The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1853-07-26

along by the angry waters to the yerv ca;ar.a.
ii was grand sight TO behold the ,rsa s.oS
erect with its branches in the air. and ;,s ro
in the water, as if growing out of the inyis;bis
rock below. Thus, for an instant, II seemed
to stand, and then il gracefully descended fo,
few feet; but before getting half way to the |
bottom, il was literally crumbled into atoms.-
A fewminutes afterwards we saw portions of |
il floating on the surface of the quiet water
below, like so much sawdust on mill stream.
The casualties that have happened at Mia.
CARA Falls have by no means been 80 hume.
rous as, considering the numbers of persons
who visit them, and particularly the intense
excitement which fills the mind OF the behold
er, as he gazes on this most wonderful of all
Gods natural works, one would be apt to ina.
CINE. Yet there have been some terrible aeci
dents, and some Of the most startling OF these
have CHANGED at or near the very point at
which Able and his companions met their fate.
In ls46, August 81 Charles Smart of Phila.
delphla, fell from rock in the Cave OF the
Winds" (which is under the American Fall,l
and, of course, was killed Instantly. Between
the Biddle Staircase" and the entrance to the
"Cave," DR.. Hungerford of West Troy, was
killed in May, 1889, BY the fall of portion OF
the rough rock upon him. A bov named Muir.
ply, in June, 1887, attempted to cross the river
in canoe, and was drawn into the current and
went over the American Fall. A little boy by
the name of White, only five years old, and
his sister, a year or or two his senior were
playing in canoe near that part of Goat Is
land, where the bridge crosses the Rapids,
from the village Of Niagara. The canoe float
ed out into the stream. The mother of the chill.
dren beheld the scene, rushed into the river
and rescued the girl, but the boy was carried
over the tall near the point where Able took
the frightful plunge. The little fellow was
last seen sitting in the bottom of the canoe,
holding on with his hands to each side, as if 10
keep the frail craft steady as it was borne on
its perilOus way. This was in July, 1S4e.-
Neither Murphy's nor Whites body was ever
found. ..... --.. d
1t was very near this fatal spot that the fool
ish farce of Mrs. Miller of Detroit, was played
off few years ago. Hoccasioned much spe-
calation at the time, and its results were said to
be serious; the father of the person alluded to,
very respectable man, having died of bro.
gen heart in consequence of it. Mrs. Miller,
actuated, II was thought by jealousy, or some
freak OF the kind, cut her shawl to pieces, tied
them together, and hung them over the bridge
leading to Goat Island, intending, doubtless, TO
produce the impression that she had commit.
ted suicide by letting herself down into the ra.
plds and going over the American Fall. AZ
ter occasioning much pain and trouble to her
family and friends she "turned up" we be-
lieve, at Syracuse.
De Veaux, who wrote an interesting work
| on Niagara, relates that the Indians have ira
dtlon that two human beings yearly will ever
be sacrificed to the Great Spirit of these wa
tiers. Ii is striking fact that almost every
year has proved fatal to some visitor of the
Falls Of Niagara. An obliging guide, Mr..
johnson, TO whom we had occasion to recur,
with grateful recollections of his politeness to
US while there, tells US, in his useful little ma.
nual that sail the wildness of these scenes
| can be viewed without running the least risks"
and, no doubt, if visitors could always sufi.
ciently command themselves, and not allow
their fancy, their imagination, to get the mas
terry over their minds while gazing on the
bewildering wonders Of Niagara, his remark is
| true.
Our author tells US Of instances he has seen
| OF disposition on the part of strangers to try
the fearful leap over the brink Of the Falls
young lady, not long ago. he says, was
standing on liable Rock" on the very verge
| of the precipice, while the wind was blowing
very strong from the lCanada) shore behind
| her. She appeared, MIR. Johnson told us,
amazed, bewildered, wrapt, as it were, by the
seem ingly supernatural wildness Of the
scene. Our guide approached her and, laying
his hand upon her arm demonstrated with her
on her rashness in thus exposing herself.
OH exclaimed she, with smile,"I feel that
could spring from this rock and sail away as
nightly and gently as balloon" And it was
not without the greatest persuasion that sh,
could be induced to leave the spot that had
ior ner so powerful fascination. On being
| Ieproved afterwards by her mother. she de-.
ciared that she did not feel The ieas, fear, but
actually felt as if she could fy.
nc case, that IN its commencement, was
| hot olss,miar TO that of Tuesday, but which
terminated more fortunately, was that of a
man oy the name of Allen, who, some years
| ago; attempting to cross the Niagara river in a
| SKIN from Chippewa, (some distance above
Goat Island,) accidentally broke an oar and
| found himself at the mercy of the current He
| managed, however, to reach the outer is,and
| of the group called "The Three S;stars ),
| (which lies just of Goat Island and iumned
ashore, while his skiff was dashed down The
Rapids and over the Horseshoe Fall. Though
saved from the more imminent danger, the
mans situation was still perilous, for the hope
OF rescue was extremely doubtful, and he be-
gan to think he should die of starvation. 1 wo
nights and day he remained in that p-ecari.
| GUS situation. He struck fire, and the smoke
| from ii, wreathiug over the tree tops, indicated
| to the villagers the peril he was in. The
alarm was given rope was thrown across
from one island to the other, and SO on to the
third, and an intrepid fellow by the name of
Robinson put off in a skiff, (hoIding on to the
fopel and succeeded IN bringing Allen safe
through the Rapids to the main shore. This
same Robinson rescued Chaplin, Tone of the
workmen on the bridge from which Able's fate
was witnessed Tuesday, who, being thrown
accidentally into the stream, was carried upon
the very island, to reach which by swimming
Able 10 said to have made desperate effort,
on being thrown of the raft sent to his rescue.
Twas just here. too, that young lady Of
Buffalo,, Miss De Forest, slipped from the
hands of a friend who was holding her in a
foolish bravado, over the edge OF the shore OF
"Luna Island" and, with young Addisgton,
who plunged in to save her. was borne over
the American Fall. The bodies Of both were
recovered, after some days. This accident, as
we understand the imperfect accounts we have
as yet of the latest catastrophe, must have ocr
CURED at or near the eastern point OF tne
American Fall whereas Able probably per
ished al point farther west Of the same cata'
raci. -@1 81 $685. ee@
We may mention that the two famous leaps
OF Sam Patch were made, in 1923, not fsr from
'nIs place. He jumped from the brink of the
american shore, 81 feet sheer down INTO the
Niagara riyer, between the Horseshoe and the
American Falls. ssea -.
The IRISH Exopus.-Ths Galway Packet
complains that the tide Of emigration has 90
fhtn0ed he ,ka m nj an