The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1871-05-22
FIRST EDITION
CARRIED OVER NIAGARA.
Particulars of the Recent Terrible
Calamity.

FafLCuIors OF the RECENT Terrtble
Calamity.
We briefly stated the fact yesterday, says the
Buffalo Express of Saturday, that three young
men, in attempting to cross the river above
Niagara Falls in q small boat Thursday after
noon, had been carried over the falls.
The three men arrived at the falls on the 1920
train from Buffalo Thursday noon, and pro
ceeded directly from the depot TO the Eagle
House, near by, which is kept by Christ Gamm.
They remained there about half an hour, max
ing few remarks, and merely asking of the pro-
prietor permission to leave their boxes and
portable table behind the counter until they re-
turned. The property referred to consisted of a
good sized oblong box, full of packages of
prize candy, an envelope box containing lot of
cheap jewelry, brass rings, etc, and three
legged stand, such as all itinerant peddlers
have,
After leaving Gamm's they went up the river
bank about quarter of q mile to little boat
house kept by q family named Walker. Here
after some hesitation on the part of the lad in
charge they obtained a flat bottom row-boat
and started across the river apparently for Chip
pewa. The German, who was the largest as
well as the most intelligent of the party, handled
the oars.
THE FATAL CATASTROPHE.
The course taken by the boat was straight for
the other side. The current at this point of the
river runs swiftest, and not many moments
elapsed from the time the unfortunate trio left
the boat-h before the resistless current took
complete mastery of the frail craft and carried
it with fearful rapidity towards the seething tor
rent that crests the precipice. The stout oars
man continued to apply his oars with energy
for about minute after the current struck the
boat, but very soon the craft seemed to break in
two simultaneously with its capsizing, and the
horror-stricken spectators on shore next saw
the three struggling in the rushing waters. AS
they approached Streets Island, three
men who happened to be witnesses of
the accident ran to the edge of the bank in
hopes of rendering assistance to the drowning
men, but although one of the three was carried
within five feet and the others not a dozen feet
from the shore, it was found impossible to sue
cor them. One of the men informed our re-
porter that, had he been able to get pole or
rail of any kind, he surely could have saved one
or two of the Inflated men. The largest, it is
said, swan for some distance in direction of the
island, but the current was too strong for him.
and he was carried struggling to the brink and
hurled, all conscious, into the abyss below. The
other two were drowned ere they passed the
island, as their bodies were seen TO float in-
intimately just above the Falls.
Mr.. GaDm, keeper of the saloon where their
things were left, says they were all young men
their ages probably ranging between eighteen
and twenty-two-wel but cheaply dressed
and easy and careless in their manners. One
was an Irishman, one a German, and the other
Jew. A police officer who saw them remarked
that they looked ''just like any intinerant ped
dlers."
CAST ASHORE.
Yesterday forenoon q singular object was
observed lying in the water almost under the
new Suspension Bridge, on the Canadian side
of the river, and upon investigation it was
found to be a large piece of flesh torn from the
trunk, apparently at the hip. 1t was taken in
charge by the authorities on the other side, and
we believe quietly inferred during the afternoon.
No other trace or vestige of the lost men had
been seen up to six o'clock last evening.