The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-22

ends Of narrow white ribbon at each ear, and small
flowers inside.
Black lace bonnets continue to be worn, and are
much trimmed with flowers and light-colored fancy
ribbons the crowns are loose, and floating in the
fanchon style.
The Late FrightfuI Catastrophe at NIaga
Falls.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
As ! was an eyewitness Of the horrible scene
which the rapids at Niagara presented during Tues
days accident it may interest many of your readers
to learn few particulars, which will enable them
the better to realize the awful position in which, for
twenty hours the late unfortunate Joseph Avery
placed.
The log on which he sat, and occasionally stood
upright was firmly jammed between some rosks,
about half way between the bridge which the
American branch of the river and the Falls At the
same time he was in the very centre Of the river,
which there bols foam, and whirls towards the ire
mendous abyss Of the cataract OF the force of the
current below the bridge it is difficult to convey any
idea To draw anything in the shape Of boat or raft
against it is simply hopeless. Therefore the only
feeble chance of saving the man was to have let a
boat down the rapids from the bridge by ropes, and
should he have succeeded in entering into it to al
low 1t to drift across, if possible, to small island
called Clapin's Island about half way between the
log and Goats Island, which divides the Canadian
from the American rapids.
When | reached the bridge, at about two o clock,
the American shore and the bridge were lined with
spectators in state of the most thrilling and in
tense excitement. The more eager were PROFOUND
pg all kinds Of extravagant plans for saving the
man. for the most part founded on total ignorance
Of the gigantic force Of the torrent, which rendered
any plan that involved hauling dragging through
the water utterly useless, inasmuch as the jagged
rocks would never have allowed anything but a
nangled aid shapeess corpse to reach the bridge
shore, even il it had been possible to the
violence OF the stream at all The man had now
been sixteen hours on the log. One boat had been
lost secoid had one Of its ropes entanged round
the log alo it was terrible to witness the desperate
and agolizing efforts Of Avery to detach the rope;
out the strain upon the boat rendered this mpossi
bic Those on the bridge who were exerting them
selves to save the man reluctantly gave up all hope
Of doing anything with the boat, and, having made
futile effort to float down to him fresh rope with
a piece Of timber attached, now turned all their
efforts to the launching OF raft-his last faint
chance of salvation from the fate that awaited him.
This raft consisted Of two large beams of wood,
united by planks nailed across, and on end Of it
was lashed barrel; the other was provided with
ropes, crossed in various directions, to enable the
man to lash himself to the raft by getting under
them, and small tin case containing spirits and
food The raft was SO long that when lowered from
the bridge it touched the water before those above
let go their hold, and it was with great rapidty
carried down in the direction Of the victim. But
occurred, perhaps, the most melancholy incident
during the whole exciting period OF Avery's agony.
One Of the ropes not being wound round any post or
other object which might have given it purchase,
was literally torn through the hands of some twenty
men who were holding it, notwithstanding that they
made the most obstinate efforts to hold it, and had
several OF them, their hands all bleeding from the
passage of the rope The raft then drfted away
fnri i'm VIII sin uIp In
any control overits movements. Meantime the man
Os the log had been repeatedly in and ont OF the
beat and continued to- make desperate efforts TO re-
lease the rope from the Jog. He still appeared ca
pahle OF considerable exertion. After great delay,
ard discussion on the bridge as to The measures
TO he adopted second raft was prepared, and
another lieboat which had arrived from Buffalo was
mounted upon it, and thus secured from be ng
swamped as the preceding boats had been. This
secord raft was let down the rapids in the way
the fist, and by about six O'Clock the man sue
ceeded III getting upon it, A universal shout Of tr-
umph arose from the crowd upon the shore and
bridge. AL waved their hats and handkerchietS in
token Of encouragement Alas the next moment
the raft struck against a rock, and at the moment
that Avery about to climb into the b rat, he lost
his hold (eneebIed by twenty hours Of cold wet, and
sufeIGg), and was seen few minutes later TO raise
himself TO his full height for an instant on the ex-
IRENE edge of the cataract and utter shrek which
some imagined to be the words Good bye but
which was probably mere inarticulate cry Of de.
SPAR, and all was The dead silence which fol-
lowed and lasted for nearly two minutes on the
bridge was most awful. Then for the first time the
men who bad been working like lions all day long
beneath burning sun began to feel fatigue. They
had done al that human power could do and God
had decided the result. WIN.
ADDITIONAL PARTICULARS.
From the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser, July 20
Up to six O'Clock last evening the public were kept
in state Of excitement by Dispatches received Mt in
torVas from the Falls, bringing information of the
situation of poor Avery each report iuetaating he.
tween hope and fear now expressing confidence in
hs eventual safety, aud now almost despaing Of his
rescue. large number Of persons left this city for
the scene Of excitement by the trains and sweed
tie thousands aheady gathered around the spot We
have been furnished with account Of the proceed
but we arc under obgation to NE operators upon
Kssocks Canada lire for the earliest intellgen &c Of
the wretched fate Of tie victim,
Our informant tells us that the man was in part
Of the rapids where the rocks rise nearly TO the sur
face Of tie water. log of wood, apparently
wedged tightly between the rocks, and crossed by
another, st il higher out of the water his resting
place. Here he remained, half ciinging to and half
percbiDg UPON the log, from which he would occa-
sionaly slip down and walk little on the rocks
which were only short distance der water. A
few feet in advance small fall Of about four or
five feet and here and each side Of him, the wa
tiers rushed wildly on nj speed Of about forty miles
an hour. raft was constructed formed OF crossed
timhels, strongly fastened in square form, hogs
head being placed in the centre. The raft was
strongly secured with ropes on each SIDE and was
foated down to the rocks upon which Avery was sta
toned. AS it approached the spot where he stood,
the rope got fast in the rocks, and the raft became
mmovabh. Avery then appeared TO muster strength
ard courage and descending from the log, walked
tie rocks to the place where the rope had caught
and latored long and hard TO diseDgage It from the
rocks. After some time he succeeded, and then with
4 hxxth o nnfr ho