Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1880-04-02
Romance of the River.

"A ROcn0ster correspondent OF the
New York Tines tells romantic story
which has just ended in happy mar
riage. In October, 1869, James Fry,
the travelling agent of New Orleans
business house, started from st. Louis
for that city on the steamer StoneUaH.
The hay on board took fire and burned,
and fearful panic ensued. A few,
only, of the passengers chung to the
steamer, in hope that aid would reach
them before the fire forced them to
take their last chance in the river.
Among these were family of three
persons-evidently father, mother and
daughter. the latter apparently about
15-young Fry. and a young lady, ap-
psrently II or Is years old. OF all who
had jumped into the river, the light of
the burning vessel showed only one
here and there, struggling in the water
or swimming away. the river having
closed over the others. Those who re-
NAMED on the deck hastily rolled over
board several bales of hay which the
fire had not yet reached, to be seized,
if possible, If they were compelled to
take to the water. The main spar was
burned down and fell into the river
before the fire drove the last person
from the steamer. The flames at last
wrapped the entire vessel about, and
the passengers, who were huddled to-
gether about the guards, were forced
to jump. The family mentioned above
sprang into the water, clasping each
others hands. Fry and the other
young lady followed them. Fry was a
good swimmer, and reached the spar.
AS he grasped it, the young lady who
had jumped with him came to the sur
face near him. He seized her and
helped her to the floating timber. The
girl who had disappeared with her
father and mother also came up within
short distance, and Fry at once went
to her aid. He succeeded in assisting
her to the spar. She never saw her
father and mother again.
Fry moved the spar with compare
tive ease by swimming behind it and
pushing it. This gave him the idea of
attempting to reach the shore with it
and save the girls, the youngest of
whom was rapidly becoming exhausted.
He told them what he intended to do
and begged the girl to summon all her
courage, as he would surely save her.
This was the moment when the three
men were driven from the bale of hay
by the burning oil. The men at once
attempted to reach another bale few
feet from them, to which four others
were already clinging and which was
barely sufficient to sustain their weight.
Two of the men sank before their OBJ
ject was gained. The other swan to
the second bale and tried to seize hold
upon it, The four who were support
ing themselves with this bale fought
against having the added weight of the
fifth, as it would swamp them all.
Three times they pushed him away.
The pale, terror stricken faces of the
struggling men were plainly visible in
the glare of the flames. Each time the
fifth man was repulsed he returned to
the bale. begging for place to hold.
The fourth time he succeeded in seiz-
ing hold of one corner of the bale. The
hay began to sink. One of the four
who had possession of the precious bale
was an Italian. He drew knife as
the bale was going down and plunged
it in the breast of the man whose weight
was taking their only hope away. He fell
back and disappeared beneath the water.
This terrible scene was enacted
within five feet of those on the spar.
1t was more than the girl could bear,
and she tainted away. Fry supported
her in his arms, and, hastily telling
the other young lady to cling to the
spar until he returned, he started for
the shore with his burden. He reached
it in safety, and giving the girl in
charge of people who were helpless
witnesses of the fearful scene in the
river, returned to render aid to the
young lady he had left. He was gone
only a few minutes, but during his
absence, the four men on the bale of
hay had been, in turn, driven off by
fire, and were all drowned. A boat
had also reached the scene from Nee
ley's Landing. Out of the 200 pas
sengers and the crew of twenty, only
thirty-five were saved. The girl res
cued by young Fry was sent to Toledo,
o., where she said she had friends.
A year ago last month Fry was in
Cincinnati, transacting some business
for house in St. Louis, in whose en-
ploy he has been for several years. An
acq uaintauce of his insisted on taking
him to call at the residence of friend
one evening. He met there and was
introduced to a Mrs. Richmond, a
widow of great personal attraction.
She had been widow for three years,
and was then only q. She was visit
ing at the house where Fry met her,
her home being in Chicago. Fry fell
in love with Mrs. Richmond. They
corresponded for several months, when
the travelling agent made the young
widow an offer of marriage and she
accepted it. A day early in the present
month was selected for the wedding.
Fry went to Chicago the last of No"
vember. A few days before the we'd
ding he and his betrothed were laying
out route for the wedding tour. She
told him to select any route that pleased
him, the travelling of which did not
oblige them to 60 any distance whatever
by water. She manifested such horror OF
travelling by water that Fry was curious
to know what had caused it. His as
constituent may be imagined when she
related to him the terrible experience