The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1880-08-19
TWO TRAGEDIES OF NIAGARA.
The Death OF Little Eva De Forrest--A
Vain Attempt at Rescue.

1
More than twenty years ago Niagara
witnessed tragedy which, while OF
heartrending character, was marked by
ar act of tue heroism seldom equaled
in grandeur. Mr.. Charles Addington, a
young man about twenty-three or
twenty-four years of age, was affianced
to Miss De Forrest, both being residents
of Buffalo. One day happy party
comprising Mrs. De Forrest, Mss DE
Forrest, younger daughter, Eva,
hequtiful child five or six years old, and
Charley" Addington, as his friends
were accustomed to call him, visited the
falls. They crossed the bridge to Goat
island. and, while resting under the
tres, little Eva strayed away from the
group, and approaching the bank OF the
narrow but deep and swift stream that
| rushes between Goat island and the
small island lying between it and the
American rapids, was amusing herself
by casting sticks into the water and
watching them as they were whirled
swiftly away. Mrs. De Forrest, alarmed
for her childs safety, requested Charley
| Addington TO 90 after her and bring her
back. Charley at once proceeded To the
bank, and, thinking to give the little
one fright, approached her stealtlily
from behind, and, catching her under
the arms, held her over the stream The
startled child instantly threw up her
little arms over her head, and instantly
she slipped through young Addingtons
hands and fell into the rapids.
The realization of the horrible calam-
ity must have come home to Adding
tons brain with the rapidity of the
lightning's flash. He saw that his rash
act had cost the chiid's life-that only
| ppn douDnrota ahnppn of saving hpr rp-
maincd-that the world was ut an end
for him forever. Tearing off his coat, he
rushed along the bank until he had
passed little Eva, who was kept anoat
by her clothing; then plunging in ahead
of her. he seized the child and desper-
atcly attemp pied 10 throw her up on the
bank. As he made the effort lie fell
back in the rapids an d was wEirled over
the small fall that intcrvenes between
the American horseshoe falls. Little
Eva struck the top of the bank, but all
power had apparently gone from her,
and she rolled back into the stream and
was hurried to her dreadful fate. The
mother and sister stood powerless and
parall zed with horror while the tragedy,
almost instantaneous in its action,
passed before their eyes, aving its dark
cloud hanging over all their future lives.
Charles Addington had made Il hero's
atonement Tor his thoughtess and reck-
| less act His father-he was an only
son--was in the habit of visiting the
falls once a week for years after the
tragedy, and he would sit for hours
gazing at the spot where his son and
little Eva had met their deaths. He be-
came well known ut the tails, and there
were many who believed that he would
one day voluntarily seek the same fate
that his son, in his heroism, had courted.
But his sad pilgrimage had no such end
ing.
An accident with v.ry dramatic ac-
compartments occurred some few years
after the sad event that cost Charley
Addington and Eva Forrest their lives.
One morning, soon after day break, the
early risers at the falls discovered
something moving on huge old log or
trunk OF a tree which for years had
shown itself above the boiling rapids ON
the American side, having been caught
by and become firmly wedged into the
rocks on its way toward the fatl Is. Look
ing downward from the bridge, this log
was and still is in full sight in the
tiercest part of tue rapids, considerably
nearer to the small island on tie Ameri-
can side of Goat island than to the
American shore. The moving object
was soon found to be Il man, and it was
evident that his boat had been carried
over the falls during the night, while he
himself had miraculously been cast
against the log, by which he had mana
ged to stop his fearful rush toward
death. Dispatches were Immediately
sent to Buffalo TO the coast lite-saving
station, and Captain Dorr fastened 10
Niagara by a special train, carrying
with him two metallic liIeboats, and
| plans 10 save the man were concerted.
But before the arrangements were COM
| pleted the news had been spread abroad,
and many thousands of persons had
reached the falls by specia trains. Goat
island, the bridge, the American shore,
the roofs and windows of all adjacent
buildings and the branches of trees were
covered with anxious and horrilied
| spectators.
The first attempt at rescue was by
means OF Il Francls metallic lfeboat at
tached to a cable which was Stacked of
from the bridge opposite the log, aud
guided by side ropes. The boat had
not got fat from the bridge when the
aerce rapids seized it, turned it round
and round, and appeared to be endeavor-
ing to crush in its sides. The strong
cable snapped like whip cord, and the
poor fellow who had been Watching The
effort made for his res cue saw the boat
whirled past him and carried over the
falls, as if in mockery of his would be
rescuers. Considerable time was then
consumed in deliberating on a new
! plan, and it was proposed to flsten a
cable to some building on the American
side, to carry it over TO the island until
1t would sag near the log, and then to
rescue the man by means of basket
hung on the cable by rings, and to be
let down and pulled in by means of
smaller ropes. The material for this
experiment could not be procured, 50
at last it was decided to send down a
strongly constructed raft in the same
manner as the liieboat had been
launched, and il it reached the man in
safety, to ease it over toward the small
island, from whence his rescue would
be comparatively easy. The raft was
| built, but it was four O'Clock in the
afternoon before all was ready. The
day had passed without the fight of
time being needed. The excitement
was intense. Men and women, who
had stood for hours without food, were
painfully agitated. The raft moved. 1t
withstood bravelythe wild assaults ofthe
angry rapids. 1t neared the log. The
man stood up and waved his arms. The
raft came within his reach, and he got
on to it, ate the food, drank small
quantity OF weak brandy and water that