The Wild Madison Street Sled Crash

An extra long bob-sled rushing wildly down Madison street with six frightened young men on board, and coming in sudden contact with a telegraph pole at Third and Madison streets, scattering its human freight right and left, formed a sight that nearly paralyzed all who happened to be in that neighborhood early yesterday morning. George R. Mills, 20 years old, the steerer of the sled, acting as a buffer for the companions in his rear, received all the injuries and now lies at Providence Hospital. Both bones of his right leg, his right elbow, and collarbone are broken, and it is thought two or three ribs are fractured. It appears that the young men, headed by Mills, had contemplated this slide for some time. The start was made at Seventh street, and the sled gained velocity with each block; when Seventh street was reached, the momentum was too great for Mills, who either lost his nerve or was unable to control the sled. It shot past Seventh, Sixth, Fifth, and Fourth, and after crossing Third, it swerved and struck the telegraph pole. That accident perhaps saved the lives of all on board, for had the sled gone on down to Second street, it would have hit the obstructions near the Rialto building with potentially fatal results.