Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1880-07-16
Presence Of Mind in Peril.

From the Cincinnati Commercial. - y .'s
Mr.. Charles A. Dana remarked, concerning
the late disaster at He'll Gate, that many per-
sons lost their lives solely through losing their
wits. People who remained calm and main
tanned their self-control were, in most cases,
rescued. ,. Mr.. Dana himself, though well ad-
vanced in years, is an expert swimmer. He
heard the dull explosion below, waited to Sc
cure life:preserver, and, as the boat neared
land, sprang overheard and struck boldly out
for the shore. Mr.. W. R. Grace was another
passenger. He was accompanied by his wife
and two daughters. The whole family were
saved, and, as it seems probable, entirely be-
cause they did not lose their heads. The
father was good swimmer, and thus triply
armed. He had no fear for himself, but how
to save his wife and children was the problem
he was called on to face. Fortunately for all,
Mrs. Grace herself did not become panicky,
but remained perfectly cool and rapidly
formed her plans. Mr.. Richard O'Gorman
and his son promised to take charge of her
eldest daughter. The youngest daughter was
mere child, and the mother feared that she
would become terror stricken and drown. So
she directed the father to support the young
| est child. For herself she would trust in God
The mothers first thought was for her child
rem. She did not forget her worldly wisdom
in this peri'ous moment either, it seems, for
cDOl nao6 6o6 yoI {or
diamond earrings before she jumped. She
had cnly that day bought a new pair at Tiff
fany's, and she had them and s400 in money
in large purse attached to her belt. She
put the money and the ear-ri gs into her
dress pocket, remarking that they would be
safer there. Then fastening on her life-pre-
servers, the family waited until the last mo-
ment, until the flames crept so close as to
threaten them, and sprang into the water, not
knowing whether all would ever meet alive
again, but hoping for the best. The brave
mother was almost exhausted when the boat
! picked her up, but not once did she exhibit
fear or lose her self-control. Neither did the
| young daughter, whom the parents felt doubt
| full about. Those who lost their lives mostly
persisted because they became panic stricken
and plunged wildly overheard, like lunatics
pelmell. Many were so crazy as to jump in.
to the water Immediately in front of the wheel
so that they we're either struck by it and
knocked senseless, or sucked under ano
drowned. Others were so frantic that they
had not sense enough left to put on their life
preservers properly, and so perished. One
poor old man was paralyzed with terror. HI
did not plunge overheard to destruction, bu
clung desperately to column, and refused t
be torn from it. His daughter remained be-
side him trying to drag him away till he,
face and shoulders were terribly burned, anc
she was driven. away, the awful fire creeping
up and up till the flames engulfed him, ant
she had the agony of seeing him burned aliv,
before her eyes. Those who could swim, al
far Us can be learned, retained their presenc,
of mind, and aided the rest, showing then
how to put on their Efe-preservers, and re-
straining them from jumping into the waite
| till the steamer landed. -: