Litchfield enquirer., 1857-01-29
General News
The " Herald gives the following account af the ice rrnssing on Saturday,

The Herald gives the following account of the ice crossing on Saturday
 Notwithstanding the large quantities of ice tha usually makes its appearance in harbor aud Tifc it is very unusual fol it te accumulate i'll such large masses to admit of passage across either of the great rivers that wash our shores This phoe- nouenon, however occurred once ln the year lsoZ, when the East River was frozen across from one shore to the other and thousands of people passed to tn. other sidc. 1t being considered great feat to do so
 The same circumstance occurred yesterday, and it is estimated that ouOO persons must have taken advantage of the circumstance to walk instead ot sail from New York to Brooklyn, and back:
 "On the change of the tide yesterday morning the vast foes of ice in the bay swept up to the East River which being full of ce soon wedged together and formed a homogeneous mass, extending from shore to shore, and bounded the North Dy the Fui ton Ferry and on the south by the South Ferry The fact that the river was frozen across Eoon becam" known; and about 10 clock the first adventurous traveller made his way to the Brooklyn side The news spread and soon continl ,us stream kep, porng aGrosS from the foot Uf Wall Street most ot whom landed at Tholnsois slip on the other side The novely of the exhibition drew crowds to wi ness it, and the ducks and ships soon became flle with interested spectators. Tor five hours the tray c was kept up the ice, to all appearance b.i E strong enough to support horse and cart on any part Of l. travcrsed by tue multitude who were ceossing. Not only were llen and boys taking advantage ot thl. l and hundred uf them crossed over to the other sde. The crowds on the decks cheered the courage ous women loudly, and every body seemed to think it all very fine fun.
 1 The sight magnificent one. Below lay an un broken mass of ice, covering afca of five square miles, The surface, thongh of but one color was Va riously tinted and rcleyed here and there iy moving black specks-for such men and boys on the rivcl seemed to be- The shores either side seemed to Dc literally lined with people shouting. hurrahing anc having good time genrall! and the utmost hiar'y prevailed.
 This continued until o clock. when the tide began turn and the water sensibly to lower in the slips The more cautious let the ice and ashore, Lu, it seemed impossible to warn the boys and men whu were in the center of the stream.
 In little while tho ice near the docks became ifs. sured on the New-York side and it was evident that the ebb tide would soon make sure work of the ice The people the dock this and shouted to there on the ice to come off for Gods sake;" " but they had done much shouting bef.re that they were not needed. In little while there was g great chasm near the shore this side when the alarm spread to those on the ice to to the other side At this time nearly five hundred persons on the ice sd running for the Brooklyn shore, where few got of but the ice broke there aso and matters began to look seiiOus, as all communication with the shore was cut off, and five hundred were running wildly from side to side, not knowing what to do-the ice in the meantime drifting slowly down the river with d precious freight of human lives uponit.
 At this time the anxity of the prople on the docks was intense. it was feared that many lives would be lost While this fear at it's height, however if by magic three tow boats and numberlcss small boats made their appearance fo the purpose of talk ing off the terrified ice bridge travellers They were sll unsuccessful until one of the tugs named Ratler dashed down the river with the tide, and rushed into tho foe so at to bury her bow in the thick drift. ladder was then put out. and soon
 the adventurcrs were seen clabcrng up to her decks All this was witnessed with bieathess interest by the excited crowd, and the and boys were ta- ken off by one. loud cheers wete given andmuch enthusiasm betrayed. At last the whole five hundred were taken oil one by on ,. and the river nan hours time was entirely clear of ice The South. Fulton, and Grand Street Ferries were all running with difficulty last night.