New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-02-12
THRILLING SCENE on ICEI
Two Hundred Struggling for Life-S"dden
Breaking Up Of Ice.


We COPY the following thrilling story
from the New YORK.. Standard:
PoCGHKHEpsIE February 5.-All day yes
terday and the night previous the WIND
blew hurricane at all points on the Hut
son, coming from the north and west. me
mercury in the thermometer dropped last
and the cold increased in intensity hourly.
Ice gatlerers at all quarters suffered greatly,
and had it not been Saturday work would
have been abandoned. But they are not the
only toilers on the ice OIL the Hudson IN the
winter time. They have comrades who fol-
low Il different avocatiou-that OF fishing.
l. il estimated that over one thousand per-
sons gain livelihood on the river, in the
ious work. They watch the tides and fish
accordingly. The catch includes white
and yellow perch striped bass and pickorel,
which sell readily at from fifteen to twenty
cents per pound, thus enabling the fisher
men to make from tive to ten dollars per
day. In Haverstraw Bay, on Saturday.
there were about one hundred and seventy
fishermen ut work with their nets.
AS before stated, it WAS terrible day.
They were scattered all over the river,
Drawing the piercing. cutting wind, intent
only upon ending up the week with a
catch" full of profit, and then going home
to their families. At 1870 T. NJ. Il cry rang
through the crowd, THE ice is moving. Go
for the shore" In an instant the widest
excitement ensued. The toilers looked to
the northward aud observed clear water be-
tween the ice they we're on and the solid
frozen bridge north OF ''Crusers The en-
tire field of ice. embracing the whole chan.
mel of Haverstraw Bay. was on the move
and carrying with it nearly two hundred
human beings. Pixies and nets were
dropped and then there was u rush for
safety. while the air was filled with cries
for help from the tlroats of the cutoff iishe
ermen, who could be seen rushing about
madly upon the ice.
In ten minutes after both the western and
eastern shores were. lined with villagers.
who ran about upon the beach. scarcely
knowing what to do. Finally, a few of the
more cool-headed launched four boats and
started on Il dangerous voyage OF rescue.
Ia the meantime scores of the fishermen had
reached the edge of tho ice nearest the
shoreo and trusting {" luck. plunged into
tho freezing water and reached terra hrna
in safety. covered from head to foot with -
thick coating Of lee. 1t was then observed
that nine were left. and that the surgin:
tide. was swinSin, Oh" field Of ice fax out
into the river. the Hudson az til" point
named being extremely wide. Again the
boats started 20 the rescue, but before they
reached the frozen island. tiv" out of the
nine were IN the river. stEusSlin. tvantica!iy
against death.
Just as they were aHont .;y;n. NJ. the
boats reached them. and they we're dragged
in completely exhausted, and two of them
had tainted. In an instant almos, their
clothing was frozen stif. and the rowers
with great difficulty kept them aliv. by
constant and vigorous EuOoin. until the
shore was reached, when their benumbed
forms were handed over to willing hands
and carried to warm fireslde-. where they
soon showed signs OF life. but the hands of
al! were badly frozen. ~ We're also their
ears. AS soon they were landed Upon
the beach. the boats again started tor the
ice field to rescue Che fouy surviving, fisher
men. By this time the detached ice had
doatci down the river Nv" miles. and the
cries for help from tbs. Threats of the nm
fortunate. men were a:onizin. in the TX.
tveme.
They souid be s..n in the centre Of the
field stamping ani Yuunin. and throwing
up their arms. bUt nothing could prevail
upon then, 20 leave the centre. as the ciO:.
pin. waves were hleakin. up the edges Of
the ice, and now and then huge cracks
would run aion. the frozen surface for hum
sirsds Of feet. .i.in. warning to the fisher
:nen that their foatin. ice-islani was. by
the action of the wind HnI waves. bveakin.
to pieces beneath them. Darkness cam and
then the moon Eos. upon tho scene. and still
the wind blew with great violence. The
fou. small boats containin. bra." hearts.
were fastened - the ice-ield ana .ioated
down the river with il. The occupants of the
boats VainlS endeavoring ~ get the now
peris!liny men ~ come toward them. Ten
o'clock came anial. were six mile. away
from the .. break OF. when she men in the
boats noticed 3 cessation OF the .ries from
the fishermen. Ihi. ~ them was full of
horror rs it gave token of the possibility OF
the unfortunate men freezing :" death.
Whatever was 70 be don. must b.. .l,ne
quickly; ~ hurried consultation WAS had.
and it was resolved ~ make desperate
attempt 70 save them. Accordingly. after
several efforts to gain foothoid upcl The
ice. during which :l.Iee or four of the boat
men fell into the river a firm standing
place was foAnl. when the boats We're
dragged on the ice. and then ak hands
started for the fishermen. whom they found
in Il terribl" condition. with teets noseso
hands and ears frozen. They had . wen up
all hopes OF succor. and expected death i'll
a short time. They were hurried to the
boats, all getting away from the ice-ield in
safety. and landing on the west shore. ten
miles from where they started The fisher.
men were then taken to Cruger's. where
they now are with their respective families,
and receiving the best medical attention.
Their situations are precarious. though II is
possible they may recover. Their names
are Peter Moran, William Brown, james
Clark and Thomas Riley. l wish | knew
the names of their rescuers.
A singular Old man was lately burned to
death near Utica, Illinois, in Il cave where
he had lived thirty years. His name was
Ira Mills, and he had been a clergyman, but
for Soma reaSnu bplt known ~ him plt no