Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1877-07-18
OVER NIAGARA.
Two Men Carried Over the Falls--.HOW
One Man Was Rescued.

Two Men Carried Over the Falls--.How
One Man Was Rescued.
The Niagara Falls Gazette gives the par
ticulars of the drowning of Charles A.
Pierce and Wallace Bellinger, on Sunday,
the LIST. 1t states that a party of some
thirteen or fourteen employees in the pa
per mill at the Falls walked up the river
to Gill Creek island, to have chowder,
etc., the provisions being taken in sail
boat There was high wind and the
river was very rough We quote from
The Gazette: After they had prepared
and disposed of their chowder, different
parties took the sail boat and went out
for q short trip on the river. Consider
ing the wind and sea, it would have been
suicidal IN the extreme for any one not
perfectly familiar with the art of sailing
TO have started out on the river. Those
who did go out, all laid claim to more
or less nautical skill, and all returned in
safety, until between 4 and 5 o'clock,
when party of three, consisting Of
Charles A. Pierce, Wallace Bellinger and
William Flay, suddenly capsized while
lacking off the head of Coroner's island.
of those on Gill Creek island, and no
suspicious of the terrible casualty that
had occurred were entertained until
about the time it was expected that a
boat from Port Day, would arrive, when,
while looking for the up boat, they
missed the sail boat. Carefully scanning
the river, one of the party Mr.. Trip,
noticed a speck on the boisterous waves
off Coroner's island, and still closer ex-
animation disclosed the terrible fact
that the sail boat had capsized, and that
only one man was to be seen clnging to
the helpless hull There was only one
small scow at hand, and with this Mr.
John Robinson attempted to go out to
the rescue, but soon returned, finding
the sea too heavy for his little craft to
live. Providentially, just at this mo-
ment, the boat from Port Day, manned
by Messrs. Anthony Walker, John
Walker and Will Walker, came in sight,
and their attention was directed to the
wreck, which was fast blowing out fur
Their and further into the middle of the
river, and rapidly descending with the
current. They instantly changed the
course of their boat, and succeeded in
reaching the capsized sail boat just in
time to save Mr. Flay, the exhausted sur
vivor of the accident, who was clinging
with desperation to the keel of the over
turned craft. Flay had been thrown off
the boat so many times by the fierce
buffeting Of the waves that he was COM
pletely Frustrated, and when taken into
the rescuing boat was Immediately seized
with cramps. He had stripped himself
of all his clothing save his pantaloons,
in anticipation of being obliged to seek
a doubtful safety by swimming, should
he not be seen from shore before reach
ing the neighborhood of Grass island.
He was taken ashore warmly wrapped
up, and, after sufficiently recovering,
told the story of the fatal occurrence.
He says they had been out about half
an hour when, as they were attempting
to tack to return, he being in the bow,
Bellinger amidship, and Pierce in the
stern holding the sail rope, the boat got
into the trough of the terrible sea run
ming and almost Instantly capsized. He
was caught in the sail as the boat went
over, and after extricating himself rose
to the surface, sliced hold of the boat
and then saw that both of his compan-
ions had also secured hold of the hull.
They attempted to right the boat, but
found it impossible, and after making
several futile endeavors and only succeed
ing In loosing their grasp and becoming
more and more exhausted by repeated
immersons, they gave up the attempt.
Flay says Pierce and Bellinger were
both terribly excited, trembling SO that
they could hardly retain hold Of the
boat Instead of attempting to climb
upon the keel, Pierce and Bellinger
struck out In hopes of reaching shore.
Pierce was the first to make the attempt
With half understood remark about
being unable to stand it any longer
and that he was going to make fol-
Shore he started off, The waves hid
him from sight, and he was never seen
again In all probability he swan, with
his clothes all on, only very short dis
lance before going down to his death
A moment or two after Bellinger told
Flay he was going to try for Shore and
with a simple good-by,' he struck out
He only swan little distance before his
heavy clothing sealed his doom. Flay
never saw him again after he left the
boat. Left now alone with the boat,
Flay managed to climb upon the keel
and removed al his clothing save his
pantaloons. He was frequently washed
off the keel, but managed to climb back
again each time in safety, and finally
rescued as we have already narrated"