The Hickman courier., 1871-02-18
A THRILLING SCENE.
Two Hundred Men Struggling
for Life ON Moving Ice.

| HOE A1ANc Oh NAOVlmS Aces
PoUeHkEEPsIE, Feb. 5.-All day
yesterday and the night previous the
wind blew hurricane at all points on
the Hudson, coming from the north and
west. The mercury in the thermometer
dropped fast and the cold increased 10
intensity hourly. Ice gatherers at all
quarters suffered greatly, aud had it not
been Saturday work would have been
abandoned
AS before stated, it was a terrible day
They were scattered all over the river
At 4:3O p. m, a cry rang through the
crowd, The ice is moving Go for the
shore !" In an instant the widest ex
element ensued. The toilers looked to
the porthward and observed clear water
between the ice they were on and the
solid frozen bridge north of "CrUgers. -
The entire field of ice, embracing the
whole channel 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 a
rush for safety while the air was filed
with cries for help from the throats OF
the cut off fishermen who could be seen
RUSHING ABOUT MADLY UPON THE ICE.
In ten minutes after both the western
and eastern shores were lined with villa
gers, who ran about upon the beach.
scarcely knowing what to do. Finally
few of the more cool headed launched
four boats and started on dangerous
voyage of rescue. In the meantime
scores of the fishermen had reached the
edge of the ice nearest the shore, and
trusting to luck, plunged into the freez
ing water and reached terra firma In safe
ty, covered from head to foot with thick
coating Of ice. 1t was then observed
that nine were left, and that the surging
tide was swinging the field of ice far out
into the river, the Hudson at the point
named being extremely wide. Again the
boats started to the rescue, but before
they reached
THE FROZEN ISLAND,
FIVE out of the nine were in the river
struggling frantically againstdeath. just
as they were about giving up, the boats
reached them, and they were dragged in
completely exhausted, and two of them
had tainted. In an instant almost their
iIOLCu duu J0C IOHCES
with great difficulty kept them alive by
constant and vigorous rubbing until the
shore was reached, when their benumbed
forms were handed over to willing hands
and carried to warm firesides, where they
soon afterwards showed signs Of life, but
the hands of all were badly frozen as
were also their ears. As soon as they
were landed upon the beach, the boats
again started for the ice field to rescue
the four surviving fishermen. By this
time the detached ice had hoated down !
the river two miles, and
rt.-. EoEs lsEr-r FHo>s FtsE TI1Ieo ATS
--.-. -ss-aaslar- l.. sss- -@s.----- ar...,
could be seen in the center of the field
stamping and running and throwing up
their arms, but nothing could prevail
upon them to leave the center, as the
choppiDg waves were breaking up the
edges of the ice, and now and then huge
cracks would run along the frozen sur
face for hundreds of feet, giving warning
to the fishermen that their floating ice
island was, by the action of the wind and
waves, breaking to pieces beneath them. |
Darkness came and then the moon rose |
upon the scene, and still the wind blew
with great violence. The four small /
boats, containing brave hearts, were fast
ened to the icefeld and foated down the
river with it, the occupants of TIN boats
Vainly endeavoriDg to get the now per-
shing men to come toward them. Ten
D clock came and all were six miles away
from the break off, when the men in
The boats noticed cessation of the cries
rom the fishermen. This to them was
'ull of horror, as it gave token of the
of the
MEN FREEZING TO DEATH.
Whatever was to be done must be done
luickly, so a hurried consultation was
lad, and it was resolved ia make des
,erate attempt to save them. According.
y, after several efforts to gain a foothold
lpon the ice, during which three or four
f the boatmen fell into the river, firm
landing place was found, when the boats
we're dragged on the ice, and then all
lands started for the fishermen, whom
hey found in a terrible condition, with
eet, noses, hands and ears frozen. They
ad given up all hopes of suecor, and
xpected death in short time.
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