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Traffic used to be a horse of a different color

Stopped runaway: Sheriff Kincheloe brought a frightened team to a stop – was slightly bruised

A team of horses running away on Market street, were stopped in their mad career this morning, near the corner of Sixth and Market streets, when Sheriff W.B. Kincheloe, at considerable risk, ran to the street and grabbed the bridle of one of the horses and after considerable difficulty managed to bring the team to a stop, but not, however, until he was somewhat bruised about the hands. Had it not been for his presence of mind the team would have plunged on down Market Street, and probably a serious accident would have occurred. After receiving the congratulations of his friends for his brave act, he retired to the drug store to have his injured hands dressed. Those who saw the affair say that it is a Carnegie medal for the sheriff.

From The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

March 29, 1912

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Spreading the Gospel!

A man once lent a balky horse to a minister who had an engagement in a neighboring parish. The grateful minister bestrode the brute and cantered gayly along for an hour, when all at once there was a shy, and the horse found himself on one side of the road, while the minister gathered himself together on the other side. The owner of the horse, when he heard of the accident, remarked that it was the only time in his life when he succeeded in spreading the Gospel!

From The Parkersburg Sentinel

June 7, 1879

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Interesting exhibition

Geo. Dana & Son, of Belpre, Ohio, will make an exhibition of plowing by steam, with a gang of six large plows and steam engine attached, on or about 18th of May. Write them for the exact date, and witness the performance, without charge.

From The Parkersburg Daily State Journal

May 14, 1891

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Horse smothers in the mud

The roads are tearful muddy and even dangerous in some parts of the county. On Tuesday of last week a countryman was riding along the road near Sandy Creek, making the best of his way over the miserable roads in that section, when his horse finally stuck fast in the miserable mud. The man tried to extricate the poor animal by all means which lay in his power, but finding all efforts fruitless, started out in search of help. He returned in about half an hour with assistance, but when he reached the horse he found the poor animal had succumbed to the inevitable and Sandy mud. He had sunken so deep in the mire as to smother him to death. This is vouched for as a fact by a reliable citizen, and judging from all accounts of the condition of roads we have no doubt of its truth.

From The Parkersburg Weekly Sentinel

March 27, 1880

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Runaway

Last week, Thursday, as Mr. Geo. O. Wells, with his two daughters, Julia and Hattie, were riding out on Sand Plains road [Emerson Avenue], their buggy wheel struck the end of a plank that lay in the road, which threw the other end of the plank up with such force as to strike the hind axle and lift the buggy entirely from the track and throw Mr. Wells out. The horses took fright and ran into the fence, throwing the hind wheels of the buggy on top of it, and spilling out the girls. The horses then broke loose from the buggy and ran some two miles. Mr. Wells hung onto the reins until the children were thrown out, dragging him several rods, and bruising him severely but not dangerously. It seems almost miraculous that the girls were not hurt and that nothing was broken except the pole of the buggy and a few places about the harness. The horses were unhurt.

From Parkersburg Weekly State Journal

Aug. 5,1875

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The Wood County Historical Society works to preserve yesterday for tomorrow. For more information, contact P.O. Box 565, Parkersburg, WV 26102

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