was delayed very much. Not very far from the ranch where Mr. Pittman resides the road crosses Crow creek, which is very high at present and its current is very strong. In crossing the stream the current proved too much for the team and the wagon was partially turned over. Mr. Pittman, the two boys and the little girl were plunged into the seething current, while the horses lost their footing at the same time and commenced to half float and half swim down with the current of the raging stream. Mr. Pittman did not lose his presence of mind, however, and as soon as he could get a footing he caught the little boy, which was nearest to him, and threw him to the shore. With a desperate effort he the succeeded in reaching the youngest boy, but it was too late to throw this little fellow to the shore. Trusting somewhat to the sagacity of the boy he threw him toward the horses, which were plunging around terribly and all the time being drifted down the stream. The little fellow fell directly between the two animals, which were still attached to the vehicle, and catching hold of the wagon tongue was carried in this perilous situation more than one hundred yards down the stream. At this point, as good fortune would have it, the horses got a foothold and reached the shore with the boy, who was unharmed. But the poor little girl, who had been the father's first thought when the wagon overturned and whom he sought but could not find nor see, had been carried under by the raging waters and never came, once ever, in sight of the father, although the work of saving the two little boys did not take over a minute. The lifeless body was afterward found nearly two hundred yards below where the accident first happened. When found the body was yet warm, but although every effort was made to restore the child to life it was all in vain. Yesterday when the news reached this city, Mr. William Phillips, proprietor of the Western hotel, who is an old friend of Pittman's, sent out his team to the ranch and last evening brought Mr. Pittman and his family, together with the remains of the drowned child, to Cheyenne.
All of the personal effects in the wagon at the time of the accident, including a small satchel containing quite a sum of money, were lost. The funeral will take place this afternoon at 2 o'clock from the Methodist church.
Submitted by Jerry (#47207041), Jan 2014
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