Another Team of Horses Falls Into Mississippi River

1903

ANOTHER TEAM LOST OVER THE CITY DUMP

Fine $400 Team Becomes Frightened and Plunges Into the River.

For the second time in as many weeks a team of horses has fallen from the city dump just east of the government bridge and been lost in the Mississippi. A little less than a week ago a team belonging to M. L. Bargholtz and attached to one of the city dump wagons fell into the river through the giving away of the bank. Yesterday morning at about 8 o'clock a fine team of horses belonging to John A. Littig and hitched to one of the Drake delivery wagons, while on the dump became frightened at a passing switch engine and in their mad flight plunged over the edge of the dump and into the river 15 feet below. Up to dark last night neither the wagon nor the team had been located. The team was purchased Saturday by Mr. Littig from Mr. Edens for $400. The wagon is valued at $200 and the harness at $50.

Considerable criticism was passed yesterday upon the condition of the dump with regard to safety and to this Inspector Harry J. High, who has charge of the dump, said last night that he considered the dump as safe as were possible under the conditions. He said that the place was under the personal and constant care of a capable man and pointed out the fact that Mr. Littig's team became frightened, causing them to pitch themselves over the bank. He said that while he thought the dump were perfectly safe in itself it would probably be better for owners of timid teams to use the city dump located at the foot of Fillmore street.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 3, 1903, page 7.


BARGHOLTZ PUTS IN CLAIM FOR HIS HORSES

Wants $250 Recompense From the City For Accident At Dump.

The board of health held a short session yesterday afternoon but aside from the reading of the regular monthly reports of the various officers of the health department, but little of interest came up.

The claim of M. L. Bargholtz for $250 for the loss of his horses over the city dump in the Mississippi was presented to the board, but was sent, to the council without comment, for the reason that the matter belongs properly to that body. Mr. Bargholtz claims that the city is properly responsible for the loss of his team, for the reason that the edge of the dump, where he says that he was instructed to drive, was not properly protected against accident.

It seems that the warm weather which preceded the accident, two weeks ago had in a measure removed the frost from the edge of the bank, rendering that part soft and causing it to give way under the load of the dump wagon.

—Davenport Daily Republican, Davenport, Iowa, March 4, 1903, page 5.

Prisoners Eager to Work in Dump; Clean-up Day Yesterday

Ohio, 1921

Prisoners Work Unguarded in City Dump to Collect Saleable Articles

ELYRIA - Police officers were dumbfounded when they returned to the city dump Thursday night and found August Deshberger, Robert Doyal, Frank Crofton and Fred Lewis still on the job and industriously working. The men arrested and fined $5 each on vagrancy charges had been on the city dump all day unguarded and insisted on returning to work on the dump today. The request was granted by the police.

Police found the cause of the men being anxious to work on the city dump when they discovered that the quartet had been picking out brass, copper, lead, zinc and other salable articles which the men have pooled and from which they expect to realize several dollars from the sale to a junk dealer.

The quartet have also many articles of clothing found which they have appropriated. They claim they struck it lucky by being put to work on the city dump by the police at this time when the annual clean-up is in progress and the sorting out of salable articles made much easier.

The annual spring clean-up will not be completed this week but will require a couple of days next week, said Street Commissioner John Conabee who says 38 loads of rubbish have been hauled to the dump so far. The clean-up wagons have had some difficulty in getting through unimproved streets following the rains earlier in the week. The placing of the rubbish on the curb facilitates the handling, said Mr. Conabee.

—The Chronicle Telegram, Elyria, Ohio, April 22, 1921, page 1.