Mayhem in wagon roll drama

Four carts and five horses

An “alarming” accident involving four carts and five horses occurred in the centre of Stirling exactly 100 years ago, the Observer reported.

The drama began shortly after noon when Driver William Paton, Army Service Corp, Orchard Place, left the detention barracks at the top of St John Street with a heavily laden wagon of firewood, drawn by two horses.

As the wagon rolled down the steep incline and the horses began to trot, Paton applied the brake but its mechanism broke causing a sudden jerk which caused the horses to bolt.

Paton “stuck pluckily to his seat” and tried to control the frightened horses as the wagon gathered speed and thundered down Spittal Street and into King Street.

But he was unable to curb the horses’ gallop and the weight from the wagon pushed them down the hill.

A Constable King, who was in King Street, saw what was happening and sounded a blast on his whistle.

However, his warning failed to avert a collision between the Army cart and three other horsedrawn wagons . One was an empty van belonging to D&J MacEwen and Company and two were carts – yoked to two horses – loaded with bags of potatoes belonging to Mr William Cowan, farmer, Balquhidderock, Bannockburn, and driven by John Campbell, ploughman.

Potatoes were scattered across the street, carts overturned and horses knocked to the ground.

The Observer said incredibly, despite the mayhem, no one – not even the horses – was badly hurt.

“One of the animals pulling the military wagon was bleeding profusely from the nose but the others seemed alright.” said the Observer.

“The pole of the wagon was broken whilst the axle of one of the carts was bent and the wheels had come off.” MacEwen’s cart was severely damaged and the other carts suffered slight damage.

“A large crowd was attracted to the scene and the incident and the wonderful escape of the drivers was the topic of conversation all afternoon and evening,” said the paper. “Had it not been for the two potato carts, the wagon would have crashed into the window of Messrs Somerville and Valentine, ironmongers, or gone down the steps leading to Orchard Place.”

One of the animals pulling the military wagon was bleeding profusely from the nose but the others seemed alright