Farmer Killed by Horse Kick While Fording River
A tragic accident claims the life of a Walla Walla farmer who perished shortly after being kicked while leading horses across the river.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
On Friday evening about 8 o'clock, Mr. Scott, a well-known farmer, was killed by the kick of a horse while trying to drive his team across the Walla Walla river. Mr. Scott and two others were attempting to lead a pair of horses across the river. Mr. Scott had succeeded in settling a pair of horses across and was returning with the second, when one of the horses, becoming entangled in the harness, lost its footing and was thrown in the swift current. While Scott was trying to free the frantic horse, the animal gave him a kick on the left breast below the heart. Scott went ashore and lay down. In the meantime, his companions had cut away one of the horses and, throwing a rope to Scott, called out for him to pull in order to keep the other animal's head above water. Scott made some answer, but did not move from his position. After the horses were attended to, Scott's companions found that he was seriously injured. Scott was removed to a more comfortable place but expired a few moments later.
“Scott made some answer, but did not move from his position. After the horses were attended to, Scott's companions found that he was seriously injured.”
Accidents involving draft animals were a common, brutal reality of pioneer life, often occurring in remote areas where medical help was inaccessible. This account underscores the physical hazards faced by early Washington farmers, whose livelihoods depended entirely on their own labor and the unpredictable temperament of their livestock.
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