Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-11
sailt Arn,tnebrr yonrnal.
A GALLANT DEED.


When the ice broke up at St. Louis on
FRIDAY, James A. Smith, an ice dealer, his
son, Stephen l.. Smith, and a workman,
were engaged in cutting ice near the mid
die of the river opposite the foot OF North
gticed the rise and shouted to them to come
of, but the warning was either unheard or
unheeded.S Finally the ice along the bank
began to crumble under the pressure and
a prolonged shout attracted the attention
Of the men, CHANGING toward the shore,
they saw the ragged edges of the cakes
tossed in the air, and recognizing their
danger at once made preparations to save
themselves. On the ice where they had
? been working was frame platform six
teen feet square. and this the elder Smith
proposed to remain by. He told his son
bridge piers, but that it must lodge against
their work. The son feared, and Justly
andputting his shoulder under, the platform
I, tore mp two of the planks. Telling the
workmen to gather up the tools, he took
one plank, his father took another, and all
three started for the shore. They had
when they found that the ice between them
aand the bank was rapidly going to pieces,
and the elder Smith, preterring to take his
chances on the platform, returned to it.
His son and the workmen kept on, and
succeeded in reaching the shore without
accident. When they again looked for
for Smith he was standing on the platform,
and was borne down the river toward the
.,ior hn in fof-
and although the cakes surrounding him
were crushed and broken into fragments,
the one on which the platform rested re-
tanned its size Further down, however,
the ice closed in on it and the edges were
ground and crushed off until less then half
It's original size was left. When opposite
the foot of Poplar street the mad rush and
whirl of the swiftly moving flood threw
Smith of his feet, and the spectators be-
lieved that he was lost His son, how
ever, who hurried along the bank, still
saw him clinging to his frail support, and
hoping for some opportunity to rescue
him, ran down the levee until he passed
the foot of Chouteau avenue, mile be-
low the spot from which he started, He
was Joined by two friends, Michael Lynch
and Mr.. O'Connor, and the three kept up
the apparently useless chase until they
reached the dry docks.
There they found skiff, and without
hesitation all three entered it, determined
to risk their lives in an effort to save that
of Smith. With great labor they finally
3 launched it into the stream, but the Ice
was SO thick that on half dozen occa-
sions they were forced to get out on the
cakes, drag the boat over and lannch 1t on
The other side. In this way they worked
through the turbulent mass until they
reached the cake on which Smith still re-
NAMED They took him into the boat,
and by almost superhuman exertiens
reached the shore opposite the head of
I Arsenal Island. How the frail skitf ever
avoided destruction is mystery, and the
men themselselves are as much astonished
at their miraculous escape as were the
spectators. Five minutes after Smith was
taken from the platform the cake on which
it rested was swept into the narrow chan
mel between Arsenal Island and the shore,
and in an Instant was ground and torn to
pieces till scarce a splinter of it remained.
Too much credit cannot be given to young
! Smith and his companions, who risked
their lives in frail boat where the own
3 ers Of the strongest ferry-boats would not
ethave thought for an instant of taking their
crafts.--St. Louis Democrat.