Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1857-04-10
From the Buffalo Repuilc.
An Unfortunate Youth.

age went to the Falls yesterday TO SEQ what
they were made of, and if all the stories he
had heard in regard to their immensity and
terrors were true. He was Herkimcr
county person, and according to the nature
of Herkimer county people, exceedingly in
quisitivc. The first thing therefore, after
arriving at the falls, was to find all tho "hob-
iects Of hinterest" This he accomplished
in the usual way, by inserting his hand in
his pocket, frequently, and extracting it full
of quarters, distributed among hackmen,
guides, aborgine, gate-keepers, pagoda own
crs, book peddlars, and inclined plane keep
ers, soon brought him in contact with the
/ hobiects of hinterest" alluded TO, and with |
a mind naturally comprehensive, he grasped
them all Mt once. He didn't stand drawl-
ing over the American Falls, nor faint away
at the sight Of the Horse Shoe. Neither
did he stop to take sketch behind the
great sheet of water, but he "did" the en-
tire Falls wonders, caves and all in the
; course Of about thrce hours--an unparral-
led feat except to Herkimer county people
and "Hinglsh pedestrian tourists" If he
had arrived Mt night he would have hired a
lantern and guide, and performed the op-
Grafton in shorter space Of time.
Having finished his seventh wonder of
!, the world, he thought he would go down to
Suspension Bridge, and not wishing to go
up the "inclined plane" again, and go to the
trouble of employing one Of those polite
hackmen, he concluded to walk it, by going
: down at the foot of the bank He picked
= = his way several miles over rocks and lodges,
y with an immense insurmountable precipce
frowning above him, and the swift waters of
the Niagara furously careering along, yawn-
! ing like damp grave for a victim close at
u his feet. Yet on he went. A couple Of
y , hours elapsed after he left the landing used
: by the Steamer "Maid of the MIST" when
c he missed himself ale had been sitting
y he relates "upon large stone, almost under
tho great Suspension bridge, reading some Of
his private papers, when all at once he heard
- :, splashing in the water close by him.
~ On turning around to see what it was, (he
" thought it was large fish in the water) he
- discovered that it was himself He yecog-
!. nized himself by tie date of the papers he
u u still held II, his hand. There he was in that
- fearful current of fifteen or twenty miles an
: hour which, like devil, was bearing him
le away to pcrdition. Fortunately he saw a
E Z large rock just under the bridge, and with n
;" superhuman strength, he seized and strad
died it.
- 10 Here was fix sure enough. Several
i people were standing on the brink, nearly
u two hundred feet above him. With fran.
~ ), tic disregard of expenses he tore off the
VI ~ basement part Of his shirt, and waving it flu
y, riously, breathlessly waited for aid. In
y stantly movement was seen on the bridge
az --on the bank, at the depot at the grocer
les, at the hotels. The telegraph announced
his extra perious position in all directions
~ and in the course of an hour some TIVE
;" thousand people had collected to witnes
NC his straddling Of that internal rock, whicl
ou by this time had raspcd away the basemen
'nS Of his pants also Many we're the exped
al ents suggested. Many thought he WASH
worth saving, and these would periodical
M iei 20 up and get drink, and then return an
nk gaze at the "victim" until they got dry agail
zen Some said, slet him slide," while other
hoi more charitably inclined, said, "let us So,
iou him-he may haze money" This was
Icc' convincing argument with Suspension bride
y' people, and long rope-laddcr was obtaiI
ed. 1t was let down to the Herkimer coul
,ou ty person, who still contcmplatively stra'
'S'' died the rock, (then almost "rock of age
to him, as lie had remained there over tv
hours, and as he stated, sit seemed like ty
ork centuries, with that Internal rock grindir
ad- into my pantaloons." ..f
ain After much swaying, and jostling nj
III swinging about, the Herkimer county mi
= reached the top, wet through, and too co
even to swear. Before the ladder had be
has let down, there had been an argument
1850 the bridge as to whether they hadn't bett
IN a agree upon price for saviag him befo
lore holding out any hopes Of a rescue, but
tat was overruled by hackman, who stat
our that the ''cove had valuable trunk up
j of the depor." Consequently, the Herkim
are man was hauled up. We havn't seen
mic heard of him since. We heard q rum
by that a man came up from the Falls yestc
ndy day, and the conductors say that he swo
ldy, all the way to Utica, and that's all We knC
mar of the affair, except that a butcher mob
ost- perilled his life on the rope-ladder, whi
5 OF had been hnrriedly made on the spot.
oest 1t seems that the rock on which the mi
1t was seated, was not beneath the bridge, al
ers. the butcher went down upon the ladder n
ner, was swung like pendulum, until he reae
the ed a rope to the man. This ropo was Il
ALI tened to the ladder. The butcher th
ade went up the ladder, and the man on /
rat rock fastening the ladder to the rock, we
lrce up it and was saved.
1t Seriously, the whole affair was terril
can one, and the position of the man on /
rock moro perilous than any one could j
en- agine who was not an eye witness. He
to haved very well throughout the whole aft
ors, and got home with tho satisfaction of hs
pro- ing accomplished feat that no one Q,
performed before this or will consumS
hereafter. The bridge and banks were bla
ON with people, and the utmost excitement W
len experienced. We are very glad indeed
ges. chronicle the escape Of tho man, and no
Iey it viii be a warning 10 him when ags
a. y -, I.uoo.o,,s or Gfolinrarv v,lanaoo