The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1869-09-09
GALES, Skfttbes, Anttootes, dc.
THRILLING INCIDENT at NIAGARA.

tHRllllNG INCIDENT at NIAGARA.
In the very centre of the seetiing, wh;rl-
ing cauldron of waters known as the
American Rapids, lying equidistant be-
tween the American shore and the islands,
and Bath Island Bridge and the brink of
the Falls, a rock projects two or three
feet above the water. The eye rests upon
it merely as upon speck in the midst of
this angry food; with every dash of the
torrent pouring down from the plateau
above 1t Is half submerged, and,sometimes
wholly hidden from sight. At the time
of this casualty log, three or. four feet
in length, had been jammed in or under
this rock, and protrnded from it. The
spot was one that was in the daily sight
of hundreds, and in the early hours of
that memorable summer morning the first
man who had occasion to cross. the bridge
was startled and Mortified to see a human
form standing erect. in the midst of the
raging, swirling food, on this little point
Of rock. wildly waving bis arms He
must have shouted, too, but his cries were
drowned in the uproar of the rapids. 1t
was Joseph Avery, the soc surriv # the
unfortunate boats crew 1t was coniec-
tured that the boat must have sped down
to this point, unharmed by rocks or rap
ids, and that, striking here, Avery was
thrown or sprang out, finding just room
enough for a perilous foothold, while the
other two, with the boat, were swept on
over the cataract.
The alarm quickly spread. 1t is not
difficult to draw a crowd at Niagara
for the excitement seekers of the world are
there-and in half an hour The bridge and
adjacent shores were thronged with horri-
fed yet curious spectators With them
came some dozens of boatmcn, laborers
and others, who comprehended at once
that there was chance for rescue, and
Immediately began 10 devise a plan. In
the meantime the man had been recognized
by some one, and while extensive prepa-
rations were being made very large
board was rudcly lettered with the words,
in German, ''We will save you - and
held up so that he could see it. He tossed
his arms up and down several times. in
token that he unprecedented its meaning :;
and then the crowd awaited the result of
the preparations, and watched The object
of them with almost breathless interest. -
1t was truly frightful to see him there
amid that howiing waste, almost in the
jaws of the mighty cataract, and apparent
ly cut off from all human aid. But as
the day wore on. and the poor fellow be-
came used 10 the situation. he seemed to
bear 1t with much composure. Some>
times, to change his position, he sat down
upon the rock, and sometimes made ges-
lures TO the crowd, the meaning of which
could not often be understood. His face,
seen through glass, looked eager, almost
beyond the expression of human faces,
but it was hopeful, too.
As noon approached the first attempt
was made for his rescue. a large raft
had been constructed of heavy plank,
/ bound together crosswise, and this was to
| be lowered down from the bridge with
! strong ropes, TO the csstaway, when it was
! thought that he could be drawn up with
out great difficulty. The venture was a
failure from the start. The rapids seized
and whirled it away before the men at the
ropes could check it, the ropes became
cntangled, the raft was carried far below
the rock, and at last went hopelessly over
the falls.
1t was bitter, bitter disappointment, as
well to the sympathizing, expectant throng
as to the imperilled man. But, nothing
daunted, the stout hearts and ready hands
Immediately set about the making of an
other raft, while others were occupied in
conveying food and drink to poor Avery.
This was easily done in tin cases, attacks
! ed to stout cords, which were floated down
to him. The castaway ate his solitary
meal there upon that inaccessible point
of rock with keen relish, and then stood
up and bowed his thanks. Again and
again the cheering words, eve will save
you," were exhibited, and he was encOur-
aged by other short sentences in his native
! language which were in the same way
painted in huge letters and held up to
| him.
The afternoon slowly wore on-the long
hot, listless summer afternoon at Niagara,
usually devoted to idling over iced drinks
in the shade of the hotel porches or par
lors, but now cheerfully given up to the
assistance of, or sympathy for, a fellow
/ being. There were hundreds in that
crowd who, prompted by that spirit of
American chivalry which is never want
| ing among US, would have cheerfully
plunged in to his rescue, could the act
have been any other than useless foolhar-
:. diness and there were wealthy men
there, who went through the crowd under
the deepest sense of emotion, offering large
rewards to whoever would rescue him. =
The telegraph had, by this time, carried
the news far and wide the afternoon pa
! pers in New York on this day contained
| it, and the afternoon trains from Buffalo
and Rochester came freighted with hun,
dreds more to view the peril of the poor
J German for themselves.
The building of the second raft pro
gressed but, although everything was
1Ona fo hacfar ,1,rl--o.,