New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-04-03
REMARKABLE ESCAPE FROM THE RAP
IDS BELOW NIAGARA FALLS.
Of TIE n. Y. Tribune


SusPrSsIoS BRIDGE, March 81, 1917.
The great Bridge is located a mile and half
below the Falls. After the vast quantity of water
Of the river purges over the Cataract, il runs about
six miles through wild and deep chasm with perpen-
dcus walls of crsggy rocks, looking as though they
had been rent asunder by mighty effort OF nature
and as if the concentrated waters OF the rver were In
frigbtful struggle to force their escape through
gulf Of unknown deptb, and whose bottom, by being
upeyepy covered witt the obs'ru ctons of mount ain
rocks buried deep in the bed of the rapids, only adds
70 the sublime and awful confus;op but cannot impede
the progress OF the Wild and mighty rush OF Niagara
Rapids.
On Tuesday March 81 little before l. O'Clock,
man was seen floating in the swift rapids under the
bridge The report spread immediately, and the citi-
zens he q 10 the bridge fom all directions Imned-
stey another report told that the had found odg
m.nt on a rock in the rapids, Could be possible,
thought l. as ran with the crowd to the bsnk that
man after having been once even the edse OF the
rapids below the bridge could escape death kneF
that iust below the bridge wss the toughest rspd-ls
dep and velocity had always prevented sounding Its
bottom had often gone there 10 the bank and gazed
for hours OF the scene which continually varied as the
obs t,ucted current flies back against contendng waves.
,epdpg its foam and spray thirty or forty feet high
had gone there, too by moonlight, 10 contemplate the
awful grandeur OF the scene.
On reaching the bridge, with the anxious crowd,
looked where every eye was gazing IN painful Anxiety
and thee, nearly 800 feet down the perpendiculsr
sides of rocks was the figure OF man upon rock
in the edpe of the rapids spy glass sho wed that he
was an ace man with bald head, and well dressed In
dark clothes and we could see him move carefully on
the rock j appeared bsrely possible to us ths by
desperate effort he might gain ROCK near him. and
then fp6 safer spot the perpenaicusr back.
Every one saw that he could not have approached the
spot where ne was, except by being carried there In
the rapids from some wsy above. Between the rap.
ida and the perpendicular !ock along tns oepk IL Ns
evident no human aid could be given him. Bat some
thing must be done the man was wet and cold If no.
exhausted. young man by the name OF Charles
Wbitner 10 now 10 carry ladder along toe top
OF the bsnk above, but ~hat can be do with ladder
II is 400 feet down 10 the unfortun ate man. and
the Iocks nroiect over 30 that the be seen
rom the bank above. Mr.. Whitmer nov seeds FOR
more lsdders and crowd begins TO ne them together;
nan is now sent on the opp?srN slae OF Inc nver,
where be can see the ana signal where the lsdcers
sbculd be- l.. down. The line OF ladders begins 10 de
fctnd and lie held al the top by ropes taAteued TO
trees The poor man below hss been moving, as If
wanting TO leave the rock, bat dares not yenture-he
knows nothing OF VIA, is going on above him II he
crowd Of anxious spectators on the bridge
II car opy disnsaien him. Tor there they eau render HIN
ne assistance But they can see .ae Inc OF ladders
,e dirt 70 sl down close by the poor man bel0w-1e
| lois nn-unexpected hops He sees ladder swing.
he and slowly descending from rocks high over him.
To bin Il must IOok IKE Js.oo 4adues let DIVA
from Heaven From his posiaon ne can zee nooe Of
bis anxious rescuers-noi even one haii the line OF
ladders. The end Of the ladder seems now not
tbsn tren feet from him He cannot ressh ths.frOn
lie ro,k wbsre he is He e nov trying 20 leave the
rock He may Jump 20 The neii rook oy desperate
f-t-;F ha slins be Is los: In the rapids. a. list be
;rmn. and the crowd or the bridge give tremeuiou.
yhfers ovs, his success He 10 no< seen 70 ship as
s,ms sb,nt himself to exercise a nseif TO keep tom
s.s,ir,, Ia. ne had been hour snd talf on 10
- W. nox ssy that u Al had began 20 des ,eui
a. .s5s,s fyo- Tia tor 70 render a0y assistance hst
,n;cbt h. rsej.6 THIS mao wss M Theileg the
nrsp, nor,er Re dee ended 20 tbs end Of TIE sjdsr
srd Enbd that !. must De lei down isenty es, lower
Ue hen assembled snd they loSeref toe ladder; aud
nov The man b.los sole to reach II, and bessn
slowly 70 ascend. courageous German oy nane
# lgpsss Erne old man Hno ooaid DOT speak any
EDsfsh nov went down se ishoe.s % give assistance
il i. ,hould pe needed. We ssE him inset the c)ld,
st ana slrost 1haus.ed old msa near 70 ne oo..om;
he c.,ef,I,v vent below him and assembled With h u
10 sncoursSe sr6 hello him hey came safe 70 The oo
~ The hs,k And saw hat ths lie OF espsctabe.
,rpe,rp, strange: hsd been saNe1 de- appeared -
De S msn o. s.y ing continued, iho1ga cs2y sky
ysa,s ef age HIS cO1nensnce ossP'Ae tas gratitude
he telt And the crowd expressed Ioen osn jly sud
symnstv N the mos heu.y cheers. The stranger rs.
~ - no Jsdour Hou,e, where rs sred 70. IL
sIinSss ty NJ Lsdonr, The proa,ieto. A:er
n1,;n an sora DIV clothes the stranger l-si on
,ba niszz. Ar the reQ1es; OF ne crowd. Sac be u
Gentlemen OF kind hearts, c.oaot express my feel.
ms nor nv hanks 80 srest ls my sc.l'a1e , yJr
Nor "a j, in my poSer to re saT1 ~. cope ncae Of
you vii ever rsq1ue frcn sisVor kno as *hs. yco
have bestcved ca NE. Ny pIme is ]. c. Isyir. /