Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1871-02-11

tAlyzeo M6n-SeVen HOURS on a
Frozen Island, and then Rescued
when Almost InsensibIe.
PoUGHKEEPsIK, Feb. 5.-Au 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 in intensity
hourly. Ice gatherers at all quarters suf-
fered greatly, and had it not been Satur-
day work would have been abandoned.
But they are not the only toilers on the
ice on the Hudson in the winter time.
They have comrades who follow differ
ent svocstion-that of fishing It is esti-
mated that over one thousand persons
gain livelihood on the river in the win
ter time, by fishing. Theirs is lsbori-
Gus work. They watch the tides and
fab accordingly. The "catch +" includes
white and yellow perch, striped bass and
pickerel, which sell readily at from fifteen
to twenty cents per pound, thus enabling
the fishermen to make from five to ten
dollars per day. In Haverstraw Bay, on
Saturday, there were about one hundred
and seventy fishermen at work with their
ne IS. As before stated, it was terrible
day. They were scattered all over the
river,
BRAvINa THB PIERCING, CUTTING WIND,
intent only upon ending up the week
with "catch" full of profit and then
going home to their families. At 4:30
P. NJ, a cry rang through the crowd,
''The ice is movingi Go for the shoreln
In an instant the widest excitement en-
sued. The toilers looked to the north
ward 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 Hsverstrsw 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 tlled with cries
for help from the throats of the cutoff
fishermen who could be seen
BUSTING ABOUT MADLY UPON THE ICE.
In ten minutes after both the western
and eastern shores were lined with vii
layers, 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 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
safety, covered from head to foot with a
thick coating of ice. 1t was then OBJ
served 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 Es%--
THE FROZEN ISLAND,
five out of the nine were IN the river
struggling franticslly against death. 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
clothing had frozen stiff, and the rowers
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 fresides, 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 fOated down
the river tTo miles, and
THE CRIES FOR HELP FROM THE THRoATs OF
THE UNFORTUNATE MEN
were agonizIrg in the extreme. They
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 chopping
waves were breaking up the edges of the
ice, and now snd then huge cracks would
run along the frozen surface for hundreds
of feet, giving warning TO the fishermen
that their floating ice-islsnd 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 viO-
lence. The four small boats, containing
brave hearts, were fastened TO the ice
field and fioated down the river with it,
the occupants of the boats vaiDly endesv-
oring to get the now perishlng mea to
come toward them. Ten O'Clock came
and all were six miles away from the
'break off, " when the men in the boats
noticed a cessation of the cries from the
fishermen. This to them was full of
horror, as it gave token of the posi-
bility of
THE UNFORTUNATE MEN FREEZING TO DEATH.
Whatever was to be done must be done
quickly, so hurried consultation was
had, and it was resolved to make des-
perste attempt to save them. According
ly, after several efforts to gain q foothold
upon the ice, during which three or four
of the boatmen fell into the river, a firm
standing place was found, when the boats
were dragged on the ice, and then all
hands started for the fishermen, whom
they found in terrible condition, with
feet, noses, hands and ears frozen. They
had given up all hopes of succOr, and ex-
pected death IN short time. They were
hurried to the bOats-all getting away
from the ice-field in safety, and landing
on the west shore ten miles from where
they started. The fishermen were then
taken to Cruger's, where they now are
with their respective families, and receiv-
ing the best medical attention. Their
situations are precariOus, though it is
possible they may recover. Their names
are Peter Moran, William Brown, James
Clark and Thomas Riley. / wish knew
the names of their rescuers.
The disadvantages of living in Green
land, 80 far as the receipt of news is con-
cerned, is shown in the fact that, a.
though knowing that war was imminent
last summer between FraLce and Prussia,
the people of that frigid land will know
nothing of the actual fact of the war I'M
til next summer---thst is, unless by scci-
dent ship should chance to land at it's
inhospitable shores before that time. On
the 18th of September last, news of the pro
babe outbreak of the war was carried to
Greenland by an American ship, which
touched there on that date. But since
then the islanders have ne news of current
events.
MATCHMAKING There are four large
matchmaking companies in the United
States, which represent a capital of
about 81, 900, 600, aud all are doing q
larCe and having business which incrpas