In 1883 there were runaways instead of automobile accidents. William Pardo’s young spirited horse was standing with a cart by John Murray’s coal yard on Canal
Street, probably where Ryan’s was later. A train approached and the horse took off up (Broadway) Canal as far as Cooke Street where he reversed and ran the other way down Canal which is now Main Street, Opposite Wilcox grocery store, called the Red Front, which I presume was above Saunders Street. The cart struck the wheel of Vannier’s cart which it overturned and broke. There the horse went onto the sidewalk and passed Quiglcy liquor store at the corner of Division Street, tearing down “Charlie’s” big sign post. At Pike’s store the sign in front was split to pieces. At Travis stove store in the Arcade building a $15 plow was smashed. O.A. Manville’s drug and paint store next had its pile of cans of paint scattered. At Wait’s corner store at Broad and Canal (“Myers” corner) the horse left the walk and ran down Broad Street to Yule’s Hotel at the south corner of Bellamy. He ran between the lamp post and the house and cut around the corner into Bellamy Street. The lamp was smashed but here the horse was stopped.

The horse had run on the sidewalk a full block but no one was injured, the pedestrians leaping out of the way. Nor was there much damage even though goods and
sign posts were plentiful. One never knew what a runaway horse would do. Other horse affairs occurred at this same time. The one attached to Renois and
Son’s bakery cart took fright from a thill dropping on its head and running down Canal and Broad streets collided with William Sinnott’s delivery wagon. Both horses were
severely cut and the wagons somewhat broken. Sinnott’s was at one time on Broad Street.

Richard Woollett shod 112 horses in seven days. One of the biggest shoeing feats on record at the line barn, in seven consecutive days, with only one Sunday out.
A sign of spring as the passage through the streets of a lot of mules strung like dried apples on a rope. ([Whitehall Times] Editor’s note: Hee! Haw! Mr. Wilkins, it was)
Herbert Case used to tell that the mules were brought in from pasture on the surrounding farms in lots of fourteen tied together.

J.R. Broughton’s horse, standing in front of the store, took fright at snow falling off the building and running towards home overturned the wagon. The carriage and harness were damaged.

Doris B. Morton, Town Historian – The Whitehall Times – April 28, 1983