Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1876-04-05
4 Disastrous Canoe Voyage.

A JOURNALIST of this city, an associate
editor upon one of the morning newspa.
ners. undertook to make canoe voyage
down the Susquehanna River last sum-
mer He took his canoe up to Wilkes
barre on the cars and launched it upon
the bosom of the stream at that point.
The only obstacles to complete enjoy
ment on the part Of voyagers upon the
Sn , are the MANY dams which
obstruct the stream. It is customary to
carry the canoes around these and to enter
the stream below them. The first one
encountered by the editor was the
dam at Nanticoke. This has in
the middle of it an enormous
"shute," through which the water PUSHES
upon an inclined plane, SO as to permit
the RATS which descend the stream to
float down. Just before reaching the
dam the editor padded in to the shore
and interviewed native respecting the
condition Of the shute.
"What do you think of the chances OF
nv shooting the dam in this canoe? Do
YOU believe that could do it?''
Il should think you could, of course"
said the man.
"Will there be no trouble about getting
throughY
mo; guess not. l never heard of
anybody having any"
"Why? Did any one ever go down in
canoe?"
Eyes, indeed There was fellow here
about week ago who went through
a-whizzing."
"What did he say about it?"
"Well, he didn't make any particular
remark took it quietly"
Didn't seem frightened?"
"Oh, no! After he got through he,was
lust as calm and unruftled as a baby"
The journalist resolved that he would
try it. He padded out to the channel
and headed his frail bark for the shute.
Pretty soon he got into the current, and
the canoe began to acquire frightful veloc-
ity Then he thought maybe he had bet
ter give up the venture and haul the
canoe around on dry land, but the current
was too strong for him, and the only thing
he could do was to keep the boat bows on
and let it go. BY the time the head of
the shute was reached the boat was max
ing about 100 miles an hour, ana the next
moment it slid down the watery hill like
flash Of lightning.
When it struck the river below it shot
beneath the surface, carrying the crew
with it, and for a second or two he could
feel himself proceeding under water at a
painfully high rate Of speed. Then he
became unconscious.
When he revived he found that some
philanthropic person had hold of his legs
and was rolling him on a barrel, while
close at hand lay his canoe, with hole
| stove in the bottom, and his trousers with
| the point of a boat hook firmly fastened in
them. Then they sat him up, and as soon
as he seemed comfortable the native who
. had given the information about the dam
/ approached and said:
" Two dollars, please!"
Two-two-why, what-two dollars
! for what?n
For snatching you from watery
grave. It's the regular charge"
why, you told me that could shoot
the damr'
"Well, you did shoot it, didn't you?"
And you said that the other man last
week did it safely?"
80 no! What / said was that he was
calm after he wen through. And so he
was. He was awful calm, because his
pants were so tender that they wouldn't
hold the boat hook, and when we ketched
him he was dead!'
Why didn't you tell me it was so dan
gerous, you infamous scoundrel?"
Young man, don't use hard words.
Why didn't tell you? l did giveyou all
the information you asked for; and, be-
sides, | make my living fishing fellers
out; and really, now, look at the thing
fair and you'll admit that can't be taking
the bread out of my mouth by begging all
such navlgators as you to get out and
walk; now can II"
Then the editor broke in the ribs Of his
canoe with the end of his paddle. and
voyaged home in the cars. When lie
canoes again he will hunt up river that
has never been damned Phil. Bulletin.