The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-08-03
TY OF DUBUQUE,
From the Gaema Jefersonian.
THE CATASTROPHE AT NIAGARA

1 n
The following sketch of the mournfu! casu.
| atty at Niagara, we take from the Buffalo Com
merciai. The three men were Germans, and
We're engaged sand boat short distance a.
bove the falls. Their purpose was pleasure
sail down the river, and by some unacc ountable
mismanagement great ignorance of the force
Of the river, even above the rapids, they allowed
themselves to get within its irresistible power.
The name of one of the two who first went
over, was Thomas Hannaman; the name of the
other we have not seen stated
The third one is called Abel by some papers,
in others, Avery. the Commercial OF Wednes-
day evening, says:
Up to six o'clock last evening, the public
were kept in state of excitement, by dispatch
es received at intervals from the Falls, bringing
information of the situation of poor Avery
each report fiuctuating between hope and fear,
now expressing confidence Of eventual safety, IL
almost despairng OF his rescue. A large num-
Der Of persons left this city for The scene of ex-
element by the train and sweled the thousands
already gathered around The spot. We have
been furnished with an account of the proceed
ings since one clock yesterday by an eye wit
ness. ~
Ou informant tells us that the man was in a
par, of the rapids where the rocks rise nearly to
the surface OF the water. A log of wood, ap
parently wedged tightly betw en- the rocks, and
crossed by another still higher out Of the water
was his resting place. Here he remained half
clnging aud half perching upon the log, from
which he would slip do vn, and walk little on
the rocks which were only short distance un-
der water. A few feet in advance was a small
fall of about four or five feet, and here, each
side of him, the waters rushed wildly on at a
speed of forty miles an hour. Since our report
was made up, about 2! o'clock in the afternoon,
rast was made formed ofcross timhers, strong
ly fastened in square form, bogshead being
placed i'll centre. The raft was strongly secur-
ed with ropes on each side, and was floated down
to the rocks upon which Avery was stationed,
As it approached the spot where he ood, the
rope got fast in the rocks, and the raft was i'm.
movable. avery now appeared to mustsr r
| strength and courage, and labored long and hard
to disengage it from the rocks. After some
time he succeeded, and then with renewed en-
ergy inspired by hope Of rescue, he pulled man
fully at the rope until he succeeded in bringing
the raft from the current towards his fearful res
| ting place.
Avery now got on 10 the raft making him
self fast thereto by means of ropes which had
been placed there for that purpose, and those on
the land commenced drawing it towards The
shore. 1t had approached within thirty feet Of
| one of the small islands, towards which its
course was directed, when suddenly it become
| stationary in the midst Of the rapids, the ropes
having again caught in the rocks All endeav
ors to move it were found to be in vain, Il muci,
fear was entertained that the strain upon
ropes might break them and occasion the poor
fellows loss, ss,-Various suggestions were now
volunteered and several attempts were made to
| reach him. One man went out in a boat as far
| as he dared to venture, and asked him if he
would fasten rope round his body and trust to
being drawn in by that. The poor fellow how
ever, shook his head dcspondngly, though
he felt that he had not strength enough remain
ing 20 make himselfsecure TO rope. Al length
a boat was got ready-a life boat which had ar
rived from Buffalo and was launched Seeing
the prepal atoms, Avery unoosed his iastenngs
with the intention of being ready 10 spring into
the boat. Borne on by the rushing waters, and
| amid the brearhess suspense Of the spec ators,
the boat approached the raft. A ri ran lhroug h
the crowd-the boat lived in the angry wave it
| struck the rata shout of Joy ran forth from
the shores, for it was believed thai he was saw
ed-when suddenly the hope that had been
| raised was again destroy moments confu-
sion followed the colusion, and in the next the
victim was seen In The mds, of the waters, se-
perated from his frai support and struggling for
life. For a minute or two the poor fellow,
striking out boldly, swan strongly towards the
island, and the cry echoed from shore to shore
thct he would yet be saved. But soon the fact,
became certain that he receded from the shore,
his strength was failing. Gradually he was
borne back into the fierces part of the current
slowly at first then more rapidly. Swiftly and
more swiftly he approached the brink of the
fatal precipice-the waters had him at last, their
undisputed victim and madly they whirled him
on to death, as though enraged as his perseve.-
ing efforts to oscape their fury, A sickning
feeling came over the spectators when, just on
the brink of the precipice, the doomed man
sprung up from the waters-clear from surface
raising himself uprigh, as statute, with his
arms flung wildly alo't, and with a piercing
shrek that rang loudly above the mocking roar
of the cataract, fell back again into the foamIng
waves, and was hurled over the brow of the
fatal precipice