The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1874-06-12
Terrible Experience OF william Nc.
CullORgh and His Extraordinary
Reseue-Th0mas COnroy, the Hero
Of Niagara Falls.

his feliow-workman, he asked him for
some putty, and receiving the same,
stepped back just little too far, and in
an instant was on his back at the bottom
of the torrent. Right where he fell the
Hermit's Cascade pours its angry wa
ters, and in less time than il takl, TO
write about it the unfortunate man was
borne away in the direction OF the
Horseshoe Falls. The other workman
and Mr.. George L. Curtiss, who Witness
ed the accident, and who were psral rzed
by what seemed to be the inevitable fate
of Mccullough, watched the disappear
ing form till it was swept out of the
more rapid current into a small eddy,
from the midst of which rose a rock.
Against this rock, which is fairly sub
merged, Mccullough was thrown, hav-
ing been rolled over on his face Just be-
fore reaching il, and, with the instinct
of drowning man, he clung to it. At the
rock the water is between four and FIVE
feet deep, and, although stunned by the
fall and exhausted by the waters which
had borne him about 800 feet in the
direction of grave, he had strength
enough remaining TO enable him to
climb the rock and seat himself upon it..
The two men who witnessed the fearful
descent, seeing that Mccullough 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
as may not be described. Men, women
and children instinctivelv sought to de-
termine upon some means of rescue, even
while their hearts throbbed with a ter
rible fear. The rock on which sal the
man upon whom all eyes were eagerly
centured was the last that projects from
the reef below the islands. Between it
and the shore swept wide and deep
torrent, while below il the river opens
out to its fullest width as if it refused
to encounter any further obstruction be-
fore it takes its 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 endurance
remaining to the old man was serious
one in this connection. Fortunately
Mr.. Pettibone had informed the people
at the Cave of the Winds that man
had fallen from the bridge, and
THOMAS CoNRoY,
one of the guides, heard the remark.
He thought that a man had fallen from
the Terrapin tower bridge and had gone
over the Falls, and started off leisurely
up the bank. He had not proceeded far
when he found that nearly the entire
population of the village had got there
before him, and very soon he deserted
the man on the rock. He FASTENED his
steps. He knew he was the only man
in all that crowd that could save Nc
Cullough. Some distance above the
rock he found awaiting use coil of
rope about an inch in thickness and
passed it into the hands of about doz-
en- or fifteen men. He consulted nobody
he asked no ones advice; but, with as
much GOODNESS as if he were proceeding
to his dinner, he took one end of the
rope in his left, hand, told them to pay
it ont to him, descended the bank and
proceeded to divest himself of his boots
About forty feet from the shore he dis
novpraN that tho .rnoES u,hioh la
picked his way were 100 slippery in the
strong current, and he returned. He
sent to the Cave Of the Winds for his
shoes and there were brought to him
ned he again started on his perilous
journey from a point about two hun
dred feet above the rock OH which sat
Mccullough. Cautiously. but with i'm
perturbable coolness, he moved out in an
oblique direction till he had reached a
point beyond the line of the rock, the
waters at every step threatening to sweep
him out of sight. Carefully he picked
his way, now in shallow water and now
in deep, and down with the angry tide
he went till he reached the rock, and
found awaiting his coming a man shiv-
ering, exhausted and almost incapable
of utterance. Conrov had accomplish
ed herculean task in reaching the rock
as he did, to say not 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 q
current which would have speedily car
ried man OF ordinary strength off 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 McCullough's waist, took hold of
it himself with his left hand simply,
and both started for the shore. For
hundred feet or so Conroy had not only
to lookout for himself but for the en-
feebled old man in his charge 1t was
hard work, but they made this distance
without dccluenL.
THE END WAS NOT YET,
however, for as they entered the torrent
which ran between the shore and the
rock both were swept off their feet and
buried in the mad waters. The men on
shore pulled the rope as rapidly as was
safe, and Mccullough 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 huz-
zas rent the air and eestacy usurped the
place of dread anxiety.
THE CROWD,
wishing. TO testify promptly and sub
stantially to their appreciation of Con-
roy's heroisrn, took up collection for
him, and about $500 were handed to
him--a sum very acceptable to poor
man.
AFTER THE RESCUE
Mr.. McCullough's condition was found
to be quite serious, partial delirium hav-
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