New national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1870-1874, 1874-06-11
A Hairbrcadih Escape from Going
Over Niagara Fails.
Ueroic Action CT Thomas Conroy.


Ueroic Action CT Thomas Conroy.
The Buffalo Courier gives the particulars
of what came near being frightful TRACE
DIV at Niagara Falls, one day last week, as
follows:
William Mccullough, a painter by trade,
aged about sixty years, and an old and high
ly respected citizen of Niagara Falls, was en-
gagged IN painting the middle bridge which
spans the torrent that rushes between the
first and second of the Three Sister Islands
He occupied a position with a companion on
a scaflold which had been swung down on the
lywer side of the bridge. Approaching his
fellow workman he asked him for some putty.
and receiving the same, stepped back iust
little too far, and in an instant wa on his
back at the bottom of the torrent. Right
where he fell, the Hermit Cascade pours its
angry waters, andin less time than it takes TO
write about it, the unfortunate man was
borne away in the direction Of the Horse
shoe Fall. The other wOrkmeu, and Mr..
George l.. Curtiss, who witnessed the accl-
dent, and were paraly2eI 10y what seemed to
be the inevitable fate Of Mccullough.
watched the disappearing form till it was
swept out of the more rapid current into
small eddy, from the midst of which rose A
rock. Against this rock, which is fairly sub
merged, Mccullough was thrown, having
been rolled over on his face just before reach
ing it, and with the instinct of IA drowning
man he chung to it.. At the rock the water
is four or five feet deep, and although stunned
by the fall, and exhausted by the angry wa
tiers which had borne him about 100 feet in
the direction of a grave, he had strength
enough remaining to enable him to climb the
rock and to seat himself upon it. The two
men who witnessed the fearful descent, see
ing that Met ullough was at least temporarily
safe, speedily gave the alarm in the VILLAGE,
and soon
AN EXCITED MULTITUDE
lined the rivers bank, and contemplated the
scene with such feelings of emotion n may
not be described. Men women and children
instinctively sought tn determine upon some
means Of rescue, even while their hearts
throbbed with Il terrible fear. The rock on
which sat the man upon whom all eyes were
eagerly centercd was the last that projects
from the reef below the islands. Between
it and the shore swept wide and deep tor
rent, while below it the river opens out to lis
fullest width, as il it refused to encounter
any further obstruction before it takes It's
final plunge into the gorge some sixty rods
below. The plan OF rescue was not easy to
solve, and the question OF the power OF en-
durance remaining to the old man, was Sc
rOus one in this connection. Fortunately
Mr.. Pettibone had informed the people at the
Cave of the Winds that a man had fallen
from the bridge, and
THOMAS CONRON,
one of the guides, heard the remark. He
thought that Il man had fallen from the Ter
rapn tower bridge and had gone over the
falls. and started oil leisurely up the bank.
lie had not proceeded far when he found that
nearly the entire population of the village
had gone before him, and very soon he de
serted the man on the rock. He fastened
his steps he knew that he was the only man
in all that crowd that could save Mccullough.
Some distance above the rock he found
awaing use a coil Of rope about an inch in
thickness aud passed it into the hands of
dozen or fifteen men. He consulted nobody;
he asked no ones advice; but with as much
GOODNESS as il he were proceeding to his din
uer, he took one end Of the rope in his left
hand, told them to pay it out to him, de-
seconded the bank aud proceeded into the
river, only taking the precaution to dlvest
himself of his boots. About forty feet from
the shore he discovered that the rocks over
which he picked his way were too slippery in
the strong current, and he returned. He
sent to the Cave of the Winds for his felt
shoes, and these were brought to him with
the utmost dispatch. These dOnned he again
started on his perilous journey, from a point
about two hundred feet above which sat
| Mccullough. Cautiously, but with imper-
turbable GOODNESS, he moved out in an Obli1uc
direction till he had reached point beyond
the line of the rock, the waters at every step
threatening to sweep him out of sight. Care
fully he picked his way, now in shallow water
aud now in deep, and down with the angry
tide he went till he reached the rock, and
found awaiting his coming a man shivering,
exhausted, and almost incapable otutterancc.
COnroy had accomplished herculean task
in reaching the rock as he did, to say not a
word about the danger he braved; he had
to keep the long line of heavy rope taut with
his left hand while feeling his way on rocks
as slippery as ice and contending with a cur
rent which would have speedily carried
man of ordinary strength of his feet. In
McCullough's hand he found clutched the
putty knife he was using at the time of the
accident, and this he took from him and put
it in his pocket. This done, he tied the rope
about McCullouch's waist, took hold of it
himself with his left hand simply, and both
started for the shore. For a hundred feet or
so Conroy had not only to look out for him
self, but for the enfeebled old man in his
charge. 1t was hard work, but they made
this distance without accident.
THE END WAS NOT YET,
however, for as they entered the torrent
which ran between the shore and the rock,
both were swept OFT their feet and buried in
the mad waters. The men on shore pulled
the rope as rapidly as was safe, and McCul
Tough and his rescuer were dragged ashore.
The paper mill whistle blew the hour of noon
just as ConrOy and Mccullough reached the
bank, and simultaneously with this huzzas
rent the air and ecstasy usurped the place of
dread anxiety.
MCCULLOUGH was promptly carried to his
home in blankets that were in readiness, aud
Convoy walked up the bank aud among the
multitude utterly unconscious of any act of
herOism, and less concerned about the perils
he had encountered than any person in that
large concOurse OF people.
TIE CROWD,
wishing to testify promptly and substantially
to their appreciation of Conroy's heroism,
took up collection for him, and about two
hundred dollars were handed to him, a sum
very acceptable to a poor man.
AFTER TIE RESCUE
Mr.. McCullough's condition was found to be
quite serious, partial delrium having set in,
but no fatal consequences are anticipated.
THOMAS CONRoY,
who has proved himself every inch hero,
was born i'm Ottawa Canada TWENTY-FIVE