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Capitola News, 116 Years Ago Today: Near-Fatal Fall into Soquel Creek

On this date in 1895, a man and his horse fell 75 feet and survived.

On this date (Nov. 21) in 1895, the San Francisco Call reported the article pasted below in its Vol. 78, No. 176.

The story recounts a 75-foot fall of a Davenport man and his horse into Soquel Creek. Luckily, they both survived the plunge. See the account in full below.  

OVER AN EMBANKMENT

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L. Chandler Badly Injured Near Capitola

L. Chandler of Davenport's Landing, while driving from Santa Cruz yesterday morning, met with an accident that came near being fatal. When at Britton's place, on the hills above Soquel Creek, the check line got caught over the shaft of his cart, and the horse, with Mr. Chandler, backed over the bluff, which is about seventy-five feet high. They rolled down into the creek. Mr. Chandler's back was badly hurt, his hand lacerated, and but for falling into the water he would likely have been killed. The horse was cut loose from the cart and swam across the creek, landing safely. 

Find out what's happening in Capitola-Soquelwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Do you think the San Francisco Examiner (the current incarnation of the Call) would report on a Santa Cruz car crash these days? Likely not.

Was anyone thrown off by the use of "driving" in the article? These old stories are always entertaining.

Are there any historical topics you'd like us to dig up stories on? Tell us in the comments!


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