The New York herald., 1871-02-06
A THRILLING TALE.
Two Hundred Men Adrift On
an Ice Foe.
Sudden Breaking Up Of the Ice on the Hudson
Perilous Situation OF a Number Of Fiahsr-
mon-A Struggle for Life-Bravs Men
to the Rsscue-A Narrow Escapc

|
All day yesterday ana the night previous tiss wind
blew u hurricane at al points on the HUDSON COM
! ing from the north and west. The mercury In the
! Thermometer dropped fast and the cold Increased
hourly. Ice gaherers AT all quarters suffered greatly,
and had 1t rot been Saturday WORK would have been
aoandoned But they are not the only toilers tho
Ice on the Hudson In the winter time. They havo
comrades who Follow different avocation-tnat Of
fishing. 1t Is estimated that one thousand per-
sons gain livelihood the river the winter time
by fsh.ng. Theirs
A LABOIroUs WORK.
They watch the tides ana fish accordingly The
"catch' includes white and yellow perch, stripes
bass and pickerel. which sell readily from fifteen
to twenty per pound, enabling the nsher-
mon to make from five to ten dollars per day
In Haverstraw Bay on Saturday there were abous
one hundred and seventy fishermen at work with
their nets. AS before stated, 1t was terrible day.
They were scattered oil the river, Drawing ths
piercing, cutting wind, intent only upon ending up
the week with q "catch" full OF profit and thciT
going home to their families. At hafpast four r.
NJ. cry OF terror rang through the crowd.
"THE ICE AZ MOVING
Go for the shore ~ shouted burly but pale.facod
fisherman. as he hurried along to the westward,
and In an instant the widest excitement ensued.
The toilers looked to tho northward and observed
clear water between the ice they were on and the
sold frozen bridge north OF Cruger's The ent,ro
field OF ice embracing the whole channel OF Haver-
straw Bay, was on the move aud carrying with u
nearly two hundred human beings. Pixies and nets
were dropped, and then there was
A RUSH FOR SAFETY,
while the air was filled with cries FOR help from tho
throats OF the cutoff fishermen who could be SEQ
rushing about upon the ice wildly
In ten minutes after both the western and easter
shores were nned with villagers. who wildl
about upon the beach, scarcely knowing what to DO.
Finally few OF the cool headed launched four
boats and started on dangerous voyage OF rescue.
In the meantime OF the fishermen had reache6D
the edge OF the Ice nearest the shore, and,
TRUSTING TO LUCK,
plunged into the freezing water and reached terra
a,n,a In safety, covered from head TO loot with o
thick coating OF ce 1t was then observed that nine
left and that the surging tide was swinging tho
field OF ice far out into the river Hudson at tho
point named being extremely wide Again the
boats started to rescue, before they reached
the frozen island five out of the nine IN tho
river struggling frantlcly aga inst death. Just a.
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.
FROZEN STIFF,
and the rowers with great difficulty kept them
alive by constant and vigorous rubbing until the
shore was reacned, when their benumbed forms
were handed over TO Wiling han1s and carried Ia
warm lresides where they soon after showed sgns
or life, but the hands OF all were badly frozen a.
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
two miles, and the
CRIES FOR HELP
from the throats Of the unfortunate men were ago
nizlng In the extreme They could be seen in tho
centre OF tue field stamping ana running and throw
Ing up their arms, but nothing could prevail upon
them To ieave the centre, as
| THE CHOPPiNd WAVES WERE BREAKING UP THE
EDGES
OF the Ice and now and then huge cracks would run
along the frozen surface Tor hundreds OF feet giving
warning TO tue fishermen that Their floating Island
was, by the action OF the wind and waves breaking
the moon rose upon the scene. and still the wind
blew with great violence The our small boats
taning brave hearts were fastened to the Ice field
and noated down the river with it, the occupants Of
the boat vainly endeayoring to get
THE NOW PERISHrNG MEN
to come towards them. Ten O'Clock came, and all
were SIX miles away from the 'break or" when
the men In the boats noticed cessation OF the cries
from the fishermen This to them was full OF hOr-
ror, as It gave token OF the possibility OF tho
was TO be done must be done quickly, hur-
ried consultation was had, and it resolved
TO make desperate attempt TO save them.
hold upon the ice, during which three four
OF the bOatmen fell into the river. firm standing
Ice and then all hands started for The fishermen,
whom they found in terrible condition, with feet,
noses hands and ears frozen They mad
GIVEN UP ALI. HOPES
of succor and expected death in q short time. They
were hurried to the boats, all getting away from the
Ice field IN safety and landing the west Shore ten
then taken to Cruger's they with their
respective families and receiving the best medical
attention. Their situations are precarious though
Peter Moran, William Brown, james Clark and
Thomas Riley wish l knew the names OF theig
rescuerS.