The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1877-07-05
THRILLING ADVENTURE.
A Raft of Timber and Thirty-One Men
Carried Over the Duchesne Rapids.
rErnan tho IL n

Raft of Timber and Thirty-One Men
Carried Over the Duchesne Rapids.
From the Ottawa (Canada) Free Press
Yesterday afternoon q thrilling adj
venture took place on the Upper Otta-
wa, at the Duchesne rapids, about four
miles from this city, whole raft being
carried over the rapids at once. Rats
coming down the river are towed from
Arnprlor down to the bay at Britannia,
which is on the south side of Lake Du-
chesne, and Immediately above the rap
Ids OF the same name. Here the cribs
are separated, and one at time they
are run over the rapids by two or three
of the raftsmen, being caught below
IN the boom, after which they are brought
down, and in due time run the slides at
Chaudlere. Yesterday the steamer Chau-
deere started down from Arnprior with
raft belonging to Mr. Francis, consist
ing OF nearly a hundred cribs, and upon
which were some thirty-five raftsmen.
A strong westerly wind prevailed at the
time, but all went well until the steamer
endeavored to make the bay at Britain
MIA, when it was soon found that there
would be struggle between steam and
man-power, and the force of the current
and wind, as to whether the raft would
be safely harbored, or carried bodily over
the dangerous rapids. This was be-
tween 2 and 3 o'clock in the afternoon.
Fuel was added to the steamers fur
mace, SO that more power might be
had, while the raftsmen used their
sweeps with undated energy to get the
raft out of the dangerous current into
which it had been thrown by the wind
and waves. The struggle was not of
long duration, for steadily but surely
was the raft drawn toward the rapids.
which are between half a mile and
three-quarters in width and some little
distance in length. When the steamer
hands found that it was fighting against
fate to save the raft, the hawser was cut
order that the vessel could save itself
from being carried over also. At this
the men on the raft prepared for the
worst. Four took to a boat and reached
the shore in safety, the others rather
preferring to run the risk of the rapids.
which were then rapidly approaching.
1t must have been terrible moment to
the thirty-one human beings on the
bound timbers, which were then begin
ming to dance and creak on the angry
waters, with the foam covered as well as
hidden rocks just ahead There were
hurried movements among the raftsnen,
who sought the cribs most likely to go
through in safety, and moment later
an understandable scene presented itself
to the few who happened to witness it.
The raft broke up, quite number Of
cribs being wrecked on the rocks, but
the majority held together and came out
of the trying ordeal all right, with the
men on board. Unfortunately, on one
OF the cribs that broke up were three
raftsmen, named respectively John
Francis, Jean Bourgeois and Simon
Conroy. The two first named escaped
any severe injury, but Conroy was
crushed between a couple of
the timbers, his right leg being broken
in several places and left arm being dis
located at the shoulder. He held on to
the timber until he was rescued by his
comrades at the boom below the rapids,
where the cribs and timbers were
caught. Some of the others received
slight injuries, but so far as could be
none of serious nature.
Conroy was brought to the general hos
pital last night, where he now lies in a
low condition. His arm has been set,
but it is found impossible to do any
thing with his leg, which will have to
be amputated.