Northern Echo 05/01/ 1880 Exciting Scene On Saturday, two sons of Mr turners, wood merchant of Guisborough, were engaged sending timber across the River Swale at Broken Brea near richmond. They were bringing it across from Colburn Batts to the railway side. Three powerful horses were yoked into a heavy waggon load of timber, and they commenced to ford the river. They went on alright until they reached the centre of the stream when matters began to assume a rather dangerous aspect. There was a fresh in the river, and as soon as they reached mid-stream it proved rather too strong, and they were being gradually drifted down the stream. An alarm was at once raised and Messrs William and Simon Hird hastened to the rescue. When they arrived at the place the leading horse had choked himself down into the river, and Mr Hird immediately mounted a spare horse which was on the embankment and rode to the rescue of the drowning animal. As soon as he unloosed the chains, the animal made for the shore, carrying with it one of Mr Turners sons. William, another son of Mr Turner, maintained a firm hold of the other leading horse - which plunged most desperately - until he was compelled to relinquish his hold, and the young fellow was washed down the river for a full hundred and fifty yards. The stream bore him towards Colburn Batts side, he had sunk twice, and was falling onto his back in the river for the third time when Mr W. Hird caught hold of him and dragged him out of the river in a most exhausted state. A man named Michael Clyan, who was riding on the timber, unloosed the shaft horse, and the animal naturally made the best of its way to the side of the river, leaving Clyan in his perilous position. A rope was thrown to him, but at first test it broke, and Mr W. Hird ran down to Colburn to procure a stronger rope. As soon as this was brought Clyan obtained a hold, and threw himself into the river. Being no swimmer he was soon overhead, and was dragged for fully forty feet under water, only showing his head twice. When nearing the side the stream was running so strong that he was washed down the riverside a considerable distance before his companions were enabled to effect his rescue, and then it was in a half drowned state.
Posted on: Mon, 01 Dec 2014 14:33:42 +0000
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