The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1880-08-19
Hlanitowoe pilot.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 10, 1880.
THE ROMANCE OF NIAGARA.


frequency of such accidentzs-numbering
no fewer than seven last year-to the
carelessness growing out of familiarity
With the river above the rapids on the
part of boatmen who are accustomed to
cross and recross daily. and to the great
promoter of all manner of calamities-
liquor-which, he says, is plentiful and
cheap on the Canadian side. He describ-
es, with striking effect, two accidents
that occurred last summer-one attribu-
table to carelessness and the other to in
toxication-to illustrate his theory, and
adds to these the story of suicide to
show that all who meet death at Niagara
do not go over the falls unwillinglv.
More than twenty years ago, niagara
Witnessed tragedy, which, while of a
heart rendering character, was marked
by an act of true heroism seldom equalled
in grandeur. Mr.. Charles Arlington,
young man about twenty three or twenty
four years Of age, was affianced to Miss
De Forrest, both being residents of Buff
falo. One day happy party, compris-
ing Mrs. De Forrest, Miss De Forrest,
a young daughter, Eva, beautiful child
five or six years old, and Charley" Al
dington, as his friends were accustomed
to call him, visited the falls. They cross
ed the Bridge to Goat Island and, while
resting under the trees, little Eva strayed
away from the group and approaching
the bank of the narrow but deep AMI
swift stream that rushes between Goat
Island and the smallisland lying between
it and the main American rapids, was
AMUSING herself by casting..Esticks into
the water and watching them as they
were whirled swiftly away. Mrs. De
Forrest, alarmed for her child's safety,
requested Charley Addington to go after
her and bring her back. Charley at
once proceeded to the bank, and, think
ing to give the little one fright approach
ed her stealthily from behind, and catch
ing her under the arms, held her oyer
the stream. The startled child threw up
her little arms over her head and instant.
ly she slipped through young Addington's
hands and fell into the rapids. The
realization of the horrible calamity must
have come home to Addington's brain
with the rapidity of the lightning's fash.
He saw that his rash act had cost the
child's life-that only one desperate
chance of saving her remained-that the
world was at an end for him forever
Tearing off his coat, he rushed along the
bank until he had passed little Eva, who
was kept afoat by her clothing, then
plunging i'll ahead of her, he seized the
child and desperately attempted to throw
her up on the bank. As he made the
effort he fell back in the rapids, he was
whirled over the small fail that intervenes
between the American and Horse Shoe
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 power
less and paralyzed with horror while the
tragedy, almost instantaneous in its ac-
ton, passed before their eyes, leaving its
dark cloud hanging over all their future
lives. Charley Arlington had made a
hero's atonement for his thoughtless and
reckless act. His father-he was an only
s1n-was in the habit of visiting the falls
once 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 became well known
at the falls, and there were many who
believed that he would one day voluntar-
lily seek the same fate that his son, in his
heroism, had courted. But his sad pill
grimage had no such ending.
An accident with very dramatic accom-
paniments occurred some few years after
the sad event that cost Charley Adding
ton and Eya De 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 Falls. Looking downward
from the bridge, this log was and still is
in full sight. in the fiercest part of the
rapids, considerably nearer to the small
island on the American shore. The
moving object was soon found to be a
man, and it was evident that his boat
| had been carried over the Falls during
the night, while he himself had miracu-
lousy been cast.against the log, by which
he had msnaged to stop his fearful rush
toward death. Dispatches were imme-
diately sent to Buffalo, to the Coast Life
Saving Station. and Capt. Dorr fastened
to Niagara by special train, carrying
with mm two metallic hfeboats, and plans
to save the man were concerted. But
before the arrangements were completed,
the news had been spread abroad and
many thousands of persons had reached
the Falls by special trains to Goat Island,
the bridge. the American shore, the
roofs and windcvs of all adjacent build
ings and the branches OF tsees were COW
cred with anxious and Mortified speots-
tors. The first attempt at rescue was by
means Of 8 Francis metallic lifeboat.
attached to cable which vas slaked off
from the bridge opposite the log. aud
guided by side ropes. The boat had not
get far from the bridge when the fierce
rapids seized it, turned If round and
round, and aepssred TO be endeayoring
to crush in its sides. 1ae strong cable