Tho 100-foot ladder from which the high dive is made into a net at Minnesota avenue and Fourth street, fell to the ground last night, and Mrs. J. P. Duncalf, who ran into one of the guy wires with a horse and buggy, is thanking her lucky stars on a fortunate escape.
The ladder was broken in several places, but no other damage was done.
Mrs. Duncalf was driving a single rig south on Minnesota avenue last evening at about 8:45, and when she came to the ladder turned out to the left far enough, as she supposed, to clear the obstruction. There were, however, no warning lights hung out, she declares, and she was unable to see just where she was going. Had there been lights, she says
the accident would not have happened.
Suddenly her mare ran into a guy wire and started to run. She had her babe in her arms
and had some difficulty in managing the animal, but finally succeeded in getting clear of the
entanglement. But the wire had been loosened and as she drove by, Mrs. Duncalf saw the ladder swaying.
The tall, slender thing toppled toward her, and the woman was frightened nearly to death, then it gave a second lurch and fell with a crash toward the city hall. The rig passed the first crossing just as the ladder fell. (Bemidji Daily Pioneer, Aug 18, 1906)
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