Horses Plunge Off Pacific Avenue Cliff

A heavy team owned by the Clark Livery company, after a six-block run, dashed over the sidewalk railing and plunged down the twenty-five-foot embankment just below the Commercial dock bridge on Pacific avenue north at noon today. The team, attached to a wood wagon, was left untied near the Clark office on Twelfth and A streets. Both horses are young and not thoroughly accustomed to city work. They became frightened at another wagon nearby and started off on a gallop. Rushing down Pacific avenue at terrific speed, they luckily dodged a score of rigs and autos standing by the curbing, and not until they reached Seventh street was any effort made to stop them. Here Officer Ballou grabbed for the reins of the runaways but caught a strap attached to the harness, and all his pulling was of no avail. Reaching the Commercial dock bridge, one horse attempted to go on east across the bridge and the other pulled straight down the avenue. This forced them to the railing and both animals cleared it with one leap, dragging the wagon with them. The horses landed in the soft dirt at the foot of the bank while the wagon hurdled clear over them. Neither of the horses was seriously hurt and the wagon was not badly damaged. Twenty-five feet of sidewalk railing was torn down by the wagon as it was dragged over.